The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-02-28
CHRISTIAN COUNCIL.
Proceedings of the Y. NJ. c.
A. Convention at Tren-
ton-Railway Work.
special o tAe Jerssp citp v.,g..

egates were always attentive. It is
noticeable feature of the convention shat
all the speeches are short and to the
point, which adds greatly to the interest.
The feature Of the day was the report
presented at the Central NJ. E. Church
last night by the State Executive Com
mittee through their chairman, Hon.
Elkanah Drake. The report was some
what lengthy, and from it were CLEANED
some interesting facts. In the six districts
into which the State has been divided,
i've district conventions were held during
the year, at. Kearney, Madison, Princeton,
Westfield and Clayton. the fifth aud
sixth districts holding joint convention
at Clayton The average attendance al
these conventions was ffty-four dele
gates.
Thirty-two corresponding members re-
present the committee In us many towns
which have no association, and these
correspondents have done goo work.
A very important branch of the work
has been in the colleges. One college as
sociation has been started during the
year, aud there are now nine in the State.
From u roll OF 1878 students they have
gathered membership OF S94
RAILWAY WORK.
There had been no increase In the num-
year, though there had been much effort
and hard WORK. There ought to be i've
times as many railroad associations in the
State as the three which now exist. Tie
New Jersey Central had no suitable
rooms. In Trenton the railroad men
were asking for the privilege OF the as
ISOLATION. The existing associations at
w eehawken, New Durham and Hoboken
report a year of prosperity. In Weehaw-
ken and New Durham they have eight
beds in the dormitory, which were used
twelve times u day. Fifteen meals were
furnished day, and a total Of 1913 baths
have been used. In Hoboken sleeping
rooms have been used over 1000 times.
Sixty lunches a day have been given, and
the men have taken $500 baths. With
membership of AS they have daily at
tendance of 40 The expenses of these
two railroad dormitorles were Sc, ,757.
Eleven associations report work for
boys. Work for colored men has been
confined to one association, and meet
ing has been conducted with an attend
ance of 35 TO 40.
STATE FIGURES.
There are In the State Al associations.
The most satisfactory feature In their
condition is that while the total member
ship has been increased by 6l9, being now
7,772. the active membership, the number
OF members who are Christians has in
creased 1,6l9. Another sign of vitality Is
that while they spent $40, 153 In lSS9-9O,
this year they have spent S6l, I4O, or ABOUT
as much as the international Committee.
Ten associations own and occupy their
own buildings. worth S2l9, 800, a gain Of
S65, coo. Three others oYn real estate
S45 0U0, and the endowment funds beiong-
ing to three associations, have increased
to s., ,730. To this must be added the
value of furniture, libraries, etc, to-
gether with building funds subscribed.
. har II fo1 af n
propertA belonging to the associations, a
gain of Sl04 S25 over last year.
TwenJy-Seven reading rooms have bee n
maintained, to which $500 men reserted d
daily. Forty-three meetings for men
only have been conducted. with an aver
age weekly attendance of $500 Ther
nave been 172 men In twenty workers
training classes, and 494 in seventeen
Bible classes; 24l practical talks were
give and 127 socisbles; 159 situations
were secured, and they have had thirty
seven educational classes, with an atten-
dance OF 504. The expenses Tor the year,
as reported by the treasurer. We're S5,
267,5i. and they wanted 5000 for tn e
coming year.
HUDsoN's BRANCHES.
At the morning session the local reports
of the various associations were read.
That for Jersey City showed the member
ship to be 354 The attendance at the
-
has 30. An average of "a attend the Sun
day afternoon meeting.
The Hoboken Railroad Association re-
ported a mem bership of 4f2, with a daily
attendance at the rooms of 250.
MUSCULAR CHRISTIANITY.
After the reports mad been presented
| the subject, How can our secular agen-
cies be made to aid our religion" was
discussed Joseph p. Becker, the gym
nasium instructor in the Bedford avenue
| branch, Brooklyn, read paper on the
physical side of this question. He Thought
| it most important thing that the in-
structor in the gymnasium should be a
| Christian.
This part of the work should not be left
| to one who was not interested IN religious
work. The general secretary ought not
TO have this part of the work TO look after.
There should be q Committee on Chris
tian Work in this department, aud they
should meet often and consult ana pray
| over the work. 1t was in this department. {
| that personal work could be most success
| fully doue. The instructor ought to be a
leader and direct the work. 1t was the
| speakers experience that ont OF 800 men,
bers of gymnasium departments 800 were
not Christians.
Tney become members of this depart
| ment because they are interested in the
work. The leaders can influence these
Young men through their love OF the
\ work He urged organized special WORK
rather than general. Individual work
| was better than to work with the masses.
He advocated prayer meetings and other
religious meetings exclusively Tor the
| gymnasium members.
BIBLE STUDY.
At the opening of the afternoon session,
| an interesting paper was read by Elkanah
| Drake on "Blble Study-Its Place in As
| sociation Work" Robert r. McBurney,
the General Secretary of New York, pre-
pared the paper, but was unable to be
| present to read it.
The writer claims that the association
| should carry on their departments in the
| stu ly of the Bible. There should be 8
training class, and the scriptures should
be SO taught that every member shall bt
| convinced that all are sinners The Bible
| should be taught to lead young men intC
church membership.
| The work of the association In New
Jersey shows hat only twenty out of the
thirty-nine associations have evange lis
tic Bible classes.
A CONDUCTORS S IDEAS
S. ID. ChlttendeD. conductor on th'
! Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
| Railrood, read a paper on The Benefit:
| Bestowed Upon Railroad Men by Well
! Conducted Railroad Department" hi
spoke OF the growth OF railroad transpor
tation in this country. and the need OF as
| sociation work.
The first railroad department was estab
lished in Ohio in 1872. In 1874 a depart
1 ment was formed IN Pennsylvania ans
one in New York In 1875. In was In lsS
| thar the HobOken departmeut was insfi