The Jersey City news., 1892-03-12
Sad LHNTHN SACRIFICES
One Girl Swears Off On
Candy and Confec-
tionS.
ANOTHER ATTENDS PRAYERS WEEKLY
Work That Is Being Done By the
Pastcrs-Church Matters OF
Interest In Hudson.


Lent" said fifteen-year-old school girl
to her bosom friends. as they passed down
Newark avenue Just ahead of the writer
few days ago. Neither was an Episco-
palian, but the Lenten spirit of self-sacri-
lice had seized them both, and prompted
the question.
Pm going to give up eating candy,
and put the money in the plate at
Easter" REPLIED Number Two.
Number One gazed at her with rever-
entail admiration. and realizing that some
heroic effort was necessary to match this
self-sacrifice, after a season of meditation
came out with, "WeIl, rll-go to prayer
meeting every week-therel"
The tone of the statement implied that
martyrdom could no further CO.
1t would not be polite to name the
church to which those girls belonged
suffice 1t to say, 1t was one in good stand
ing in the community. Alas, it might be
one OF multitude in Jersey City alonei
Is 1T not so, reverend sir? If your own
church prayer meeting is always bright,
thoughtful, interesting and, above all,
use1ul, are there not churches in your inn
mediate vicinity whose prayer meetings
are conducted and attended solely by the
well seasoned pillars of the church, who
pray tor just the same blessings in just
the same way with the help of just the
same texts. hfty-two weeks Der year. not
allowing for vacations?
There is certain earnest thoughtful
Christian woman in this city who went
through real mental struggle as to
whether her duty to the Church led her
to attend its prayer meetings. After
various honest attempts to get some
| spiritual food from the meeting, she de-
cided to stay at home, for, as she said to
me, 1T takes away my reverence for
prayer to hear Deacon x. stand there
and pray for things he doesn't want, just
as if he were wound up for SO long, and
Deacon x. always will pray"
IN THE CHURCHES.
The Rev. John l.. Scudder, the popu-
| lar pastor Of the Tabernacle, is wise be-
yond his generation. He knows that, as
touching prayer meetings. 'If 'twere
| done well, 'twere well 'twere done
| quickly" No breaks can occur in the
Tabernacle mid-week meetings. Some-
one is always ready to fill in breathless
pause-elther the pastor or his assistant,
| the Rev. j. Lester Wells, or Mrs. Scudder,
| an ideal minister's wife, or some right
hand man Of the minister, who can start
| hymn, or tell an experience" or recite
text, or pray brief. earnest, personal
| prayer. There is never a moment lost,
| the wiry pastor, who looks as though he
| had worked off every spare inch of flesh
| and little more than to spare, starts off
| with prayer or praise before the preced-
| ing speaker has fairly finished his SEN
tence, and when the benediction has fall
| en-. the congregation find themselves. If
a trifie breathless, yet nightly reused
| and exhilarated. The after-service which
| Immediately follows the Sunday evening
lecture is particularly brisk. Another
| feature which Is worth initiating is that
at the door stands some one of the pas
| tors supporters with cordial hand
shake and word of welcome. congratu-
lation or encouragement for everyone
| passing through.
| BERGEN REFORMED.
| Up at the Bergen Reformed Church on
| the Heights the mid-week meetings are
more on the plan of pastoral lecture.
| followed by general discussion. And
with the Rev. Cornelius Brett to deliver
| the lecture, it stands to reason that the
| meetings are attractive and well at
| tended. The talks are always interesting,
| always bright, always full of human
| sympathy, because Dr. Brett always
| gives them. The Reformed Dutch CHURCH
| was never noted for introducing innova-
| tions, and 1t is not surprising that even
| so genial man as DIR. Brett should con-
| duct meetings after the manner of our
| forefathers, but his genius will come to
| the front in his lectures. with the result
| that people attend the Wednesday night
| meetings to hear DR.. Brett, and not to
pray.
| LAFAYETTE REFORMED.
| Speaking of innovations, the Rev. 7. J..
| kommers comes very near Introducing
| one into the Wednesday evening meet
| lngs of the Lafayette Reformed Church.
| 1t has been the custom to devote every
| fourth meeting to the subject of missions.
| and Mr.. KommerS recently adopted the
| plan of illustrating talk on some foreign
| mission field by magic lantern views.
| Magic-lantern views suggest stereopri-
| cons. and stereopticons OF course sug-
| gest the Rev. Theodore Heisig. whose
| energetic labor has done much to make
popular the meetings of the First Baptist
| Church. Grove street. The Rev. DR..
! Parmly's venerable form and snow white
| nair may be seen at many a meeting.
| where he takes an active part. The Rev.
| Mr. Heisig is a firm believer in rapidly
moving meetings, and allows no gaps in
the programme.
METHODIST PASTORS.
There are two pastors in the Methodist
Church, of Jersey City, who deserve
special mention for the spirit and fervoI
displayed in their weekly meetings. They
are the Rev. w. G. Snodgrass. of He'd
ding. and the Rev. John KranIz, Jr., OF
| Trinity. Both believe In beginning
nromptly on time. A useful tenet. by
fhe-way, Both believe in singing, lots Of
singing, and not too many verses of the
same hymn. And both believe in letting
the congregation do most of the steady
talking. preferring to be ready to fiIl
avery gap, and keep the ball briskly roll
inc But the Centenary Church in New.
ark will soon have chance to try the
Rev Mr.. Snodgrass' prayer-meetings, and
the present place thereof will know him
no more.
Pastor Luhrs Knows exactly how to in
terest his flock in the meetings of st.
John's Lutheran Church, Summit ave
nne and North street, for the attendance
is always good and the interest does not
fIag These are few of the churches
whose weekly prayer meetings are
thoughtful, earnest and well attended
which is as much as to say that these are
some of our most fourishing churches
For. however it De regarded, the prayer
meeting is the thermometer OF th'
church.
LOCAL CHURCH NOTES.