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Originally published in 1939
Some of this information may no longer be current and in that case is presented for historical interest only.
Edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2002
An idealistic, Utopian spirit swept over the State in the 1830's and 1840's,
giving rise to a variety of sects and schisms. In 1837 Mormons settled at
South Toms River where they carried on evangelical efforts for a decade
and a half before joining their brethren in Utah. The liberal Hicksite
teachings shortly afterward caused a lively row among the usually peaceful Quakers. Similarly, exceptionally fervent and frequent evangelism and
unauthorized public prayer meetings interrupted the peaceful progress of
the long-established churches.
Although Jews first settled in Monmouth County in the eighteenth century and Benjamin Levy, prominent London Jew, served as a Proprietor
of West New Jersey, it was not until the middle of the following century
that they were of sufficient number to found a temple. Sixty Jewish families in Newark organized Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in 1848, the first
in the State, and the next year a congregation by the same name was
founded in Paterson. Until 1880 most Jewish immigrants were orthodox
believers from Western Europe, principally Germany. Quick to be integrated with modern America, they naturally formed the nucleus of the
reformed Jewish movement in this country. Orthodox Jews began to outnumber the reformed in the late nineteenth century when Russian and
Polish persecution drove thousands out of European ghettos into the industrial regions of America and New Jersey.
European immigration after 1880 altered considerably the prevailingly
English character of the Christian church throughout the State. Roman
Catholicism expanded with the sizable increase in Italian population, and
the Greek Orthodox Catholic Church made considerable gains. The German Lutheran Church, although founded in Colonial times, was significantly enlarged by political and military refugees from Germany. Negroes
from the South after the Civil War also increased the membership of the
Baptists and Methodists.
The last major denomination to be founded in New Jersey was the
Christian Science Church, which first held informal meetings at Long
Branch in 1893. The First Church of Christ, Scientist, of Jersey City,
formed in 1896, was soon followed by others in Newark, Camden, and
Orange.
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