New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-19

Familiar as New York Is with great bust
ness interests. even railroads, trying to
break into II, a new experience now awaits
It when a great religious body deliberately
sets out to get into II. The body in ques-
ton is the Disciples OF Christ called
throughout the West Christians. These
people outnumber Presbyterians North.
and, with tho Lutherans. have grown In
greater ratio during the last twenty years
than any other religious body. Unlike the
Lutherans and Roman Catholics. they are
a pure American body. with no immigra-
ton to swell their membership. Their
numbers are 1900 900, and they realize their
great strength from Pennsylvania west
10 Missouri and among American born
people
Ae this time the leaders in the whole
Disciples body are intent upon getting into
New York. Men have recently been here
studying conditions Forerunners are being
located here. Even laymen are being as
sisted to enter business here, that as Dis
ciples business men they may study New
York and find out how to get Disciples into
It in the best way. There will come next
month the Rev. Fred Marsh Gordon, Of
Pittsburgh. young and vigorous leader
He Is to be pastor of the Third Christian
Church Of Brooklyn, but will study at
Union Seminary, Manhattan, and will es-
pecially study conditions Of religion here,
reporting to Disciples leaders who send
! him here. The other day, In Brooklyn. q
| Union congregation, with Presbyterian
leanings and a Presbyterian pastor, was
, got in mass 10 vote to become Dlscl-
| pies. There are larger plans on foot than
this, however.
In Cincinnati Disciples have home mis-
sionary society. 1t is studying how to get
| into this city The few Disciples that are
| here already, divided into about seven COM
paratively small congregations, are appeal
| ing to the society. Disciples as whole
! have recently discussed the New York sit
uation In convention. There are many
among them who favor the raising OF 5000 =
| GO In the West perhaps even as much as
! 100000, and with It como into New YORK
| IN a comprehensive way.
The plan most favored IS the erection In
| Manhattan OF a large church. With add
tional buildings A prominent location Is
urged, In order that Eastern people and
strangers visiting the city may know OF Its
existence. II is admitted that even N,coWo
is not enough, but It Will answer, It Is sald'
10 make u beginning. and as the work
grows n debt, II made at the beginning, can
be paid of Disciples are active propagan-
dsts In the West. and they believe they
can accomplish as much here as there.
The reasons why these Western religion
lists desire to break into this city are two.
One is because II is New York, the big city
OF tho country. Disciples are growing rap
idly, but they want to grow even faster,
and say that TO be In evidence here means
to be national The other reason is their
unity plea. Disciples reject historic creeds,
and take the whole Bible as creed. They
| believe in immersion, and have as motto
Scripture baptism or no baptism" hold
| ing immersion TO be the only Scriptural
baptism. and that people who have merely
| been sprinkled have not really had Chris
tan baptism. They are intense unionists,
| desiring 70 bring Christian bodies together,
and say this baptism plea is tho way to
do f. Zeal goes with their enterprise.
A few OF their number, especially con-
servatives, declare that New York can
hardly be Influenced greatly by one big
| church having already so many big ones.
These conservatives have urged, as
means OF getting strength here and max
! ing New York and America take them into
account as religious factors, the adoption
OF the Church Settlement idea, often In
rented houses. and the use Of oarlors for
services on Sundays and for social pur-
poses on week nights. The claims are made
that such a plan would really hll a need,
would be able to go into many sections and
reach Italians. Greeks and others, as well
as Americans. and. being novel, would at
tract wider notice than one large church.
II would also take less money to estab-
llsh. and still less 10 maintain.
Next month leaders in this vigorous