The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-04-05
|T0FILL- The Pc WS
Laymen's Association Dis
ouss Methodist Church
Work at Their
Meeting Yes
terday.
ADDRESS BY Mr.. BEACH OF JdRssT
Evangelization Work Needs
Mere Churches and More
Money for the Cause.
ADDRESS By Mr.. BEACH OF J1RSs X

Special to sThe Jersey City News. y
ELIZABETH, April 5, 1902.-All yester-
day afternoon was devoted to the annual
meeting of the Laymens Association in
connection with the Newark Methodist
Episcopal Conference, now holding its an
nual session in st. James's Church in this
city.
The laymen met in the old First Pres
byterian Church, on Broad street, and
ministers and their wives attended to
hear the discussions and addresses. Presi-
dent James w. Jackson presided. First
came a lot of ordinary business, among
which was the election Of officers for 1902.
This resulted in the following James ~.
Pearsall, Ridgewood, president; H. A.
McGee, Plainfield. vice-president: w H.
Beach, Jersey City, vice-president; M. s..
Daniels, Newark. vice-president; T X.
Kinne, M. D., Paterson. vice-president; ].
H. Hulsart Dover, secretary; F. s. Pet
ter, Jersey City, treasurer. The Execu-
tive Committee, composed Of The above
officers and one representative from each
district, as follows:-C. p Cheney, Eliza
beth; c. L. Gilmore, jersey City; ". z.
Drake, East Orange; w. F. Dufford Pat
ersou.
s.Should city evangelization interest the
Iaymen of our church," was the prin-
cipal topic of discussion, and this subject
was presented by Mr. William Fl. Beach,
Of West Side Avenue Church, Jersey City.
Mr. Beach, who was a member of the
Board of Education during the admins
tration of Mayor Hoos, is an able and
eloquent speaker and held in high esteem
in the conference for his grasp of church
work, theoretical and practical His ad-
dress was listened to with the greatest
attention and interest.
AT the beginning, he said, OF the last
century the radius of the largest cities did
not exceed from six to eight miles from
the centre. Railroads have now increased
the city radius to thirty miles. and wise
forecasters estimate that before the end
Of the century, with fifty -n1tle-an-4our
carriages and one hundred nile-an hour
trains. the New York man can come TO
his office every day from Philadelphia,
Albany or Hartford, and the population
Of New York viii be 40,9oO,ee0. There y
no cause for alarm, Mr.. Beach pointen
out, in these tremendous aggregations OF
humanity. aside from the moral and re-
lfgious conditions, for science has antiei-
pated all physical requirements. and upon
the church rests the problem of religious
needs of this congested mass.
every church. argued Mr.. Beach.
"has its work in it's own field, the work
not only of getting men converted, but
of instruction in righteousness and IN
doctrine; that of building up its members
in the image of Christ. This should be
the first. and with this nothing should be
allowed to interfere. But there are otner
duties not often recognized, but equally
imperative, for the local church is re-
sponsible not only for its own territory
but also for the advancement OF the com
mon cause throughout the world and
more especially in the cities. where heath
endom of the most pronounced type exists
as truly as across the seas.
/" it safe to affirm that up to the present
state the large majority of churches have
made little or no provision for this mucn
needed work The burning questions are;
How may we fill cur pews and how may
we keep our people interested in home
work."
Mr.. Beach insisted that the building OF
more churches in thickly crowded dis
trscts was imperative and the money
question was one for laymen and he dis
cussed that phase at length. The work
to be done done among the unchurched,
he said. was difficult, requiring courage,
culture and common sense.
Money he said in conclusion, must
not only be secured but plans must be de-
vised, surveys made of the territory to be
occupied stragetic positions secured and
competent forces employed to not only
hold the fort but make 1t recruiting sta
ton, and with a Sunday school, KIM
dergarten and deaconess' department,
boys clubs. etc, pave the way as speed
ily as possible for a church organization
to become self supporting.
The speaker was greatly applauded for
his address.