New-York tribune., 1908-05-11
AKED ASKS FOR MONEY
ROCKEFELLERS THERE.
Deplores IN Sermon Decreased
Church attendance.

The Rev. DIR. Charles F. Aked. in the Fifth
Avenue Baptist Church. deplored yesterday
morning the decline of church attendance He
gave figures for New York. but said the falling
off was worldwide. And the reason. he said.
was that the pulpit was out of touch with the
times: that the ministers. subjected 10 grinding
poverty had become hidebound, stupid, "a
laughing stock-parrots of dead church cries in
stead of preachers of the living Christ" We
want more money! he continued, more build
jngs more young men to train for the ministry"
His appeal was heard by John D. Rockefeller.
Mrs Rockefeller and John d. Rockefeller. jr-
DR. Aked's subject "The Alleged Decay of
Christianity in New York city" and he took for
his text Matthew 16. iii. Can ye not discern the
signs of the times?" He said:
When I first came to this great city Of New York;
Nth yHf eager strenuous crowds pulsatng with
ergy and hope saw the buoyancy Of the american 9
electric activity Now want to learn n the me s1gnf 5s ri
en tne ries mem II is for me to observe as it is
you INDICATE What is the condti9n Of GhrS v
parishoners and they are among the most oII repre-
sensye in the iEe city ,f ma sprt 5f 9 aboundns en
terprise in business in manufacturing IN ehei-
neertng and construction.
DR.. Aked then reviewed the relative attend
ance in the different denominations. saying:
, We have heard OF the great advance made by the
est grounds OF liberation but l should not be con
eant i what bat "s haye m Se S ss fSe
ind that there have inrnigrated America no less
than Is 900 Roman Catholics 80 tnat IN the IIo-
Take our own denomination. The increase IN
the Bapttsts Of Ame[ca has only MS oeen pTnv1g that
three out of four of our young people nave taiien
Let us look at this great city of New York
Fifty ago there here mere more a2e we've {ns hune
But the population has increased nlucn faster ~
the GhgFohe sT @ had s9a9 tn @
Fifty years ago there vas one chqTea Tcr Y bers Is
only one church for every thirty-one hundred IN
England. in France. in Spain. in Italy and Ger
many We hear the same cry r-z1,s1 clergy
man. He told me that not merely Vas there b,,, a
falling off in churchgoers in Engeh6 be1
was becoming inferior
What a great field is here in Fifth avenue for
Yet there one million in this city wno are
a0d a05 1eTs' Who must nDt Fs9I5Go be Protestants
But this million is entirely unchurched II IS not
to which il should belong. What use is church
without congregation? ,., -. .
have made no progress In the cd sf@sd f9 ne
speak Of religion. When do speak with
bated breath, apologetically. -.
This IS age of great schemes, OF great am am.
bition But what have to do for Christ? What
have done?
And he answers that content to 60 on
in the same old way. unsuited to the times An
appeal to young men and to higher class and
in a higher way is a remedy he gives And to
do this we want preachers he says, "of the
highest type-sprftual and prophetic am
not speaking Of myself. but. though there may
he exceptions-there may he foolish men. even
bad ones, for time in the pulpit-but spiritually
Won can rise no higher than the level of the
pulpit He continued:
We want more teachers. more schools. more
churches and larger ones to hold the forty thou
sand Baptists of this city. We require larger
building here for congregation; there is not
elbow room for all who come here -.
spirit Of commercaiisTn ct MONEY & ma1s we
to our own times
els Christianity played out?'' asked the minis
ter. quoting a recent article in a current maga-
zine What are the causes?" And he went on:
First, would say that the pulpit is out Of touch
with the times. Everything has progressed except
men and women have been driven from the church
by the stupidity of the preachers. TIE pulpit IS
OF grinding poverty treadtng always the same old
in our actions we have become a laughing stock
parrots Of dead church cries instead of preachers
Of the living Christ.
He then referred to the cry of the colleges for
more clerical students, and quoted figures TO
show the serious falling of among Baptists,
Methodists and Presbyterians for the ministry
He said:
We want money, buildings. more
young to train for the ministry. Look the
vast opportunities with every coming
shore I know Italian Baptist minister. ! know
none filter for the mission than he He has labored
other cities. We want funds erect q Italian |
mission. Here In New York is the place TO win
Italy to Christ Here have Italian anarchists
and infdels and atheists CrOwding to shores.
He finished with appeal for the Baptist
clergy. "Ciive chance he said. ''give
like other men-Hke men IN busf-
ness in railroads I'm engineering in
science or in journalism. We have ambitions |
we have hopes. and condemned to pow |
erty. Give a chance for our energies. a |
chance to do something for Christ. Give us |
money.
After the service John D. Rockefeller was |
greeted by his friends
When asked last night If he had received any |
response to his appeal at the services earlier in
he day DR.. Aked said:
Response? L didn't expect any"
1t was suggested that John d. Rockefeller |
and his son were present at the service a sub
stanttal reply might have been expected
The sermon was not delivered with any such |
said DR.. Aked, "and l do not expect |
that any such offer will be made"