The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-28
" GREAT TRIBULATI0NSw
EXCITED SESSION OF A BAPTIST
ADVISORY COUNCIL.
How tho Mount Hope baptist Chapel was
Closed to Please Two Rich Men whom the
Denon,inatiop Could Not Afford TO Lose.

Closed TO PIense Two Rich Men whom the
Denomination Could Not Afford to Lose.
The Baptist clergymen OF the city held
an excited council In the old North Church In
Christopher street, yesterday, over the troubles
that have befalIen Mount Hope Baptist Chapel
in fremont, the pastor OF which church organi-
zaiion Mr.. J. u. Lewis, with his little flock, have
been turned out OF their meeting house. The
pastor and two lay delegates from each city
church were invited, and the council chamber
was ned. Tho call for the council was worded
so ns to request the body to review" the action
Of the Executive Committee OF the Board Of
City Missions, by which the Mount Hope Church
has been deprived OF Its meeting house and fur
niture.
The Moderator, the Rev. MIR. Hscox Of Mount
Vernon, announced that the council had no
power to review" the course OF the commit
tee. which was responsible only to the Board
of City Missions. Motions were made to alter
the phraseoloRy, so as to give the council power
simply as an advisory body. over an hour was
spent in spirited controversy, before the change
was made. A minority, led by X. II. Cornell, the
wealthy butcher-representing DR.. Armtage's
Fifth Avenue Church-were In favor OF declining
to hear the recital OF the Mount Hope Chapers
difficulties. They desired the council to Instruct
the little church TO 90 directly before the Board
OF Missions. The Rev. Halsey Knapp urged the
Cornell fell into a heated and protracted side
argument Nr. Knapp found a warm ally in the
Rev. Mr. Hodges Of oliver street church. He
hoped that no such rude action would be taken.
but that the distressed church would hnd SYM
pathy and advice in the action OF the council.
Mr. Pyle, the u. X. soap man. representing the
Porty-second street church-maintained Mr..
Cornell's line of argument. He believed the
recital OF injuries should be made to the board,
which created tho committee alleged to be at
fault. The Rev. MIR. Brouner OF the North
When the question was called Mr. Cornell's mo-
tion WAS lost, and the council voted TO hear the
Deacon Wilson, OF Mount Hope Chapel, read
statement showing that the chapel was
founded In october, 1873. 1t began as a Sunday
school, extended its operations to include
periodical prayer meetings, and nnay In April,
1874 allied itself with the Baptist mission, and
was gwen a chapel which the mission 6ought
from the fremont Presbytertans. The Sunday
| school Superintendent was found to be dis
tn Rm June e. sH h
| MIR. Crane he'll the congregation after tho
sySs one sunday erssn 1
appointed, but Deacon J. b. Lewis Of L,isht
| Street Church, who was popular with the con-
sGSrsy sfIeiwsTd Mr. Crane % as,enptsd IN
bly, iyt ihwsri.e @ FiSais be left the church, tax.
| lug with him one or two other members. The
sursd she sympahy % the seeresfy OF the
Board of Missions, who referred the adjustment
Of the dinicu,ty to the Executive C.%piltee.
Lewis to resign, and intimated that the church
would be closed n he did not. Tho pastor did
| resign, but the church tabled his resignation,
| and sent com mittee to meet the Executive
| COMMITTEES. One Of the members Of tue last
named committee. Mr.. T. W. stevens, is report
| ed 10 have met the fremont people by saying
that he did not want to hear the story. have
"cs% snd ST symp.tS1.e With % NJ. orans & saaso% nS
Parker OF the Missionary Executive Committee,
wrote to Deacon Lewis for the keys Of the
| they were not surrendered. They were not
| given up. and two members Of the Executive
Committee nailed up the door and postsd up q
| months ago. All fremont became Interested In
| Free Masons and even the Roman Catholics Of
| fered rooms 10 the distressed people to wor-
| After the deacon finished the foregoing state
ment, the pastor, Mr.. Lewis, told how Messrs.
| Parker and white, OF the Executive Committee
of tho mission, urged him To resign, saying that
| MessIs. Crane and Evans-the two who lett the
little church-were men ot property, ana me
| During another visit, Mr.. Lewis said, a member
OF tho committee pressed BIN to permit mis-
sionary to announce his resignation from tue
| pulpit, promising that he, the committeeman,
| would pay him a months salary out Of his own
| pocket II he would allow that to be done.
| Considerable excitement prevailed when these
| Tecitals concluded. This was the very thing
| tried to prevent" cried MIR. Cornell, sorlngi Os
to his feet. III the Secretary Of the board has
entered into this conspiracy, he Is unit FOL
ofhce and u Ransom Parker has oeen such .
consummato ass as to do what has been alleged
against him, he, too. Is unht for the position he
holds But. before God. protest against stain
| ing their characters In this way without giylne
| them a chance OF defence, or denial, or expiana
| ton" Mr. Cornell renewed the motion that h ID
| been lost, to send the Mount Hope Church tC
the Board OF Missions with their grievances.
| Mr.. IA odges objected to the motion, and tho
Rev. Halsey Knapp said, " u one drop OF IN,
blood is III that church they'll never go one
single step toward that board. for both the
board and the committee knew OF TINS state o
affairs three months ago, and have done noth
lug toward righting It,"
The Rev. Messrs. Hiscox. Barrett, and Mickes
and hr Bain Of Calvary church, were appontet
"A GnalrmaDSntp
Rev. Mr.. Hodge to ovestig4 tie tue troubles anS
seek an adjustment of them.