New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-27
TRIBULATIONS or 4 PASTOR.

TRIBULATIONS or 4 PASTOR.
The Baptists of Poughkeepsie have succeeded
IN evolving a unique aud exceedingly interest
ing church quarrel. They have a minister who
is said to be young and talented, but deficient
in dignity. He had been with them about a
year and had conducted successful passionate
when his health became impaired and he went
away for rest. Scarcely had he departed, or to
put it in the more eloquent language of the
local chronicle, hardly lave the spires of
4" Poughkeepsie dropped below his horizon that
" he hears 4rOm home the 1umbling murmurs OF
discomfort" And the "Iumbng murmurs
take a curiously definite form as they reach
the absent shepherd. They come to him in the
form of letter asking him to resign. The
letter is sent not from the church as body,
but from disconnected faction who are
troubled about his lack of dignity. The ac-
cusations they make in defence OF their con-
duct are very striking They say tie pastor
was once guilty of the immoral conduct" of
driving to Nassar College with friend on sun
day afternoon that he once sharply rebuked
two men who were smoking cigars IN street
car thereby offending, we suppose, by usurplng
the functions of the conductor; that he wore
flannel shirt at "a watering place; that he ate
with his knife and last and most unpardon-
nble of all Z" he was seen sitting on sofa with
his wife, both eating from the same banana
1t will be seen that these are grave charges.
1t would be easy TO treat them flppantly, but
the solemnity of the situation forbds. Let us
turn rather to history of tue quarrel and med
itate upon the possibility of its peaceable sou-
ton We find a most touching review of the
whole case in The POaghkeepSie Ncus of Mon
day. The writer, who declares his entire i'm
paltiality, SAYS there are two factions in the
church. One faction calls the other the
" Bosses" and says they are made up of "nine
high-toned families who want to run the
church. The Bosses" charge that the only
supporters of the pastor are the Sentimental
lists of the congregation, who are mostly / toe
too yOurg ladies, sentimental spinsters, sym
pathetic old ladies, passive old gentlemen of
retiring disposition, who prefer the ease and
quiet of a back pew to fighting flies i'll a fronU
seat and St. James Court young men," 1t will
be perceived by these friendly descriptions
that the feeling" i'll the church is of an an
mated character. That little remark about
quiet back pews and fighting flies in front
seat is all allusOn to the bald headed dignl-
taries of the church which could never have
been made except under the stimulus OF
church quarrel.
Many other arniable compliments have been
exchanged. The Bosses say that the Sen
timentalstsn contribute very little to the ex-
D, of the church, and that church can no
more he run on sentiment than business en-
terprise. The Sentimentalsts deny that
they contribute but little money, and say the
= nine high toned fam lies " want to drive the
pastor away because lie is bringing in many
new members that the church will soon be too
powerful for the Bosses" to control it. The
local historian records all this and much more
with many pathetic CALCULATIONS, and makes
powerful plea for union of dollars and SEN
timent and restoration of harmony. "ToO
bad.r he explains with a pathos which does
him honor, and almost without warning, to
tear from popular. eloquent Woodworking
land devoted pastor q church that he has
given his strength and health to build up.
"Too bad to break up the well-trained and truly
excellent choir Too bad to give these aises
@and arches over to paucity and silence. Too
- mad 70 remove tho holy fire from the altar
@and have large part of the church consign
Z. the beautiful structure to oblivion or troubled
smemory so far as they are concerned He
beseeches the Bosses and Sentmentalists
TO prevent this series Of melancholy events by
.making up refusing to accept the pastors
proffered resignation, and wiping the past
from their memories.
This may yet be done. The congregation is
evidently in a melting mood, if we may judge
from our historians account of the farewell
sermon last Sunday "As the talented young
divine and loved pastor stepped forward and
commenced his address of resignation i'll his
rich but sad voice, tears were in most eyes
and many of ithe people were audibly sob
@bing." Surely this ought to have softened the
hearts of the Bosses DO that they would con-
sent to forget and forgive. If the pastor would
pledge himself to keep his knife out of his
mouth In future, and that when in the course
of human events he and his wife both yearn for
n banana at the same moment he will furnish
two instead of one, We do not see why the
breach could not be healed. Surely charity
ought to be plentiful enough among the Bap-.