The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-07
COMMITTEES CHOSEN
FOR ENSUING YEAR
Catholics Are in Majority, with
10000 Members-Jews
Have 10000.
Newark's Religious Census.



One hundred thousand citizens of
Newark, one-third of the city's total
population, belong to no church. profess
no creed and live without spiritual ad-
vice. according to figures prepared by
the Rev. Davis w. Lusk, pastor Of the
Sixth Presbyterian Church, and pre-
sented today at the fall meeting Of the
Presbytery of Newark in the chapel
of the First Presbyterian Church.
A note of alarm was sounded at the
thinning ranks of the church compared
to the ever increasing army of those
who belong to what they term "the
big church. which means no church
at all. The Rev. Dr. Lusk declared
that it was difficult now to maintain
summer Sunday schools in the city,
and that the summer craze during the
past season all but depopulated the
churches.
After electing as moderator the
Rev. DIR. John Mcdowell, of Park
Presbyterian Church, and the Rev.
Joseph S. Folsom assistant secrc-
tary, it was decided to appoint a COM
mission, with the Rev. DR.. Robert S.
Inglis, of the Third Church, as chair
man. to organize a Hungarian church
at West Kinney and Charlton streets,
If the conditions shall be found favor
able.
The Rev. A. S. Zimmerman was ap-
pointed on the committee on narrative
fnr akl,i,
appointed for sessional records and
committees were elected on benevolence
and examination, and the Rev. DIR.
Orville Reed, of Montclair, made re-
port for the committee on foreign mis-
sions. No action was taken on the re-
port. as foreign mission work will be a
special subject of discussion later in the
session.
Church statistios.
The Rev. DR.. Lusk, as stated
clerk, read the report of the COM
mittee on church extension. He gave
interesting statistics about the
church and non-church going popu-
lation of Newark, stating that
Bishop O'Connor estimated that there
are 10000 Catholic men, women and
children in Newark. 1t was difficult to
get figures of the Protestant population,
but the enrolled members exceeded AZ, 900.
and counting children and the sick the
total was about $4,000. Adding the
Catholics and Protestants there were
at least 10000 persons under some form
of Christian ministraton. But there
were many Protestants and Catholics
who are practically outside of full
church influence. Therefore, the Protest
ant and Catholic population was prob
ably not more than 100000. and il the
population of Newark is about 100000
souls, fully 10000 persons do not go to
any Christian church. There were
about 10000 Jews in Newark. Taking
them out, over 100000 are left who are
outside OF all churches.
Need More Churches.
The census of 1905, DR.. Lusk said,
gave Newark a population of 2S3, ,2S0, an
increase of $4,000 in five years, and
sc. $40 of these were natives of foreign
lands. There are 1000 colored persons
and IL the children of foreigners "who
have no race suicide be included,
Newark has an immense population to
which the churches should minister.
There are 59,672 people in the city who
cannot, DIR. Lusk said, speak the Eng
lish language, and 72,059 children,
mainly of foreign parents, between o
and IS years old. There are in New
ark twenty religious denominations
and 1853 churches, 131 Protestant,
q Roman Catholic, 2 Greek Cath
olic and synagogues, and of the>l
2OS clergy 54 are Catholic, and there are
315 sisters, 210 teaching in parochial
schools. DIR. Lusk said it is difficult
now to maintain Sunday schools, and
the summer craze almost depopuated
Sunday schools In summer. Last year
the churches of the Presbytery raised
a total of s5,1SS.44 for church extension
and synodical work, but $4,000 was
needed this year. There are about H.
900 children enrolled in Presbyterian
Sunday schools in Newark. Hereafter
the main work of extension and mis-
sions will be among foreigners and
their children.