The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-15
DR.. FRENCH DEAD.
Former President of State
Christian Endeavor Society.
Passed Away Yesterday.
fspeolal 70 ..rhe Jersey city News.,.l

Especial to 1.-THE Jersey City News."1
NEWARK, Feb. Is. 1S99.-The Rev. DR..
]. Clement French, pastor Of Park Pres
byterian Church, and for some years
President of the State Christian Endeav-
or Society, died at two o'clock yesterday
afternoon, after an illness of more thar
two months duration.
DR.. French was a many-sided man. He
was a forceful pulpit speaker, though not
an orator. Socially he was delightful, n
was remarkably successful as a pastor.
Among the young people he was a guide
and leader, not only in his own congre-
cation, but throughout New Jersey. Six
times he was elected President of the
State Christian Endeavor Society, and at
the time of his death he was the honor
airy president of the organization. He
was a lover of art and music, and was
no mean musician himself. DR.. French
was also a true sportsman, n his great
delight, when relieved from pastoral
cares during his ummer vacations, was
to join his fellow members of the Holly
wood Club in the North Woods, where he
spent his leisure hours with rod and gun.
His leadership in sport was recognized by
the club members, who elected him presi-
den of their organization.
DR.. French Was of slight stature, spare
and active. In the pulpit, however, he
was robust in his utterances. Gifted with
a remarkable vocabulary, he spoke with
rapidity, but with such force and lucidity
that his sermons always impressed his
hearers. His discourseS were spiced with
wit and humor, but always with the one
object in view, of pressing home to the
listeners Gospel truths. No other minister
in Newark was more frequently called
upon to deliver addresses in other cities
and before religious, literary and social
gatherings, than was DR.. French.
DR.. French came from a family of
clergymen. His father was Rev. Justus
Warner French, a Presbyterian minister.
who afterward q preparatory
school for young men at Geneva N; Y.
French was born at Barre, VT, on May
3, 1892. He prepared for college at his
fathers school. He entered Williams Col
lege in 1S4S, graduating with the class OF
1858. He was q member OF the Kappa
Alpha Society and was vaiedictor1an OF
his class. He entered Union Theological
semsnafi II 1885, IS MY He p was ordained q Con-
gregational clergyman on March 5, 1857,
and in 1875 the degree Of D. 2. was con
ferred upon him by Williams College. DR..
French's first charge was the pastorate
of the Central congregational Churcn'
then situated at Ormond place and JEFF
ferson street, Brooklyn. He served as
pastor of that church for fourteen
years.
While pastor of that church, at the close
of the war. in company with Henry Ward
Beecher and many other prominenl
Brooklyn men. DR.. French made d PHI
~grimage4to old Fort Sumter and agar
hoisted the Stars and Stripes over the
fortress that first fell into the hands o.
the Confederates. DIR. French was made
the historian of the pilgrimage, and he
prepared and published a sketch of tina
interesting event.
In 1855 he married Miss Mary A. Mather
of Williamstown, Mass, whom he me
while at college. DR.. and Mrs. Frenef
rave had two children, one Of whom j:
the wife Of JOIN Foster Honness. A son
Frank Warner French, died several year:
ago, leaving one son. His widow has since
married Winfield Scott Sims, of No. 16
Mt. Prospect avenue. DR.. French's only
brother, Edward Warner French, died
few years ago. He was for twenty-eigh
! years pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church of West Bergen, Jersey City.