New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-30
Urges Free Seats
For Trinity Church
AS Thank Offering
DIR. Manning Would Aban-
don Custom TO Conform
With New Spirit Brought
About by Lessons of War

Dr.. William r. Manning. rector Of
Trinity Parish. urged yesterday in his
sermon that all seats in Trinity be free
abandoning the practice Of pew rentals
that has been in vogue since the church
was established 22l years ago. The
new policy would be thank Offering
for victory. DR.. Manning said. and an
evidence Of the sincerity with which
the church promoted the higher ideals
attained during the war
'For the church, he said eve want,
we must all want. a deepening of
religious faith and religious conviction
and along with it we want less Of
tartan DIVISION In this great day. all
Christians mast draw nearer to each
other if they arc to meet the churchs
opportunity.
at is time for Us 20 take some def
mite, practicai steps to break down the
barriers between those who are IN
their faith IN Christ and in desire 10
do Gods work in this world ! believe
our greatest need IN the church Is
more OF that spirit of Fellowship and
brotherlincss and close compan onship
in q great common aim which makes
the life in our camps and in our army
so wonderful.
Greatest Common Aim
I've have the greatest common aim.
ii is TO make this world a better place
Tor all by the power and in the name
Of Jesus Christ. why does not this
great aim stir MS more deeply and
draw us together more closely and
give us more real JOY and pleasure
81 think it is because we do not
make 1t rea! enough. We do not let
It take hold Of US strongly enough. The
moment one goes into a group OF sol
diers he feels this spirit of fellowship.
The barriers are all down. He .inds
himself one Of band Of brothers, with
a sense of fellowship which gives a
rev zesu, 4 new interest, a quite as
founding 10Y and freedom to life, a
cheerfulNess and courage equal TO any
ana all tasks
"rhcrc ought to be more of that
sense of fellowship when we come here
Oh the common ground of the church.
The church is the place Of all others
where we ought to find that common
Fellowship. If it does not exist or
so far as it does not exist. thus means
not only injury and loss. 1t means
church.
with this in mind, | wish most
earnestly we could give up ali renting
of pews or sittings in the church and
make the seats free and open TO all
This does not mean that those who
come here regularly could not sit in
their accustomed places, provided they
come in time. 1t does not mean We
should give less money to the church.
We ought to give whatever we can to
the church without getting something
back for it in the shape of a reserved
seat, and am sure all OF us feel this.
We have, | know, thoroughly hos
pitable spirit here in Trinity Church.
All who come here are most welcome.
No one is kept standing in this church
while there are seats unoccupicd. That
hold to be q thing quite intolelable
in the House Of God.
"But the renting of pews is an OBJ
stacle to that full spirit of fellowship
which we want and which we know
ought to exist in the church. We all
know what a spirit of warmth and life
there is in our great midday services,
when the seats an all free. We
ought to be satisfied with nothing
which falls below this at our services
on Sunday
The New Spirit
at seems to me that the freeing Of
our seats would be thoroughly in har-
mony with the new spirit and the new
day the war has brought US. | am GER
tain our men III coming nome from the
front will more easily understand the
real spirit OF the church If they find its
worship and its seats open equally tc
them and to all corners, without hav-
ing to place themselves under obhga-
tons to pew holders or to any one.
do not know how many of our VestrA
or Of our congregation agree with me
in this. | am expressing my own deer
personal conviction bur ! believe il
would be great thing for the churcl
and that it would nave a great and far
reaching effect for religion if at thi.
time we should make all our seats free
as a thank offering to God for Iii:
great mercy in giving us victory ant
as evidence of our desire to throw
open the blessings of the church TO al
and to do whatever we can TO make tn,
church the central place Of human fell
lowship and brotherhood in Jesus
Christ, which is the thing above al
+ others it should be.