The Religious Life of LondonRitchie, J. Ewing (James Ewing)
Religion
The Religious Life of London
Ritchie, J. Ewing (James Ewing)
London (England) -- Religion; Religious thought -- England -- London
modified their customs in order to retain their hold upon the young of
the wealthy classes. But they cannot be retained by means like these.
It has almost become a proverb, that in the third generation they will
pass through the chapel to the church. Half the great mercantile houses
of London and the empire were founded by Dissenters whose sons, as they
have grown rich and cultivated, feel more and more the awkward isolation
of Dissent. Increasingly this feeling is spreading among Dissenters, and
the Church, if it were wise—its history is a career of blunder upon
blunder—would have laid its plans to recover such. All the levers of
society have been at its disposal. The Establishment rolls in wealth;
there is no other Church in the world so wealthy; the aristocracy are
bound to support it. Literally, there is in our land no career for a
Dissenter. Dissent is a stigma in society. Even men who have no
religious predilections would scorn the name of Dissenter. The schools,
the universities—all have wealth and honour for those who will conform;
and for those who conscientiously refuse to do so—exclusion and disgrace.
In London, within twelve miles of the Post-office, there are some seven
hundred churches and chapels connected with the Church, and about treble
that number of officiating clergy. At St. Paul’s it is estimated that on
special occasions as many as 7000 or 8000 persons take part in the
services. For the special evangelization of the metropolis there is what
is called the Bishop of London’s Fund. In the summer of last year the
Bishop of London stated that towards the sum proposed to be raised for
that purpose, 360,000_l._ had been subscribed. By means of that
subscription 200 clergymen have been added to the diocese, and
contributions made to the erection of 69 new churches and of 20
parsonages. Sites also had been secured for 33 more churches, 27
schools, 15 parsonages, and 4 mission stations. 15,000_l._ had been
expended for educational purposes; upwards of 9000_l._ for 53 Scripture
readers; about 2000_l._ for 27 parochial mission women, and 2670_l._
towards the rent and expenses of mission rooms. It says something for
the Church that it has thus raised funds for such purposes. When Bishop
Blomfield appealed for 10 new churches for Bethnal Green, and raised
sufficient money both to build and to a great extent endow them, it was
feared that he had called forth such an expression of Christian
liberality as would exhaust the resources of wealthy Church people in the
great metropolis for many years to come. Since that time it is estimated
that 1,700,000_l._ have been expended in London on churches and
endowments. I am not aware that any other religious sect can say as
much. The _Times_ estimated that there are as many as 85 clerical
charities in London.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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