that can bring the right spirit to charitable work.

Instead of multiplying agencies needlessly, the city churches will find
it to the advantage of their spiritual work to keep up vital connection
with city charities. A clergyman who has an active church in one of
our eastern cities, has abandoned the plan of starting separate church
schools, societies, or institutions, realizing that many of these are
unnecessary, and that many others, necessary in themselves, are
inadequately supported. His people are sent instead, according to
their aptitudes, to hospitals, children's charities, societies for
visiting the needy, alms-houses, and homes for the aged. It may be
objected that the shoulder-to-shoulder contact, the strength of
concentration, is lacking in such a plan. But the church holds
frequent congregational meetings, where all who have been detailed to
serve as friendly visitors, hospital workers, etc., report to the
church and to the minister. Each one learns in {177} this way from the
work of the others; weak points in the city's plans for dealing with
the poor are made apparent; and the church is able by united effort to
obtain needed reforms. The work is understood to be a practical
application of the gospel as taught from the church pulpit, and there
is a natural and vital connection between the spiritual and social life
of the church community. Two other advantages are apparent. The
elasticity of the plan makes it possible to find work adapted to many
varying capacities, and all denominational rivalry, all petty jealousy
is avoided.

The friendly visitor from such a church will not visit the poor with a
view to winning them away from other churches to his own. On the other
hand, he will see the importance of some church connection, and will
strive to restore church relations, if they have been severed, by
urging attendance upon the services of the church and Sunday-school to
which the family naturally belongs. He will seek the help of this
church's minister in any plans he may make for furthering the family
{178} welfare, and, in this way, a spirit of cooperation between
churches of different denominations will be encouraged.

I cannot leave this part of my subject without mentioning one other
matter, though it is only indirectly connected with friendly visiting.
The training of ministers in our theological seminaries should include
a thorough course of instruction in charitable work. This would en