The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-21
WAR CRIPPLES
CHURCH WORK.
SAYSDR.PARKS
st. Bartholomew Has to
Curtail Charities to Keep
Out of Debt.
NIETZSCHE BLASPHEMY'
IS SCORED BY RECTOR

How seriously church work here has
been affected by the war and business
conditions is disclosed in the preface to
tho year book of 81. Bartholomew parish,
issued Yesterday. St Bartholomew's at
Madison avenue and Forty-fourth street,
ia one OF the rich congregations OF New
York. Some months ago 1t bought new
site on Park avenue between Fiftleth and
Fifty-hrst streets for si5O0.0oo.
In the preface the Rev. DR. Leighton
Parks. Bishop Greer's successor as rector.
says:
IL am sorry 70 tell you that IL has been
necessary to cut down expenses In every
department OF the parish house and IN
the clinic at Pawing (where the church
gives poor children a bit OF country air).
and to close the Girls Club boarding
house When prosperity comes TO us
again YOU will see that the work IL re-
vlved, but could not feel justified IN
running into debt and then asking you TO
pay the bills"
81. Bartholomew's balance sheet shows
receipts Of more than 100000 for all
parish activities In the year; the Easter
collection alone was almost $4,000. The
clinic, where work has had TO be lessened
for lack OF money. treated more than
$4,000 cases last year. Tn. church main
tains all sorts OF religious and social work.
Still the church must do something for
the people Of the nations at war. DR.. Parks
declares "If any one says. we cannot
do this without neglecting the beggar at
our gates, he says what Is not true in
ssts the minister. I'VE can. IL we are
willing to reduce expenses, not In order
10 hoard, but 10 give.
To- la. a pftt ~ N
arrange your retrenchments so that a
small part will fall on each trade the loss
will not be great to any one. for II Is
20 be remembered that many people Will
make no change in their method of living.
but what YOU save will swell the relief
fund at home and abroad. All display is
bad taste at any time, but at such time
As this it would be disgrace
Considering the moral 81 immoral as
poets of the great conflict In Europe Or
Parks says
For many years multltudes Of men
and women have been Withdrawing from
the church and the church has made
frantic efforts to win them back. Some
Of these efforts have been reactionary
and some have been revolutionary. on
inc one nund devout men nave believed
that revival OF ceremonies and opinions
long abandoned would win the world to
Christ, and others have turned from
osophy or some teaching OF ethics for a
means to stem the rising tide of materi-
alism and sensullism and sentimentalism
which threatened to overthrow family
and State
"And now the day OF Judgment has
come. AL the church Is being siftcd.
Listen 10 this. y regard Christianity as
the most fatal and seductive lie that has
over yet eNlsted--as the greatest and most
.mpious lie | urge people 10
mi. 1g,, -, .ts
people as the measure Of all things.
this IS the most repugnant kind of de-
generacy that civilization has ever yet
brougG: into existence. And this kind Of
'deal is hanging still, under the name Of
God" over mems heads
I'VE instinctively shrink from such
hlasphcyly. observes Dr. Parks after
thus quoting from the German Nletzsche,
but We forget that II Is an utterance
that has found a response This great
poet-phi.osupher has called spirits from
the vastv deep'-spirits of war and lust
and rapiue. spirits OF envy and hatred
and cruelty. They came in answer to
this mag!cians call, and the bloody
waters of the Marine and the canals Of
Flanders are choked with the dead =
els IL true that Christianity is tho
enemy Of Christi II there We're no truth
in the charge Il would Ice impotent. We
mus; ind how much Of truth there is in 1t,
and reform the church What have
the great ecclesiastical institutions TO
answer!
"Ultramon,aine Romanism and tradi-
tional Professionalism are impotent In this
crisis The appeal OF both is 10 an alb
sent God whose existence ia proved by the
miraculous, ard modern scepticism has re-
fused to hear anything more on the sub
Ject. But TO a spiritual rnesssge-the mes
sage of Jesus Christ-the world VIII lis
ten. The church must proclaim
II. Every church has number of elect
souls, and II Is their faith and love and
hope which will save the world"