New-York tribune., 1905-04-23
PARADING THE SLUMS.
Preachers Adopt a Startling InmoUa-
ton in Religious York.

Parades OF ministers through the city slums
at midnight. winding UP st theatre service.
is a startling innovation IN religious work
which seems TO be growing fashionable Al
ready the experiment has been tried in Den
yer. Boston and Los Angeles In this country,
and IN several cities IN Great Britain.
The press dispatches have told the bare facts
about these street parades IN certain instances;
they have not shown. however, that these are
part Of a widespread movement, and that they
arc symptomatic OF a changed attitude toward
the masses on the part OF the churches. These
midnight professions are Of a piece with a wave
Of evangelism which seems 10 be sweeping over
the world, and which is also expressed by
theatre meetings. by tent work IN the big cities,
by nocnday services IN thu business quarters.
by days OF prayer kept by whole communities
and by united evangeistio efforts IN various
forms
This feature OF modern revival effort can be
traced back directly to a striking parsonage on
the other side OF the water, one Gypsy Smith,
evangelist. In the spring Of 1903 Gypsy
Smith was attending the annual session of the
National Free-Church Council Of Great Britain
at Brighton There he made an evangelistic ad-
dress. and at night led the ministers in a pro-
cessiOn through the slums OF the city ending
with a spectacular midnight service. The ex-
perience was q radical one for most OF the
seamy side Of life. Nor had they thought IL DOS
sible for the Gospel invitation to receive a re-
Epectful. much less a cordial, hearing from peo-
pie who 1--we by vice. Yet this IS exactly whas
they saw. They found that the drunkards. the
criminals and the fallen men and women heart
ily responded TO their invitation to ioin the
procession 10 a great meeting at the Brighton
Dome. Keepers OF disreputabIe houses even
urged the unfortunate creatures under their
n
was offered TO the astonished preachers as they
paTaded through the purIieus Of Brighton.
One OF the preachers participating in tb,s
novel experience was the Rev. W J. Dawson
now known on both sides Of the water. His
church. the Highbury Quadrant CONGREGATIONAL
was IN an aTistocratic quarter OF London. This
Brighton experience seems 10 have revolution
lied his life. The depths Of his Cornwall nature
We're stirred by the spectacle OF the poor Great
ures who hungrily followed the promise of srir
aInal food He became Immediately dissatisfied
WIN his own church and its work. and so he
proposed that they. too enter into evangeIjstio
effort Gypsy" Smith was invited for a n7fssior,
and the upshot OF It all was that the Higbbury
quadrant saints were soon parading the neigh
Dorhood at midnight. astonished TO learn thu,
AZ lhelr very doors were such poverty and wick
eoness as they had never imagined.
ne Congregauonalists Of America csllad NJ
lawson 10 thls country 10 take up evangelistic
work under their leadership Mr.. Dawson car,a
arriving here last February. having resiqnad b,s
church IN London 10 give himself excIusival,, -
the American mission
Al the first opportunity after taking ~ ,,..1-
IN THIS country Mr. Dawson put into rra aet;,a -
sIeet parade Idea While holding meetings in
Boston lie organized the ministers 81 ~ 80. -
one Ilgat Tor a street parade 10 make a TOM -
ne 7oGlh End and then 10 return 10 Trernoy.
Temple Tor midnight meeting where bundreIS
ot church members had gathered To see tba
spectacle Heading the march were rer-eearte
I'VE Aew-England clergymen OF MANY faiths
lnltar1ans. EpiscOpalians. CongregatfonaiiSts
ers -0 "OIA-
Salvation Army band led the procession or
lour nunored men az rapid gait through tbs
e4slt4cl visited LIVER and anon paraders would
- oul Iroln The line Of march 10 give an in
sllauoh 10 onlookers on the sidewalk or "a
uICp mo saloon or other resort where man
aila women we're gathered.
secretary Barton OF the American Tsoar6 ,t,e,.
mo saloon Tor recruiting purposes and while
Ie NaS s@thering followers the band an6 rro
Sessl0l passed out Of sight, so that he bad a
1tIs street parade OF his own back 10 T'rAn,o,,~
isLIle- Episodes Of this sort abounded TTl1e-a
w. sgHe guylng,' but there were no insults
aho @hen The assembly got back Ia ',re,oo9t
Temple they hlled the big auditorium Ia tte lst
inch Of standing room. - e-S last
however, this WAS not the first sdontfo- 20
nc street parade idea in this country M
lawson had previously related his F3r5phto, -
@eiaence and 50 the Rev. DR.. J. Wilbur Chan