The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-10-10
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.
Preparation for the State
Convention at Trenton
Completed.
PROGRESS OF TIE SOCIETIES WORK
The First Society in New Jersey
Was The Ninth in the Whole
Organization Historical
Facts.
PROGRESS OF THE SOCIETIES WORK
Facts
Special to the .Iersep Gin Nelua.

Special to the JERSEY Cstn Netcs.
TRENTON, Oct. IL, 1898 The indications
are that the State convention Of Christian
Endeavorers which Will open here to-
morrow will be attended by one of the
largest gatherings ever held in the State.
AT least 2.000 delegates are expected to
attend. This result has been brought
about through the efficient manage
ment of the committee IN charge, by
which an excellent programme has been
arranged.
New jerseys rank In the Christian
Endeavor movement Is by no means a
s-hamewoRthy Q Ills true that the
old adage applies to this as to all meve-
meats. viz: 100 climb steep hills
requires slow pace mt first.i But perhaps
here this truth Is at minimum. For only
q short rear elapsed after "Father"
Clark rocked his Endeavor cradle in
Portland, Me-, before New Jersey had a
like cradle swinging in the Ellis OF Morris
county. For at Chester. OF that county.
on April II. 1882. was organized the first
society in our State. According to the
statistics or the United Society it was
the second society organized west of the
Hudson ard the niuth La tbs whole
Organization. New Jersey is Tor shall We
say, was) quick to see a coed thing"
for she WAS the third nto the unioE of
States, AMI ninth Into the union OF
Endeavor.
Chester was lonely for sisters. until
the lex year brought Jamesburg and
Believlle TO her comfort and coin pauy,
the latter being the first society In the
4 Dutnh Pnfnrmad dannnIinafjnn Who
saws that the city is the only wide awake
ice tIity aud the 0niy leade in aggressive
| Christian work? Give The country
churches their full quota of homo tor
contributing TO the Inception aud stabil-
ity of this movement. Two years of
more loneliness. when the societies
hardly knew of each Others existence,
aud the encouragement from esprit de
cOTpS was entirely unknown. No sucn
helpful words or enthusiasm as now.
HUT the nursing was carefully o and
began to tell. III 1856 there were signs
of life In the eighteen or more societies.
It was only a meagre doz II of New Jer-
sey delegates that gatnere ut Saratoga
that suuimer at the sixth International
Convention. but there was a deep con-
victien that The time had come for more
aggressive work. the delegate retu ned.
filed wi the enthusiasm of that Con-
vention. And in Que society at least,
the enthusiasm took detiuits aud active
shape.
STATE UNION ORGANIZED.
On December !. or that year, the
~Jalnesburg {Mijdlesex county society
rallied uader their hospitality, seventy
seven youthful delsg ties, including
many pastors, Sunday school saperln>
tendents and others. who had come to
study, aud parnaps c~riticise this new off,
sprung of the church. These delegates
represented thirty churches aud To-
elqded the regularly zed socleiles
OF the Reformed Churches of Belle
vile, Freehold and Marlboro: the
Congregational Socisties of Bellies
Vile Avenue, Newark. First Of Jersey
City, and Central of Philade lphia;
and the Presbyterian Societies of Etiza-
beth Third. Perth Amboy. South Anbay,
Beverly, Jamesburg aud North Broad
street, P~hiladelphla. The Msthodlst aud
Baptist churches Were representei, but
not oy accre Tilted deleg ites. The pro
gramme was elementary in its make up,
given to details of method and principles
which knowledge was necessary at that
early stage. Among the speakers were
their steadfast work in those, skeDtical
tunes. as Revs. r. w. Brakaw, J. II.
Kerr. r. S. Everitt. T. W. Wells and l.
P. Brokaw. Mr.. George H. Ward, then
General Secretsry, was the leading
; speaker OF the occasion- A Stats
L LIBERALIZATION Es was ~
with the following ofieers:-
President. Rev. R. W. Brokaw of Belle
Vile: Vice Presidents. Revs. j. L. Kerr
OF Elizabeth, S. w. Clark of Paterson
and H. S. Penteeost of Newark; Sec retarl
and Treasurer. f. B. Everitt OF James
burg. Executive COMMITTEES, George S
!, LearY OF ELIZABETH. j. H. Jeffrles of Bev
erly and ]. L. Scndder OF Jersey City
, with officers ex-oticio. Two more were
elected to the committee that year t,
r more fully represent the State. Harry T.
Tower of Jersey City and M: Russell o.
Vineland being chosen. Rev. U. W
+ Holloway. Jr., OF Dover was elected III
!. the place of Rev. j. L. Scudder. who de
: clined.
The work now began to grow more rap
t idly, much Of the proGres balm I due II
Rev. S. w, Clark, Secretary or the Stat
t Sunday School Association, who gays Us
r places on his Sunday echoul programme
: FIRST ANNUAL STATE CONVENTION.
s In O1tuber, 1887. the first annual State
: conventions was teld in lha Bellevllli
Avenue Congregational Church of New
ark, with about 300 delegates. The State
secretary reported 81 societies. an Increase
q Of over 300 per cent. The total ACTIVE
b membership was estimated at 1900 ani
the associate at 1000. The Presbs tsrianl
Q reported So societies. Baptist IL. Re
formed "a, Congregations and Methods
II each. Episcopal l. Others 9. Even then
. one u. h paper Whs puuiidnuu thsth
State, the stChrtstian Endeavor" OF To
!, Third Presbyterian Church Of Elizabeth
J. and its good work is still felt Wit
us. Special encouragement was given b
the con ~vention 10 the formation Ut loet
: unions and junior soeistias. and tb
Secret airy closed his report with this kei
: thong hit, YAH growth that is nnt towar
: God. is growing to decay" Being IN
Q hampered by the Ersat crowtt of dele
? gates OF these latter days. the Bellsyill
9 Avenue Socisty eatertaiasd tas coayea'
q ton with lunchaou la their W parlSrs
q Tne commiBteo only ventured on CIV
q sessions. Afternoon and evening or on
a dav, but po time was lost By such speak
ers as the Reva w. w, Holloway {
. Dover and G. A., Dickinson OF ltawel
y Mass. The laitY came to tha tront y
I this time (perbsps more SO tuau We M
> doing now) fla the person IT w. u. Hami
ton OF Elizabeth, p. v. A Bretb
Believilfe, Mr.. J. I. Scudder OF Jerse
City and w. N. Chlids Of Maneheste
a Conn.
SECOND STATE CONVENTION,
. Trenton captured the seeoad state co
= yeplion (gr Tabier the convention cal
y tufed 1sraniun( and the Stale Street !
Z e. Church, with its Pastor. Rex. !.
: Dobbins, welcomed fully 900 delegate