The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-16
Religion and Fraudulent Trustees.

The public exclusion of EDWARD A. LAM
BERT, formerly Mayor Of Brooklyn, and ono
of the ruling elders Of the church, from the
Presbyterian society of which the Rev. DIR
CUYLER is pastor, is remarkable and sug
gcstivc fact in our current religious history.
LAMBERT had committed a breach Of trust,
an offence disgraccfuly common among us
of late years lie dissipatod most Of the cs
tate Of his brother-in-ldw, intrusted TO him
as executor in the fullest confidence in his
integrity, and the widow is now lett with
small fraction OF the property bcquoathed
her by her husband.
LAMBERT confessed his crime and be-
walled it, consequences. lie declared that
lac begged for the forgiveness Of those hc
had 50 gricvol ly wrongcd. and said h.
bowed his head i'm shame and romor-c But
the property was gone. the widow was de-
priNedof what WIS justly hors and the tears
and wailings Of the false executor could not
bring it back The church resolved that lee
be suspended "until he shall make full
and public confession of his sin, and give
satisfactory evidence Of repentance" The
resolution di not 20 far enough. II should
have further required that the offender make
never cease exortion TO restore the full
amount lac lad stolen under circumstances
50 aggravatlng.
Unfortunately, the law imposes no adc-
quate penalties on the man who commits a
breach OF trust. II becomes the duty Of So
ciety, therefore out side Of the law, and so far
as it is in It's power, 70 make up for the dch-
cheney. DR.. CUYLERs church deserves praise
tor doing its part In that direction. But in
how many other churches are there false
trustees still communng with their honcster
brethren How many others Will tako like
action in like cases The New Tcstament's
teachings and commands az to what should
bc done are plain. Why are they not in
variably followed?
II IL TO lie said for LAMBERT, that
he Acknowledged his grievous sin. and
did not run away to escape its con-
sequences; nor does he walk around bold
ly and dcfantly, as ii he had done no.
thing deserving II condemnation. Yet how
many faithless trustees are there about who
stop rs firmly, smile as innoccntly and talk
as glibly IA if they had committed vcnial
fault, fallen into an error of Judgment only,
to which all men are liable while the plum
ltlfu lt'nllltS WITH WllpSt property iH'N
were intrusted must bear their hardships
without the possibility of remedy An
inquiry among the heirs Of estates in New
York would reveal a large number ~ such
cases. These defaulting trustees, instead of
occupying their pews in churc hes, and going
about freely among men. should get their
only glimpsos of the world through prison
bars. II the example Of DR.. CUYLER's
church was followed 10y all churches, We re-
grct 10 say that their membership would bc
considerably reduced, and the excluded
brethren would not be among the poor
and humble, but among the rich and AFRO
| CANT.
Strict fidelity in the management Of q
trust is unfortunately not a common thing
nowadays, and breaches Of trust more or
| les, hagrant are within the knowledge Of
every one who knows the history Of the
estates OF New York. A few ~ the corrupt
| trustees have fed, but most Of them are stu
among Ms, nearly as blithe a. ever, and still
clinging to the skirts Of rcspectability II
not firmly fixed in high social places.