The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-02
PREACH TO JURORS
CLERGY MEMBERS PLEAD
FOR RELIGION.
The Rev. Mr.. McClinchie Tells Recent
Inquisitors State and Church Should
Unite in Non-sectarian Compact.

What are the Normal and Most Bene-
hcial Conditions Which Should Exist Be-
tween the Church and the Slater" was the
subject of the Rev. Mr.. McClinchie, OF
1rvington, at the Belleville Avenue Con-
gregational Church last night where two
sermons were delivered to the members
OF the Grand Jury which finished its
labors last Saturday. The other address
was made by the pastor of the church. the
Kew. Theodore M. Shipherd. Both clergy
men were members of the jury.
The subject of the address delivered by
the Rev. Mr.. McClinchie was: What Are
the Normal and Most Beneficial Condi-
lions Which Should Exist Between the
Church and the State?'
The American idea, he said, was that
there should be no connections; that the
one should be absolutely independent of
the other. This doctrine was not advo
Gated outside of the United States. It
originated with the construction placed
upo1 the Constitution, whereby tolera-
ton was given to every creed, but he
thought that the Constitution had been
misconstrued in this connection, partly at
least.
He deplored the fact that the religious
training of pupils in the public institutions
was not more thorough. The present
financial troubles might have been averted,
he declared, had men with proper religious
training been in the high places instead Of
those who were not trained to withstand
the temptations of the twentieth century.
Such training was needed now more
badly than ever before. he said, and refer
ring to statistics declared that the number
Of criminals had increased more than
f%ourfold within the last twenty-five years.
This could not be explained by attributiug
1T to Increase In immigration, but was to
be accounted for by the lack of proper re-
lig1ous training of American boys and
girls In State Institutions.
As a nation, Americans were Etraying
far from the ideals and sterling integrity
of 'thelr forefathers, he declared, and this
could only be counteracted and prevented
by having the State and the church united
in a non-sectarian, undenominational COM
pact for the good of the country.
At the conclusion of mis- address the Rev.
Theodore M. SEip1eid talked briefly to
the jurors. He had wondered, he said,
IL a man could meet the exaeting demands
of business, public and private affairs and
still be a model citizen. More than ever,
he said, he had beel thinking of this
question since his service npon the Grand
Jury. There, he decla ed, men rad a
glimpse of life from the other side, and
the glimpse, he thought, was as beneficial
to the man living in a model environment
as 1t wassto the man who hal u struggle
hard to keep a roof above his bead.
There is not a man." he said, not the
meanest in all creation, no matter how
low he has fallen, how depraved his appe-
tites, whom God does not love, for whom
He does not care. Yet, how many rare
for their fellowmen? Here is the spectacle
Of an infinite. all-merciful Father who
loves the strayed and the hayward as He
loves those who honor Him, and we, the
creatures of His making, pass by, uncar-
ta~ fhASa Union Hn lnUpG No "a Tn NOT
for their fate; yet He cares. What right
have we to do this thing?"