Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-12-16
PROTEsTANTs TO
JOIN IN MOVE FOR
FEWER CHURCHES
Evangelical Denominations Here
to Combine ito Save Energy
and Money"

What promises TO create a decided
revolution in the future management
and advancement of the religious work
among the many denominations afnii-
atsd with the Evangelical Protestant
churches in this city and Essex county
VIII be the movement just inaugu-
rstsd ~ the newly organised Inter
church Federation Of Essex county,
which. during h coming year, will
promote . campaign having for its OBJ
jeot the abolition of the over
dhurched" tendency OF Professionalism,
which has become 80 manifest in the
last quarter century, and which is be-
ooning a menace to the prosperity of
the International creeds.
The crowded and decidedly ''over-
ohuFohed" condition of several sec
tons In this oity during the past few
come Sc great, and the Protestant
church, if the present indiscriminate
huilding of new ediaoes is to continue,
thraetens to prove it's financial I'M
doing, unless the fiocks are prepared
to support the many new church ven
lures by malxing deeper inroads into
their bank accounts, which are now
strained TO the breaking point by the
present excessive cost of living.
The noted divines behind the pro-
posed revolutionary church movement
consist of Rev. DR.. William j. Daw-
son, of the First Presbyterian Church;
Rev. DR.. George l.. Curtis, of Bloom
field; Rev. DR.. Davis w. Lusk, of this
city; Rev. Fl. r. Randolph, of Mont
clasr, and a score of others.
Rev. I. McGay Hnipe, pastor of the
United Presbyterian Church In Belle
vile avenue, this city, n of the vice.
presidents of the Interchurch Fedora
ton, Ia an ardent supporter of the
T. ovomert. When seen today he said:
Tn the theory of church federation
among evangelical Protestant churches
/ am an ardent believer and in the ab-
soluts necessity of It 1 am firmly con-
WINGED.
TT would be an immense saving of
energy, money, good will and good,
common sense.
Rivalry is not the spirit or method
OF Christ.
In the practioabiiity of federation I
am fully persuaded and in the ulti-
mate adoption Of 1t l have no doubt.
It nssst come because the forces of
evis are lining up and working to-
gsthsr and self-preservation and
afkentzvensss will compel the church to
do me same"
the views Of Rev. DR.. Dawson, the
eminent lccMl Scotch pastor, IN the
federation movement can be summed
up - f1afowa: I'VE should amalga-
main and put new life into the eccle-
siassicaI denominations. There is power
enough In the church IL the churches
viii unite and direct it and if the
church will only rise to It's supreme
opportunity"
The movement, 1t is understood, is
not intended to interfere with the sep
arnte and distinct religious worship and
aims of the various creeds, and neither
the Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist,
CONGREGATIONAL or Reformed denomi-
nations win be affected along rituals
tic lines. But an effort will be made to
curtadl the number of churches located
in a community by uniting in crowded
church districts the fiocks of n de-
nomination, thus eliminating h ten
denoy, as evidenced in this city, of hav-
ing three I'M sometimes four Method
list, or Presbyterian churches, occupy
ing a field that could amply be covered
b. one or two larger churches.
For instance, in the vicinity of Broad
street, from State to Lincoln Park, a
distance of twenty-five blocks, there
are now twenty churches, five Method
list, four Presbyterian, three Episcopal,
two Reformed, two Baptist, n Uni
~versalist and three of the Catholic
faith, or nearly one church per block.
This same over-churched condition,
to a greater OF less degree, is becoming
rapidly evident in other sections of this
city.
1t is this expensive over-crowding
condition among the various Protestant
churches that the Interchurch Fedora
ton OF Essex County has been organ
lied to correct.
The officers are: Rev. James A. So
landt, Of this city, president; Rev. w.
II. Hainer. Irvington; Rev. H. e. Fos-
dick, Montclair; Rev. DIR. George L.
Curtis, Bloomfield; Rev. L. N. D. Wells,
East Orange; William c. Simmons,
Nutiey, and Rev. I. McGay Knipe, Rev.
M. s. Waters, Rev. william M. Van
Dusen and D. p. Johnson, of this city,
vics-presidents; Rev. DR.. Davis w.
LuslS, of Newark, corresponding secre-
tary; George w. Kynor, Orange, treas
urer; Rev. Charles b. Condit, this city,
recording secretary; Rev. H. f. Ran
dolph, of Montolair, chairman commit
tee on church extension; Rev. j. F.
MaBchman, Newark, Sabbath observ-
anoe Fillmore Condit, Essex FEELS,
temperance; Rev. DIR. John Mcdowell,
this city, social service; Rev. S. A. Per-
rine. Newark. foreign missions, n j..
M. Cobb, also of Newark, finance.