New-York tribune., 1908-12-08
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
ST. JOHNS CHAPEL IN 1857.
GOUernor Dir SAID 1t Vas Needed
to Upift DO7Cnto10n District.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: At this time. when the action OF the Cor
poration of Trinity Church IN deciding TO close
St Johns Chapel, Varick street, Is arousing pun
lie interest and II seems, some criticism u may
be worth while to read the views held IN lo0f oS
the late Governor John A. Dfx-father OF the la
Rev Morgan Dix and at time Governor OF
New York ana a vestryman OF Trinity Churcn-ih
regard to the work of Trinity Church Corporation
in New York City.
In the late Bishop WiIIiansH De Lancey's Cof
Western New York; conventional address. Whlch
in part briefly reviewed the affairs Of Trinity
Church. delivered and published in 1871, the non
John A Dix is quoted as follows;
well known that the greater Part "a p9r5dseS OF Shs s y
business and that private dwelling n3ases iid aidSv
given place 70 stores and warehouses Ig me I5peT
districts and most Of the churches oi al nStch
Whch is st engaged ia useful spiritual laors in
Church in John street. unhappiy rent By Internal
strife and s. Peter s. E9niaH nan, t6eir ground
and the chuTch in Beeknlan street. formerly st
George s. purchased and now entirely supportsdl 6y
Trinity stand alone IN thls greI @ bovs Chau9-
bers street, and in few years there VIII t 70 at at
PF05s9itT F09s IL r8T 6f ne S4sh eAgEeheS Oei'" oa
SotWitbstanding this exodus OF wealth, vast
population the inhabitants, great part OF aileys
garrets and cellars. estimated to exceed lzO;;VVFVy
trinity Ghrch had Followed the same INSTINCTS
which have drawn on the o1aer FeIggIs tS+sif shs
OF the city to its more at6raGtige S G1s GdT and ne
also had a6aad01ed to theF @ so9 is5i 1 & eqeathed
to her the lower part Of the city would have pre-
sented an example Of religious des[fq[5Gn5
The design Of the vestr OF Trinity Guren T ~, "a If C
that portion which has not only an H1llLSIi9S SO
Bosom o the rsater part Of the destitute who seek
a refuge here from hardship in other counIrie@s-Io SO
oat with yhcf II was threatened b the removal
Of those 10 whose wealth and nberaIty il haa
been accustomed to look for sympathy ana peC,15 @
pretended only the spiritual instruction OF % t1
sltlO t ~ 1 an u the vsaitb OF the city-but the
education of their children, and 70 the & ~
temporal wants. Trinity Church, with lLs enoOW t
sn[ osss of fe ey was to stand in tie place
OF the Individual 9pulenee when I pas ne 4,i = ia sf
able fields for indugenee 9na sstaqssd R M trts Of
DaIsces and where in all its appointments ana
manifesto cions OF indoor and outdoor lie; % mere
dor unequaued. excepting by Few OF ths grea'
# seemed 70 me to have been among the de-
signs Of PToTeenfe @ ma f9at a dfsrtct ready with
her ample endowne3ts TO make & P[oVIsloHr 0Hr7 ind
t4e eInerse46yh h s9og ft mon her own hands hold
this 70 be the great mission OF Trinity Z GnIEG, & anu
2 The [9 work AZ with The Utmost diligence Athough
The The plan has not been formally adopted. It has
been practically acted on ana b5 = q sv Il have re-
sD0nded to ali appeals in behalf Of the destitute
Pendltqre as tls !hCUi5e % r5s1sg M AZ nv large annual
The clerical force of the parish has been peaT1y a
doubled. Sunday schools have been SreStly en-
iargtd Parish schools the gratuitOus education
OF children have been established: by far the great
er rart OF the pews in Trinity Church. l0f out OF
IA in St PauTs. and large number IN st Jonn ;,
arc free efforts have been put forth 10 orllg Iht
tho church those who have not been accustomed
to attend any religious worship; Trinity ChuTcn IS
0reneI twice day throughout the year Tor dlEnle
service; a mission Office has been established 70
appIicat tOnS for aid; lay VISITORS are EN-
plOyed to seek want and relieve II; missionary
agencies have been instituted IN connectI9h WIZ
Of immigration. the whole lowe
part Of the city has been virtually made neld OF
missionary labor, and a degree Of energy has oeea
infused into ministratiOns OF the chllrcn, tenn
poraI and spiritual. which compensates IN grsat
degree for the support Of religious societies
removed TO other districts
The changes in the lower part Of the city in the
last fifty years. 1t seems. have been such as to
strengthen rather than weaken the force OF the
foregoing views Of Governor DIX
A MEMBER OF TRINITY PARISH
New York, Dec. Z, 1908