The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-07-03
Shocked TIE PASTOR.
Baptist Young Ladies' Only
Stopped Dancing When
the Preacher Stopped
the Band.
MUSIC MADE THEIR FEET GO
Methodists and Bapsists Of Bow
ers Street Won't Go On Any
More Joint Picnics.

Trouble has grown out of the joint ex-
cursion of the Trinity Baptist and James
M. E. Churches to Boynton Beach, on
Thursday. 1t threatens to cause break
in the hitherto friendly relations between
the two churches, which are located with
in a block of each other, on Bowers
street 1t was all brought about by the
fondness some of the older girls in the
Trinity Baptist Church have for dancing.
They attempted to crafty that desire
while on the excursion, and numerous
complications, some serious, some anus
ing, are the result. Neither of the two
churches could afford to have an excur-
sion of its own, so they united
in chartering a barge. 1t was
planned that both of the minis
ters should go along to manage
things, but at the last minute the Rev.
r. H. Johnston, pastor of the Trinity
Baptist Church, was compelled to aban-
don the trip. THE result was that the
burden of caring for the two focks fell
upon the Rev. e. o. Howland, pastor of
the James Church. All went well until
the barge was well down the bay when
the band, which does not confine itself ex-
clusively to church picnics, struck up a
lively popular air. The young of the
Methodist Church tapped their feet ner-
vously upon the deck-probably to denote
their feelings of indignation. A number
of young ladies of the Baptist party, on
the contrary, quickly formed several sets
and began dancing the two-step.
This was too horrible and someone
Immediately informed the Rev. Mr..
Howland who was busy with crowd OF
his Pensioners on the lower deck. He
hurried to the upper deck and ordered the
young women to desist from dancing
They refused fatty. He then ordered the
musicians to cease playing every time
the dancing began. This aroused the
young women who crowded around the
minister and told him what they thought
of his action.
.Whae did you secure this band for and
place the temptation in our way to make
our feet go?" asked one pert miss
IF you don't want your flock to
dance,'' said another, keep them on one
side of the boat and let us do as we please
on the other side
what harm is there in dancing, any
way?" asked third.
The Rev. Mr. How1and saw that he
could not stop the dancing as long as
dance music was played, SO he ordered
the musicians to change the style of their
tunes. They played 'Swanee River and
a number of familiar hymns, but as tlleiI
repertoire of religious melodies was linn
tied they drifted back to popular airs be-
fore the return trip was finished and from
the Statue of Liberty to the Morris street
dock they danced in spite of the dominie's
admonition.
Mrs. Johnston, wife of the pastor of
the Trinity Baptist Church, was seen by
a News reporter this morning, in the
absence of her husband. She told the
story of the episode as related and said:
Mr. Howland acted just right in stop
ping the dancing. If I had been along
should have done it myself. Neither Mr..
Johnston nor believe in dancing, and we
In his sermon Sunday night Mr.. Johns
ton said:-"We are going on picnic on
Thursday, and there will be music aboard
the boat Wear the heaviest shoes you
can get SO as to keep your feet DOWN 1t
girls did not mean to be insolent to Mr..
Howland. They are in the habit OF
scolding Mr.. Johnston in their girlish way
and they thought nothing of doing the
same thing to the Methodist ministers
You must understand that these girls
who danced are members of the Sunday
school and congregation, but are not
members of the church. They are real
helps in the church and are girls of lovely
character I don't know a single bad
thing about them. The one thing needful
for them is the spirit of God which has
never entered their hearts,