Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-16
COMBATING DOUBT
AMONG ITALIANS
Progress and Intent of the
Work of Protestant
Converts Here.

The First Italian Presbyterian
Church, in Plane street, can be called
the mother church of five other
Italian Protestant churches of New
ark, being the first one to evangelize
to the great number of Italians of
this city. The church building, not
being situated among the Italians,
could not exercise a great influence,
so lately the need was felt to open n
branch church in the large Italian
colony of the "Ironbound District
where no other churches are located.
The Presbyterian Church Extension
Committee had already done some
work there among the children hold
ing a successful Sunday school. In
the summer of 1912, invited by the
Y. M. G. A. and the auto evangelistic
committee to preach in the open air,
Protestant Italians began the work
The open-air meetings had very good
results-hundreds of people heard the
word of God and thousands of tracts
and Bibles were distributed, The
people, delighted by what they
learned, asked repeatedly to have a
church organized The fall came, and
the cold weather compelled tho
workers to close the open-air meet
ings. The friends made among the
people allowed the committee to con-
tinue the work in their homes.
The church extension committee
now saw the need of church and
rented large hall at rs Nichols
street, where meetings for the adults
were started on Sunday and Thurs
day nights. Thus the organization
work began; after a few months six
ty-two church members were enrolled
xnrsf nj 4
peoples society of 80 members con-
stituted and the Sunday school
reached the enrolment Of 1876 chill
dren.
In April, 1918, the church extension
committee realizing more fully the
need of a proper church building
bought plot of ground 100x10o feet
at Jefferson street, between Kinney
and Oliver streets, where a church
and an annex building will soon be
built. While waiting for the con-
struction OF the church building the
work Is going on with enthusiasm.
The auto evangelical committee
the Y. M. c. A. and the church are
holding open,air meetings in differ
ent places in that neighborhood,
which are successful In spite of oppo-
sition.
The originators of this work are
not attempting to make proselytes,
but striving for the spiritual and me-
terial uplift of the people. The Ital-
ians. both in Italy and In this coun-
try, have become very Indifferent
about religion.
Indeed, in italy. the advance of
skepticism has attracted the atten-
ton of thinkers and observers
throughout Europe and much specu-
lation is published about it. The in
auguration some years ago of O.
Hebrew mayor in Rome was re-
garded as directly due to this spread
of leaderism and the attacks on the
Catholic Church Of such papers as
PAsino have fostered this feeling
among the people.
The object of the Italians in this
country who have been converted to
the Protestant faith Is to teach not
only religious belief. but to instil in
the minds of aliens newly arrived.
their social and civic duties. Last
winter classes In the English lam
guage and naturalization were held
twice a week. This summer a Bible
Vacation Summer School has been
held for six weeks, in which Bible,
music, sewing, embroidery. basket
and hammock making has been
taught to boys and girls under 16
years of age. Friday night the COM
mencement exercises took place.