The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1889-12-01
IN THE PARSONAGSE.
Homes of the Ministers and
Those Who Dwell
in Them.
Mr.. SCUDDER'S BUSY FLOCK.
Fireside Work and Pleasures--A
Bachelor Pastors Snuggery.


smile upon his children and criticize ana
gossip about them afterward, ever really
come to know their minister and MS
family. His home is like a little COM
munity by itself. Here it is that he can
lay aside the formalities his position en-
tail upon him and be like other men,
Not, for the world, that minister is not
at home what he processes to be abroad;
but then he cannot avoid yielding to the
restraints his position puts upon MIN
when he is under the public gaze; and II
is only in the bosom of his family that ne
dares to unbend. 1t is, indeed, in the
freedom of mis- home that the minister ap-
pears to the best advantage.
A BERGEN PARSONAGE.
And for the most part these homes are
as unostentatious as the good men whose
families they shelter. The most eXtrava-
CANT, probably, of those in this city is
that of the Rev. Mr.. Herr, of the Bergen
Presbyterian Church. 1t shares with the
residence of George F. Perkins the dis
tinction of being the most tasty and I'M
posing on Bergen avenue.
1t is of the modern antique villa style.
and one who passes it after dark cannot
but be attracted by its display of lights.
1t seems to be aglow from cellar to
garrett; every room is usually lighted
the social centre of South Bergen. Across
the way the broad lawn Of Gifford's
stately mansion stretches. Near at hand
is Blakeley Wilson's brown stone resi-
dence. A block or two below is the cosy
home of DR.. James Wilkinson. Within
stones throw is George Helms some
what old fashioned residence. Tine Rev.
Mr. Herr knows them all, and is the well
come guest of each
The Rev. Mr. Herr is a society man.
He brought a liberal education and q
deep purse to his parish and his church
has had the benefit of both. A most per-
4 feet master of rhetoric, he charms by his
oratory and has shared with his parish
the wealth that came to his hands. The
parsonage is of his own erection; that is,
it was built with his own money, and 1t
is to his liberality that the church owes
some of its present possessions.
In private life the Rev. Mr. Herr is q de-
lightful companion. He throws aside the
'isms" of the religious world and enjoys
himself as any amiable gentleman would.
II heard the Rev. Mr.. Herr preach an
excellent sermon this morning." said
someone to me Thanksgiving Day. ~
saw him play an excellent game of pool
this evening"
AT THE REV. MR. sCUDDER's HOME.
No preacher in the city probably less
feels the restraint of the public gaze than
the Rev. John l.. Scudder, of the 1aber-
nacle. he is a great yachtsman, q lover
of horses, always goes about accompanied
by his mastitf, and a rollicking, good
natured, bright-faced, bright-minded,
sunny-humored man. Religion is not
masked beneath long face with him.
What he is among his people be is ON the
streets, in the bosom of his family-every-
where. The harmony Of his disposition is
reflected in his broWn-Stone home on Var
lex street
1t even showed itself in the furnishings
of the house, one drapery harmonized
with another, one article of furniture
seemed to rest with perfect ease where it
was placed; nothing appeared to be
at Skies and sevens.
And it is a decidedly busy home, tool
Mr.. and Mrs. Scudder have but two
children, little girls about twelve years
of age, yet there is never a minute
wasted. Early in the morning Mr.. Scud-
der gathers together his books and
papers, and betakes himself to his COM
Portable study in the church
He does not feel at all worried to think
that he has left his large correspondence
to be attended to by Mrs. Scudder
When this has been completed Mrs.
Scudder feels at liberty to attend to her
own literary work. Tine house is by that
time quiet for the children are at school
and it is an excellent time to think Adj
dresses stories and books, each in turn,
are written in the short time she can
devote to the work in the morning. At
noon-that is perhaps the time of day
which the heads of this family most en-
joy, for, the children away, they partake
OF luncheon alone. Here all plans, all
troubles, all family interest, and all WORK
at home or abroad is discussed and ar
ranged.
The afternoon is devoted to study and
to church duties, and. as Mrs. Scudder
says, between times she sews on the but
II H. l...1~e
ways the season for a good time, for all
are there and tel whatever of interest
has marked the day. Few are the min
utes that are not turned to advantage
here, and through the excellent system
and good methods by which the family
affairs are managed the days seem to con
tain for them more minutes than other
people have.
REV MIR. N1CHoLsoN's HOME.
At the opposite end of the city from this
is another home quite as attractive to any
who may be privileged to enter it,
In neat brick house fronting Hamil-
ton Park live the Rev. George w Nichol-
son and his family. When one looks in
upon them, and sees Mr.. Nicholson seated
at his desk i'll his pretty study and his
wife near by with her work basket, and
Mr.. Nicholson stops his writing for a
few minutes to chat with her
somehow Mr. Nicholson is very fond of
all odd, for other people are, too--and she
stops sewing and looks at him as though
they had been married less than month,
instead of many years, it seems a
pretty day dream of domestic felicity.
This home is also busy one-the
morning spent by Mr.. Nicholson in his
study and by Mrs. Nicholson in domestic
duties. In the afternoon there are calls
to be made, sick people to visit, societies
to attend and numerous church interests
to look after. And so the day goes
A BACHELOR RECORD.
am privileged visitor at one bache-
lor's home on Jersey avenue, and the
bachelor is a minister-the Rev. Fred.
erick Mortimer, of st. Marks Church
1t is not often that get beyond the pretty
cosy reception room, but one day. re
member it quite Observation-Disclosures re
Quired that | should see other parts of the
house.
There was not room in it where there
was not deSk-and not desk that was
not piled high with a formidable array Of
papers; in such confusion and profusio1
were they that was half inclined to in
quire of Mr.. Mortimer if they were a sci
of old sermons through which he had
been frantically looking for one to NEE
an emergency.
The house looked Just about as on
might expect bachelors house to look
luxurious, comfortable. half orderly
half upset, but totally disregarding any
set rules or restrictions There was ;
rfcfnt1a opparAuitu of funav N.ro,i