STARTLING, IF TRUE by George B. Thompson

Pacific Press Publishing Company · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · Apr 25, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 17.

STARTLING, IF TRUE.

By George B. Thompson

THE following, copied from the Christian Work, by the Living Church, into their issue of March 31, 1900, presents a startling picture of the irreligion of one of our most populous cities:—

"Miss Helen Clark, director of the Mott Street Evangel Band, this city, told a startling story at the Methodist ministers' meeting a few days ago, and has since supplemented it with an interview in a morning paper. If the half of what Miss Clark says is fact, the city of New York is the best field in the world for mission work. Sixty-five per cent. of the inhabitants of the city, it is claimed, are entirely without religion. That does not mean they are without the Protestant religion only, but that they are neither Christians, Buddhists, Jews, nor Mohammedans. The city of Tokyo is mentioned by way of comparison, that being a heathen metropolis of considerable extent; but if the figures are accurate, the pagan population of this metropolis of New York exceeds by 100,000 that of Tokyo—that is to say, in this city there are 1,300,000 people who never bow the knee to Jehovah, no, not even to Baal or Ashtaroth.

"These reports, we may add, have a peculiar timeliness, because New York is anticipating for this spring the assembling of the most powerful and representative missionary conference, the most really ecumenical, ever brought together. What could be more appropriate than that this center of heathenism should gather delegates from all the world to discuss means for enlightening the world? What an added incentive to missionary work it must be to a devoted disseminator of Gospel seed, to know that while he is planting the fertile soil of India or China, the stony ground of the seventh, tenth, and thirteenth wards are behind him!

"To stand aloof while such disclosures are being made, and refer to the alleged facts as matters of interest only to members of church societies, is as short-sighted as it is fallacious. If it is true that a large majority of the people in all the boroughs of Greater New York are heathen, most, if not all, of them given over to ignorance, to vice and crime, then it is high time for the Christian and all right-minded people of New York to arouse themselves and meet the duty of the hour—or who shall say what peril may not confront them in the future?"

If these statistics are true, they present a dreadful picture, one which points to a time similar to the days of Noah. Think of it! sixty-five per cent. openly irreligious, a hundred thousand more in New York City without religion of any sort than there are pagans in Tokyo, Japan! Of the other thirty-five per cent., some are Buddhists, some are Mohammedans, some are Jews, and a large percentage are Roman Catholics. The rest are scattered through the various Protestant denominations, and many while professing to be Christians show by their life that they are not converted.

And yet this is one of the most enlightened cities of America. Its churches and educational centers are legion, but, according to the statements narrated above, it is almost wholly given over to the synagog of Satan. Shall we conclude that New York City contains more sinners in proportion than other congested centers of population?—Hardly. And in the face of all this we are told that this is a "Christian nation;" and some talk of the speedy conversion of the world, and a dawn of righteousness which will cover the whole earth! We are convinced, not only from observation, but from the teachings of the Bible as well, that there will never be a "Christian nation" on this earth till the Saviour comes, and the "righteous nation which keepeth the truth"—the redeemed—enter the city of God. The millennium, or world's conversion, is but a figment of the imagination. A time of trouble such as never was hastens on instead.

G. B. THOMPSON.

Rome, N. Y.