The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-11-06
Mr.. NICK'S "WHY'
Series of Questions Pro-
pounded to Two H1nz
dTed Jersey Citizens
CHURCH WORK AND FAILURES
The Problem Of Public and Pri-
yate Morals to Be Discussed
in Six Sermons.

The Rev. Robert K. Wick, pastor Of
the Wayne Street Reformed Church. has
sent to two hundred representative men
in this city printed letter. He at first
intended sending it to but one hundred.
The letter reads
Jersey City. N. J.. Oct. rs. 1897
My dear Sir-Knowing that you are in-
of its people. l have taken the liberty Of
sending to you and to ninety-nine other
representative citizens the. following
that you kindly favor me with your opin-
ions on the same. wish to make use
of these opinions in my Sunday evening
sermons in the Wayne Street Church, the
names, however, being kept in strict con-
fidence.
Very respectfully.
RoBT K. WICK.
Pastor, Wayne Street Reformed Church.
Ill Wayne street.
!. Why do so many menzef good moral
and business standing maintain an at
titude of Indifference toward the church?
2. What influence in our community has
the most debilitating effect morally upon
as the greatest enemy of our home life?
4. Do you think, IN view of our present
methods of business, that a man can be
a conscientious Christian and at the same
time be successful in busineSS2 8. What
can the churches do to lessen the amount
of vice and crime? 6. What can the
help the young men between eighteen
and twenty-five years of age?
Space is left after each question for
the answer to it. The letters have been
sent to lawyers, physicians, literary men,
ministers. insurance men, real estate men,
bankers, railroad men and merchants.
Some to whom the letters were sent are
known to be. hostile to the church; some
are friends of the church and some ara
active workers in it.
1t is Mr.. Wick's intention to preach a
series of six sermons on these questions.
Each of the six questions will be con-
sidered separately. The first sermon will
be preached Sunday night, November Is,
on the first question. The answers in
the main will be Incorporated in the
sermons. Some of the answers will be
read. In no case will the name of the
man answering the questions be given.
Mr.. Wick, when asked about the LETT
ters, said:-"My reason for sending them
is that wish to interest the non-church
goers of the city by giving them the
ideas of representative men on these
questions. Men in daily touch with the
world are supposed to know more about
II than ministers. Tnelr opinions are,
therefore, entitled to proportionate atten-
ton. l desire to know what people out
side the church think of her and what
they consider her faults to be. 1t is nee
essary for churches to do something TO
hold their young men and people out
side the church can help US to determine
what that must be-"
Mr.. Wick said replies are coming in by
every mail. He sent out the letters
Thursday afternoon and he had replies
yesterday noon. The answers received
so far contain number of valuable sgg-
gestions. One banker, who was amehg
time to write more, as he had number
of opinions on the subjects. The eriti-
cisms have all been kindly. The first
batch brought letters from two ministers,
banker, lawyer, an insurance man
and a merchant Mr.. Wick is gyatified
by the prompt replies. He says he ex--
poets to benefit greatly by the original
ideas expressed in many of the letters.