The evening star and Newark advertiser., 1907-09-07
PLANNING BIG
M EE TINGS
FOR CLOSE
Outdoor Workers to Hold
Special Services During
This and Next Month.

Plans are being perfected for g. gigan-
tic demonstration to mark the closing
OF the outdoor religious services that
nave been conducted in Military Park
every Sunday afternoon since June 80.
1t Will take the form of a series of
special meetings, each having a special
ly prepared program suitable 70 the re-
ligious organizations invited TO partici-
pate
These meetings have been arranged
by Sidney S. Smith, of the Central
Methodist Episcopal Church Epworth
League Society and according to the
program the members of all the coun-
ellis, Jr. o. u. A. M, in this city and
the members of the combined councils
Daughters of Liberty, have been in
vited to take part in the first of the
series of services which will be held
in the park on the afternoon cf Sum-
day, September IA.
Some weeks ago the Rev. Dr.. Will
lam Fl. Morgan, pastor of the Central
M. 70. Church, sent letter to Frank
Sharpe, State councillor, Jr. o. u. A.
M, inviting the members of the united
councils to attend the meeting. In re-
sponse to this invitation Councillor
Sharpe sent a letter to each council in
the city requesting the members to as
semble in Lincoln Park at $3.50 o'clock
on the afternoon of the day N ques-
ton, and march down Broad street to
Military Park in a body. The process
sion will be led by about 300 members
of the uniformed rank, and Major
Clarke has been selected as grand
marshal of the parade.
oh 4s1ra In io
city, and it IS estimated that at least
half this number will turn out The
Daughters of Liberty are also very
strong in numbers in this city, and 1t
is estimated that an equal number of
them and their friends will attend the
service. According to Mr.. Smith, who
was seen yesterday afternoon, 1t is ex-
pected that this meeting will be larger
than any open air religious service ever
held in this city. Between 5000 and 10,-
900 persons are expected to assemble in
the park, providing the weather is
sclear
The speaker on this occasion will be
Dr. Morgan, and his subject, not yet
announced, will be a patriotic one. 1t
is proposed that this day shall be
known as american Day." A meet
ing was held at the Central Church
last night, at which members of the
committees representing each of the
councils in the city were present Plans
for the proposed meeting were per-
fected.
The second great day will be the fol-
lowing Sunday, when the members OF
all the Christian Endeavor societies in
the city will be asked to attend the
services. The membership of this re-
ligions organization number up in the
thousands and another record-break-
ing crowd is expected. State President
John F. Sproull, of Arlington, has also
been invited. tHt
The Rev. DR. Daniel III. Martin, pas
tor of the Clinton Avenue Reformed
Church. will deliver the address. Pro-
lessor George A. Merris and his COM
pany of Southern jubilee singers has
been engaged to lead the singing on
this occasion Other large meetings
of a similar nature have been planned
by Mr. Smith for each Sunday
through the month of October.
One of these occasions will be chill
dren,s day, when all the Sunday
schools will be asked to parade from
their respective churches to the park
and listen to an address interesting
to young minds. 1t is proposed to
distribute small American flags on
this occasion.
,The open air meetings began Sun
day June 30, and the average attend
ance has been between $500 and 5000.
The attendance, small at first, has
grown to such numbers that even the
largest expectations of the workers
has been exceeded An average of
forty requests for prayers have been
received each Sunday, total of 400
for the summer. Some of those re-
questing prayers have signified their
intentions of uniting with churches.
Last Sunday, Mr. Smith said, he re-
ceiyed signed cards from persons IN
the audience whose homes were IN
Brooklyn, New York, Paterson, and
three claimed Connecticut towns as
their homes.