The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-25
G%RAPHOPH0NE PREACHER.
Trinity Baptist Church's
Novel Service
Sunday.

1t was a novelty. but one of those IN
| novations in a churc service that is yof-
| ed a success by everybody concerned.
| When it was announces in the church
| columns of Saturdays News" that DIR.
| Heath of Bowers street would occupy the
| pulpit of Trinity Baptist Church Sunday
| morning and hold a g~raphophone gospel
| service, a few orthodox Christians paused
| to think and shook their heads in a man
ner which indicated they were at least
| NOT quite ready yet to approve Of such an
innovation.
It must be borne in mind that this IS the
| heated term. Pastors are usually given
a vacation. Most of them prefer II m
August, but during the month OF Juiy
their labors are light in comparison Wlth
those Of other months of the year. a
number of churches on the Hill have this
wear abandoned either the morning or
evening service. Even those staid wor-
shippers who remain in town do not All
appear willing to abandon cool dress and
cool piazzas for conventional dress and
mingle in a crowd even of worshippers.
The Rev. Rufus johnson of Trinity
BAPTIST Church welcomed the proposition
of the Young Peoples Baptist Union to
| conduct under it's own auspices Sunday
morning gospel meetings during the
summer months. The pastor and his peo-
pie do not believe that the church should
be closed at any of the regular hours Of
service during the year.
DR.. Heath is one of the ehurch's most
ardent supporters. The doctor Is also a
great admirer of the ~graphophone. and he
believes that it can be utilized in Gods.
service as well as for ordinary amuse-
ment. He is in possession of one of the
machines. AT the invitation of the
Young Peoples Baptist Society he pre-
pared a religious address and heightened
its effect by the assistance of the graphic
phone.
Many ministers have already introduced
the stereopticon to Illustrate their Sum
day evening services. But DR.. Heath is,
in all probability, the first to introduce
the graphophohe in the church pulpit. He
had charge of the morning services at
Trinity Baptist Church Sunday.
HYMNS for congregational singing were
announced through the brass funnel
shaped trumpet of the little machine.
The records for these were made by the
Doctor himself, who could almost con-
struct one of the machines.
The announcement of the g~raphephone
gospel service drew quite a large congre-
CATION and the service was thoroughly en-
loved by young and old. The address was
accompanied by the machines repetition
of songs of the great gospel song COM
poser and singer. Ira D.. Sankey. The
songs of other noted composers were also
listened to, none. however. gave more
satisfaction than those written by Fannie
Crosby, the bid poet. The machine also
reproduced a recitation by Fannie
Crosby.
some 81 the elder and middle aged
women in the congregation. who had
sung Fanny Crosby's words in the ears
Of their children. but who had never
heard her voice were moved to tears by
the recitation. At the close of the ser
vice they remained and pleaded with the
Doctor to allow the machine to repeat
1t.
The Doctor readily granted their re-
quest. Indeed it might be said an after
meeting was held.