The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-02-05
"a
BERGEN MISSION.
Fifth Anniversary to Be
Celebrated With Special
Services Tomorrow.
FOUNDERS OF THE MOVEMENT
Sun lay Praying Bands Good Work
Programme of Sessions
Among the Churches.
FOUNDERS OF THE MOVEMENT

The Bergen Mission will celebrate its
fifth anniversary tomorrow and all next
week. There will be special services
every afternoon and evening from now
until Sunday. February -.
The Bergen Mission was founded I'VE
years ago by the members of the Emory
PRAYING Band. Since that time, in spHe
of numerous trying periods in its history
and numerous changes among the work
ers. it has been the means of accom-
plishing much good. 1t has sent many
converts into neighboring churches ana
has been the means of sending at leas'
one young man into the ministry. IL
Emory Praying Band was composed VI
members of several of the churches OF
the Heights. principally Emory Methouist
Church. who went from place TO pace
holding cottage prayer meetings After
the band had been organized for seVerai
months its members saw the neeo Oh
missionary work in the vicinity of the
Grand street and C~ommunipaw avenue
function and they decided TO do it.
George Anderson, one of the band, who
hos since died was commissioned to find
a suitable place in which to open a mis-
Efnn- ~ He Went III Liz
Roberts at Grand street and Ivy place,
ana inspected an ante room in wnlch
were pooNtables and accommodations for
card players. The room could De ehtereu
from Grand street as well as through the
saloon. This room Anderson hlred at d
rental of SIS a month. The place was
thoroughly cleaned, the door INTO the
saloon was barricaded. chairs and an
organ were secured and on January ~
1893. Bergen Mission opened its doors
They have been open ever since. me
first days of the mission were Trying
ones. Opposition of the worst sort was
encountered Roberts hired bands to play
in his saloon in opposition to the singing
in the meeting. Maudlin songs disturbed
=. the meetings nightly. A thin board par
tition was all that separated the mission
from the rear of the saloon.
This sort of thing continued for nearly
a wear. the mission workers praying all
the time for the conversion of the saloon
keeper. He is not converted yet. but ne
long since ceased to prosecute tenants.
Many of the saloon keepers customers
were converted in the mission and some
of them have become earnest CHRISTIAN
workers When the mission started the
praying band had but sixteen cents in its
treasury. Everything in the place was
paid for. however. before the doors were
ppened to the public. When the work was
started the only thing that was lacking
was a gas meter. That would cost SiV.
The workers had. charge of a meeting ~
New York and mentioned the WORK tney
were doing in. Jersey city. Wnen theS
told their need of a gas meter a man m
the audience gave them money enough
Il clio tt-aG Tho < SIl-
nerintendent of Bergen Mission, and he
continued in that position until a year
ago. when he moved to Roseyille. and had
to give it up. The present superintendent
is Charles Hahn. a Young man, who has
been associated wtth-the mission Tor Two
years.
The superintendent is elected annually
from among the members. r. johnston
Is the present secretary and has for MS
assistant C. T. Duke. The treasurer is
John Courtney. one of the original mem
bers of the mission. The other members
are:-John Roe, Ambrose Stewart. John
Simonson, John Leonard, John Morrison
and Joseph Carpenter.
About two years ago the mission moved
from the rear of Roberts saloon to larger
quarters in Bergen Hall, the entrance be-
ing on Summit avenue instead of Grand
street.
The programme for the special meetings
beginning tomorrow is as followsE
February 6, 4 P. NJ. at Bergen Reformed
Church. Bergen avenue. near Highland,
u a4t1 80
Booths famous trio will have charge FEB
Is. 4 P. NJ, at Parmly Memorial Baptist
Church. Grove street, between WAYNE and
Mercer. Staff Captain Mcfarland of the
Salvation Army will have charge. Feb. Z.
P. NJ. Rev. G.. w. Parks. ex-Secretary
Y. NJ. G A. Feb. 5. 4 2 NJ Rex; Ran
doIDh (for ladies only. s P. NJ, Rev. g.
f.. Little. Pastor West Side NJ. E. Church.
Feb. 9. 4 P. NJ, Junior c. E.. Mrs Murphy,
superintendent; s P. NJ. w. e. Chalmers,
Pastor Parmly Memorial Baptist Church.
Feb. 10. s P. N, DR.. Brett. State President
G. E. Union; SIP. NJ, Mr.. r. A. Alberts.
President II c. L. U. Feb. II, s P. NJ.
Rev. G. F. Morgan. Park Reformed
Church. Feb. u, 3 P. NJ. reunion sociable
3 P. NJ. Hon. w. H. Beach; Feb. 10, 8 A..
NJ. Mr.. Warren; s P. NJ, Mr.. H. w.
Georgi.
Music will be furnished by Mr.. G.. H.
Ccrfeld. West Sid d. f.. Choir; Mr.. L. T..
Everett. leader: Parnlley Memorial Bap-
list Choir: Mr.. F. e. Clerihew. leader: Mr..
J.. Inwright. organist; Miss May Edge;
solo; Miss G. Van Huel, autoharp solo.