The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-11
TO HELP THE MASSES
Mr.. scudder Tells Congre-
gational Ministers How
to Dc It.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS NEEDED.


The annual meeting Of the Congre-
g~ationR1 Churches Of Northern New Jer-
sey takes place today in the First Con-
gregational Church of Montclair. DR..
Amory II. Bradford is the pastor of that
church. The ministers of all the churches
in the northern section Of the State will
be present as well as large delegations
Of the church members. Of interest TO
Jersey City people is the address made
by the Rev. John l.. Scudder on 3'Our
Opportunities in New jersey He said
There IS a section of New Jersey terri
tory, fifteen miles square, which is SUBJ
stantially a part Of New York. 1t ex-
tends from Englewood to Bergen Point
and from the Hudson River to the Orange
Mountains. Already this territory pre-
sents the appearance Of a continuous
municipality. with the exception Of the
meadows Intervening between Jersey City
and Newark. 1t now contains a popula-
ton approxinating half a million, and
when these meadows are covered with
manufacturers and the Hackensack and
Passaic water fronts are utilized by far
seeing business men; when by reason of
Its nearness to New York and the cheap
ness Of real estate, his territory is fully
occupied. its inhabitants viii number sew
erai million. The congested condition Of
Manhattan Island cause a continual over
bow into this section, and the rate Of in-
crease viii be more rapid in the near
future. We shall have a mighty metro
poittan district to e~vangelize. and the
overcrowding will first be felt in the
lower wards Of JERSEY City. Already the
portion nearest the Hudson has a large
tenement house population. We have our
Little Italy as well as New Yerk, and In
thirty families.
Now what shall be the character of
these teeming populations? God viii
hold us responsible for this particular
district In which we dwell. and as we
now plan and execute will the future
be. We must hold this territory for
God n Righteousness; but how shall 1t
be done2 OF course our churches must
endeayor as heretofore to regeuerate ina
InaIvidual and thus redeem society; but
| am convinced that in order to do this
we must adopt new methods of labor
among the masses. Preaching Is indis-
p~ensables but this is only one means
and this alone is not sufficient, for great
muItitudes never attend the sanctuary,
and some are turned against the
churches, which they regard as ayerse
to progress. Under such circumstances /
maintain the necessity of establishing
SiEdt S~0c1DtoElcdf institutions, like
the Peoples Palace of Jersey City, which
shall be open day and night and upIift
the people IN practical ways, such as
providing genuine substitutes for the sa-
loon where ~healthfuf arnusernents can
be obtained at nominal rates. where
Workingnnen's clubs may be organized for
social and Intellectual Improvement:
where industrial training may be given
TO the rising generation during evening
hours, as at Cooper institute, SO that
young men may learn some trade and be
able to have some distinct and visible
means Of support. and girls may know
how to do something besides sow and
selves out of the ranks of the poverty
stricken. who come into terrible compe-
tition with one another at the neither
end of society. As this district is to
be practically one vast municipality. it
behooves those whom God has blessed
and Montclair and Morristown, to sup
port and endow such charitable and
broadly humanitarian institutions.
THE salvation of our Republic consists
in elevating the people, by making them
intelligent and moral. ignorance and
menacing our country. Vice and crime
must be kept down by purifying and
s~weetenfng the dangerous classes, and
this can only be done by establishing
these great social centres of light and
hope and happiness. Where Is the noble
man of nature in his district who will
be to it what Peter Cooper was to New
York and Mr.. Pratt was for Brooklyn2
And if no one great soul can be found
to do this work, should not the intelli-
gent Christian public cooperate and do
this work collectively? Here is a vast
opportunity. Shall we grasp it?
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DrcTpIpIIPTNn TpnuT