Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

rection, where I had been enabled to learn something of the causes and character of crime; and I had visited the families of a number of the inmates of that institution. I had also learned something of the number and character of the children, who should either have been in our schools, or in some useful employment; but who were misspending their time, and vitiating themselves in our streets, and lanes, and markets; on our wharves, and in the open spaces of the city. It early, therefore, became an object of my especial care, to aid parents in keeping their children at school; and, as far as I might, to rescue children from vagrancy and crime. And not only was I daily a preacher from house to house, to those to whom access could not otherwise have been obtained for Christian instruction; but, within five weeks of the time of my entrance upon this service, with the assistance of an association of young men, I obtained the upper chamber of the circular building at the bottom of Portland Street, for Sunday evening exercises, which were attended by considerable numbers of those whom I visited. My sentiments, however, were yet very vague upon many of the great interests which are to be regarded in view of the administration. of Christianity in large and densely populated cities. I had learned, indeed, that there is much in the science of government, which is not to be reached by civil legislation, or to be looked for from civil authority; much, the obligation of which devolves upon the intelligent, the philanthropic, the religious, and moral part of the community; much evil to be prevented, and much good to be attained, on which Christian principles, brought wisely to bear, may exert an influence to be exerted by no other means. I felt, therefore, that Christian ministers, connected with society, and employed as I was, could do much in collecting facts, by which we might be most surely guided to the principles and modes of operation, by which cities may be most effectually secured against the moral evils to which they are most exposed. An extract from my first semi-annual Report of the second year, published in May, 1828, will give the views I then had of the demands of this ministry, and of the manner in which I then proposed that we should meet them.

"I have often been asked, what I suppose to be the number of families in the city which are without a pastor. Within the past eighteen months, I have indeed been con

nected with only about two hundred and fifty such families. But there is not a lane, nor is there hardly a single yard, which I have explored thoroughly. Boston, however, contains at least sixty-five thousand inhabitants. Suppose the average number in the families of the city to be five, and there will be thirteen thousand families. There are also, I think, forty-four places of worship. Giving two hundred families to each of these places of worship, which will be as many as can be claimed for them, there will be eight thousand and eight hundred families, which are connected with our religious societies; and four thousand two hundred which will be left without a ministry. But suppose that there are only three thousand families, or fifteen thousand individuals in our city, who, by various circumstances are shut out from the influences of our religious institutions. I would ask, Should they not be provided with a ministry, by which the blessings of our religion, as far as shall be practicable, may be extended to them? I feel strongly, and I have much to say, upon this subject. But I will confine myself within as narrow limits as I can, in the hope that I may thus obtain attention to it. Let the interests and the claims of this ministry be understood, and I think that they cannot be disregarded.

The

"I am inclined to believe that there is not a city in Christendom, in which the public institutions of our religion are more generally regarded, or in which their salutary influence is more widely felt, than in Boston. But it is incidental to the very nature of a city, that it should collect within itself very great numbers of those, who are dependent for their daily bread upon their daily labor. demand for laborers in a city, considered, as it will always be, in connexion with the facilities which a city affords for association with many of the same class, and with the hope, often a very delusive one, of opportunities of more constant employment, and of better wages, than can be obtained in the country, will secure a supply far beyond what will be required, in all the departments of the service for which laborers are wanted. Some, also, will be brought into the city by the hope of living in it in unchecked idleness and beggary; and some, that they may here more securely indulge in vice, and support themselves in crime. From these, and other causes, there always has been, and there will be, a

very large number in cities who are very poor; who will feel, as it is not felt, because it is not so manifest, in the country, how wide is the distinction of their condition from that of the rich; and who either cannot, from feebleness, or sickness, or the want of suitable apparel, unite with us in worship in our churches; or from pride, or the influence of passions and habits not more commendable, will not join with us in our public religious exercises. The question, then, arises, and it is a very solemn one, What are our duties in regard to the moral, the spiritual wants, of this very large class of our fellow beings around us? If we have the means, to a very great extent at least, of meeting and supplying these wants, of rescuing many, who are very near to us, on our right hand and on our left, from the degradation, and misery, and ruin of sin; of sending to very many, who otherwise will not have them, the regenerating instructions and excitements, the supports and consolations of our religion; I would ask, Is our worship, or are our offerings to God in our churches what they should be, while we are blessing him for that dispensation of his grace and truth which he has given us by his Son, which, however, we are ourselves withholding from multitudes, who can receive them only through our Christian sympathy and benevolence? To my mind, it is as plainly the will of God, that there should be a permanent ministry for the poor of cities, a distinct ministry for the special purpose of the poor, as it is that we, who are not poor, should meet together to worship him. This is the sentiment which I now wish to bring before the opulent, the pious, and the charitable of our city. There must be a ministry at large for the poor of cities; and the number to be employed in this ministry must be determined by the numbers in a city, which cannot be brought under the pastoral charges of the ministers of its churches."

[ocr errors]

It will be observed, that I have spoken of this service as a ministry at large. Let me say, that it was not affectation of peculiarity and distinction, which led me to this designation of it. I was led to it by the thought, and the feeling, that a ministry was wanted here, and in every large city in Christendom, for great and important services, which are not among the recognised objects of the ministry in our churches. Does any one ask, What are these services? I might answer, generally, that they comprehend all the offices which a de

vout and devoted ministry, having distinctly in view all the objects of Christianity, and supremely desirous to do what it may for each of these objects, can extend to those in a city, who are in regular connexion with no Church, and are known to no minister as members of his congregation. Now I take the ground, which I suppose that no one will dispute, that of this number are at least one quarter part of the inhabitants of our city. All of these are not indeed poor. Nor will all, -for some are avowed infidels, accept the offices of the Christian ministry for themselves, or their families. But a large proportion of them are poor. And another considerable proportion, though not receivers of alms, do but live by their industry; and, feeling at once that they cannot dress for Church as others' dress for it, or pay for seats which they would not occupy without paying for them, are as effectually separated from our congregations, as they would be even by a law which should interdict their admission to them. Now it is a well ascertained fact, that many hundreds of families in our city, which belong to no congregation, and are known to no minister as a part of his flock, will very gratefully receive the visits of a minister who will seek them out, and connect himself with them as their Christian friend and pastor. Many of these families, through the extension to them of a Christian sympathy and interest, may be brought into one and another of our congregations and churches. Constituted, however, as our congregations now are, many, very many, cannot be brought into them. Is it asked, Why? I answer by inquiring, Are the members of these congregations ready to open their pews to all, of every condition, whom we might bring into our churches to join with them in worship? It may be said, that there is a reservation of free seats in many, and in most, of these churches. And where are these free seats? And for whom? Are they free seats for those, with whom we would worship one common Father as equally his children, however unequal in the circumstances of our outward conditions; with whom we would worship as brethren; as our fellow sinners, and fellow immortals; and as fellow expectants of a judgment to come, at which every one is to receive, not according to his attainments in knowledge, in wealth, or in reputation, but, according to what he has done in the body, whether it have been good, or whether it

[ocr errors]

have been evil? The truth is, and it is not to be disguised, that, constituted as society now is, not only with us, but in every city in Christendom, ay, and not only out of the Church, but in it, the poor are, - and if we would understand either our duties, or interests in regard to them, we must realize that they are, a class by themselves. The appropriate question on this subject is, How became they so? Were they made so, or were they first known as such, by the proposition of a specific ministry for them? Or, could it be supposed by any one, that, by the proposition of this ministry, it was intended to keep them a separate class; to erect chapels for them as a separate class; and then to employ that very religion, whose object it is to make us all "one in Christ Jesus," as an instrument for effecting more completely a separation of the rich and poor? I, certainly, have never so viewed my ministry. But I have viewed and exercised it, as an important instrument for effecting a higher and more Christian union of the classes of the rich and the poor. I appeal to my Reports upon the question, whether this has not been with me a leading object. It has, indeed, been the means to which I have looked for far the greatest amount of good to be attained by this service. But here I would speak only of the claims of this ministry; and I rest its claims upon the number among us, not connected with our congregations; on the fact, that it has been found practicable to establish a pastoral connexion with those, who would otherwise have had no Christian pastor; on the design of our Lord, that, through his religion the poor should be blessed, as they cannot otherwise be blessed; and on his design, not less obvious, or less imperative upon us, that to the poor, and to all the poor, the Gospel should be preached. On these grounds I have proposed a ministry distinct from that of our churches; a ministry at large; a ministry whose object it shall be to seek out those, who, to be found, must be sought; and by all the means which our religion prescribes, and which an enlightened experience shall suggest, to endeavour to accomplish in regard to them the whole purposes of the Gospel. Let there be an administration of Christianity among us, by which, independent of such a ministry, the Gospel shall be preached to the poor, and to all the poor among us, and no one will more rejoice than I shall, when the necessity of a ministry at large shall be entirely superseded.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »