The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-09-20
1RIBU7BS 10 Mr.. WELLS
Impressive Memorial Ser
vice Held in the Taber-
nacle Yesterday.
EUL0GIEs OF A USEFUL LIFE
Brother Ministers and Christian
Endeavorers Unite to Do Honor
to the Dead Peoples
Palace Leader.

A memorial service in honor Of the Rev.
J. Lester Wells was held in the Taber-
nacle yesterday afternoon. Long before
the hour Of the service a great number
assembled, so that 1t became necessary 70
close the Sunday School. which is held in
the church. The pulpit was beautifully
decorated with palms and golden roo. ~
was banked round the edge with golden
rod and tail vases of the flower were
placed among the palms. On the plat
form were seated the Rev. John L. Scud-
der, who presided; the Rev. Sydney II.
Cox, assistant pastor of the Tahernacle,
the Rev. J.. c.. Emory OF the Waveriy
Congregational, the Rev. Robert K. WICK
of the Wayne Street Reformed. the Rev
Mr.. Cronin of the Second Presbyterian,
the Rev. L. T. Kommers of the Lafayette
Reformed, the Rev. 8. Edward Young OF
Newark. the Rev. Mr.. Randolph of Trim
ity Methodist, and Mr.. Joseph A. Dear.
In the choir box directly behind were
seated the singers of the occasion and the
members of the Board of Managers of the
Peoples Palace: Deacon w. j. Hunt, Mr..
Theodore L. Parker, Mr.. Sidney Gould
and Mr. S. Fl. Cooper.
The invocation was made by the Rev.
j.. u. EI1OFy. II ItSN. II
read the Scriptures, the fourteenth CHAP
ter of st. John. Mrs. Otto Schlereth sang
abide With Me-" and the Rev. Mr.. kom-
mers prayed. The double quartette sang
an anthem. Before the
speakers Mr.. Scudder aid-"Chr1stian
friends, we are gathered here TO-DAY 10
hold a memorial service for a GOOD mdh,
the Rev. J. Lester Wells. He was ioVeu
not in one denomination alone, u IN all.
On this platform are seated represents
tiyes of all denominations. II there are
any members of the clergy in this auol-
ence we invite them to the PLATFORM,
whether they be Protestant or Catnollc.
We all love one God and try to DC his
bidding"
Deacon Hunt. the Superintendent OF the
Sunday School, was the first speaker. he
spoke of Mr.. Wells faithfulness 10 ms
Bible class of young men and OF their oe-
votion to him. He said Mr.. Wells never
shirked his duty and was untiring IN MS
efforts to interest and hold his class.
Mr.. James S. Whipple, a member of the
Christian Endeavor Society of the Taper-
nacle. read two letters received by the
society, showing the esteem IN when MT
wells was held by Christian Endeavorers.
One was from the president OF the county
Union. Mr.. Robert A. Alberts, the
other from the societies of the East Jer-
sey City district.
The Rev. Mr.. Wick was the next speak
ar. He alluded to his visit to Pixies
Peak a few weeks ago, and said in the
distance the Peak looked small, blu as
thew drew near it grew and grew until
-. 1aoniHCorf He then realized
what Robbie Burns meant when he told
JEANNE on his death bed that the world
would count him greater a hundred years
hence. Said MFR. Wick:-s1t is impossi-
BILE to estimate the true worth of a mar
while he is yet with us. We could not
know MI. Wells true worth while he was
with us. Now that we shall see MN no
more, that we shall no longer pass MN
in the street we may in some small degree
estimate his value. He was a good man.
He was a noble, cautious CHRISTIAN gentle
man and his work will live after him.
Mr.. Dear, representing the business
men. then spoke. He alluded TO the
atrophy of the downtown churches or TO-
dav. and said their case is hopeless when
carried ON in the same way as formerly.
Mr.. Wells came to this city to grapple
With that problem. He worked hard IN
the Peoples Palace to saw the young
men of the city. You can't let the
young men stay in saloons and expect
Them to make good citizens. You cant
lei them keep bad company" said Mr.
Dear, '.and expect them to be good men.
Mr.. Wells provided healthy amusements
for young men men 6 Of shl h,m city, anu IN al'si
The Rev. Mr.. Cronin said in the course
of his speech that there are few men VINO
are willing to do quietly an 1do glaa Wy u an
ways ready for such tasks. Mr.. Cronin
never saw him when he was not smlilig.
He was always ready TO help others. MT.
said of him what he thought might truly
be said of Mr.. Wells. The LORD hath
given him the tongue of the learned that
he should know how to speak a word in
season to him that is weary Miss AL
lenette Frost and Mrs Schleretn sang
Sometime"
The next speaker was the Rev. MT;
with Mr.. Wells in his work for the life
savers. He said few knew that Mr.
Wells had in his veins the blood of the
nobility of England and the royalty of the
Continent. that one Of his ancestors wrote
the Magma Charta. That one was Will
lam the Conquerer. Mr.. Young said after
the Wellses came to America one was the
second generation of Connecticut, and
many distinguished themselves. 'Bnt,'
he said, I'VE rave nothing to dc with this
today. Our 1rlenQ never dfiuucu u HIS
lineage. We have to do with the farmer
boy in Ohio who, n day riding nome on
his old gray mare, felt impelled to go
forth and preach the Gospel" Mr..
Young paid a tribute to the
Peoples Palace work. He said it was
doing a good work which must be
recognized everywhere. But you must
remember" he said, you can't have
an institutional church without an in
stitutionaI man. And Mr.. Wells was an
institutional man. He was the friend of
the people among whom he worked. He
would 60 among his people at all times,
among all circumstances. He had
Industry. indomitable untiring industry.
He had tact, marvellous insight into
things. He could see without seeming
TO see. He had sympathy. His smile
was the incarnation of all his characters
tics. His face beamed with love for
everybody. In Newark he was beloved as
well as here. 1t may be Inappropriate, 1t
NAV not be in accordance with the
~effuuette of the occasion, but if so, lay
tho blame of it to me. His Newark
brethren nave told me to say that If you
decide to make a memorial to Mr.. Wells
IN some special work of the Palac or
in the new Peoples Palace, they will do
what little they can do to help
Mr.. Young described Mr.. Wells eager
ness when showing people through the
Palace. his delight at seeing the boys
and young men enjoying themselves in
the swimming tank, gymnasium and
amusement hail.. In closing, he said. there
will be many men in the future. now
perhaps young boys who will say, II
x. - 49, ---!--A