New-York tribune., 1909-09-18
TAKES ISSUE ON CHURCH CONDITIONS
Correspondent Denies Accuracy of Assertions
in Magazine Article.
: Editor of No TrIbune

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir; 1t is possible some New-York Tribune read
ers may be disturbed by statements made by Ray
StannaTd Baker in articles in one OF the monthly
magazines concerning church conditions in New.
York and in the country. They have no need to be
upset
Mr. Bakers statements false.
Let us take the principal statements IN the arti-
Gle in the September issue
"On December last E37l3 persons visited the tI-
oeTculosls exhibit-more people. perhaps than at
tended ali OF the Protestant churches on Manhat-
tan Island put together" The number OF people
who attended Protestant churches on Manhattan
Island on Sunday. December s. 1908 was $4,000
Bensvolences OF Baptists, Congregationalists and
PTesbyterians decreased during the twelve years
tween 1893 and 1906" They did not They increased
That Of Preshyterans increased $4,000 during ths
period named.
The Young Mems Christian Association places
,s chief emphasis social and educational actvi-
ties and on physical training" II does not II
never did Membership in Young Mems Christian
Association Bible classes increased from 1340o 20
600 during the last eight years. and tha amount
expended on religious work from S5Ooo TO $4,000
year.
Many churches and denominations are discreet
~ silent on the subject OF their finances" Every
religious body in America, every missionary
In America. and practically every single church
stands alws-s ready to give all possible information
about receipts and expenditures.
While the churches are moving out. the Charity
Organization Society is moving into the slurns
The churches not moving out The moving was
STOPPED long ago Mr. Baker appears 70 lay most
blame upon Protestants The facts are that while
Protestants are not downtown IN Manhattan 70
the extent they ought 70 be- Catholics are not up
town.
Tenement house reform in New York found its
bitterest enemy in Trinity Church" Trinity parish
never opposed tenement house reform It's record
IN the matter OF tenements. never % bad as paint
ed. was tha result OF mistakes made a hundred
years ago, To-day It is working hard on this line
and for years this single parish has reached the
poor OF New York in larger numbers and in more
liberal amounts OF money than all forces spr!ngfns,
from and supported by nou-Chrlscians put together
Study the reform movements IN the cities OF
America. and IT will usually be found that regen-
GRAFTON activities have been led by men outside OF
| the churches" Who is behind the Bureau OF NTu-
nicipa Research the Society for Improving the
Condition OF the Poor. the Citizens Union?
Not only the dollars OF the rich but the pennies
Of the poor have been diverted in large measure
| from the Church The income of the churches as
! whole and per capita steadily increases.
Most churches and several whole denominations
| are scarcely able 70 hold their own" The number
Of churches on Manhattan Island having a thou
| sand communicates or more has doubled within the
| last decade. The financial incomes OF New York
| churches surpass those OF any other city in The
world. and the rate at which such incomes as those
! Of the Brick Presbyterian. 81. Thomas's, St. Bar.
| tholomew's. Grace and other Episcopal churche:
/
DO outside activities mean that there is NOR,
| faith outside the churches than nside? a gooi
way 10 measure faith is 70 measure works. AnalyZI
contributions TO relief for sufferers from the Cone
| maugh dam. the Messina earthquake. the San Fran
cisco hre the Galveston flood and other disasters
also the Hudson-Fulton celebration funds. and be
hind from so 20 80 per cent of them you win ind
| stanch follower Of Jesus Christ. These causes are
not such ought 10 appeal more 10 Christian:
than 20 those outside the churches. 1t costs $780,
20 in
America and foreign mission work supported from
America. Christians contribute this sum and three
| fourths OF the benevolent and charitable funds be-
| sides. With this fact in mind measure Of the
faith. shown by works. outside tho churches
may be gained
But what's the use OF measuring such statement.
| as those made by Mr.. Baker? / do not claim fol
| the churches that they do all they ought to do
| They have many shortcomings. But they have
right 70, ask that writers and publishers refrain
| from giving circulation 20 false statements.
| EUGENE NJ. CAMP.
The seabury Society, New York, Sept. II. 1903.