There has never been an attempt of any importance, neither has there ever been any organized effort, for the regeneration of the Greek people, and while the Home and Foreign Missions of America for the last 25 years have given the best of their spiritual leaders for the conversion of the Zulu and the Mogul and millions of American dollars have been expended, with insignificant returns, in trying vainly to make real Christians out of a barbarous and semi-human race of people, and trying to civilize the jungles of Africa, the most urgent duty has been neglected, and some spasmodical efforts that have been put forth by the zeal of earnest individuals, were soon exhausted, and failed, not only for lack of financial support, but, the worst, by spiritual discouragements, and today a noble and the most historical race of peoples, the Greeks, are drifting in despair, away from God, politically perishing, blind, and ignorant priests, and political demagogues leading them fast into the ditch.
The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; who will help us to garner in? HELP! is the cry, the most earnest cry, that was ever uttered from the lips and from the heart of a sincere Christian worker.
In organizing the Greek-Amerikan-Christian-Association, all the latest and most effective, spiritual and industrial methods will be employed.
It is hoped that the organization will be incorporated under the laws of the United States, as soon as there are members sufficient in number to assemble in their first meeting and vote the Constitution and the By-Laws of the Association.
Much consideration will be given to the methods of the Y. M. C. A., and Y. W. C. A. This two-fold Institution, which in the opinion of Christian leaders, and the most distinguished sociologists, of the present time, is the very best agency to approach all nations, and spread civilization, well established upon the fundamental principles of Christianity.
For the last few months in my struggle trying to establish the Greek-Amerikan-Christian-Association and at the same time keep my soul and body together providing a lean livelihood by selling this book, I can truthfully say that I had more experiences than in all my life before. One clergyman of the high Episcopal church in the most fashionable Back Bay, Boston, offered to grant me the use of his church any time I wanted to offer the mass as high priest according to the ritual of the Greek Orthodox Church, if I would only "break off all relations with Protestant bodies here in America." I have a letter from this clergyman which is the most astounding fact of his inconsistency, because he himself is an active member of the Bible Club, a purely Protestant organization: he invited me to one of their meetings, but he would not purchase my book to help me to my bread and butter. Another clergyman, a member of the executive committee of City Missions, Boston, would not purchase my book, unless I offered myself to be employed by them at a certain salary, and he gave me his card introducing me to the chairman of that organization.
Last winter I began to preach to the Greeks at Kneeland street, Boston, in the open air, and when I went to see the police captain of that district he promised to co-operate with me and gave me his consent to go on with my work, but the following Sunday his Lieutenant came up to me, while I was preaching on the street, he stopped me, on the pretense, that he was informed of a plot among the Greeks to take my life. And when I made my complaints to the General Secretary of New England Missions, he told me that I should have known that Boston is a Catholic town, and that the police being informed that I was an ex-priest, they simply would not tolerate me. Horror stricken by this statement I went to see the captain myself, and the very same man who promised co-operation, only a few days hence, he stood up in front of my face and in a savage manner told me that he would not tolerate me to preach on the streets of Boston.
The names of all concerned are in my possession and open to investigation by the general public. But I will omit them here for reasons well understood.
A number of other discouraging instances, only worked together to deeper impress upon my heart the importance and the excellency of my high calling. Sooner or later, in the inevitable law of evolution and universal progress, the Greek nation must be regenerated in spirit and in truth: and I believe that it is not only a case of courtesy, but, there is a sense of duty for every true American man and woman to co-operate in the uplifting of all mankind. As for me I fully appreciate the privilege to suffer for the benefit of my fellow men, and I can hopefully repeat Tennyson's immortal words:
Once in a golden hour
I cast to earth a seed,
Up then came a flower,
The people said, a weed.