The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-19
T0-APPEAL TO THE SYNOD
FIRST PREsBYTERIANs UNWILL-
ING TO LOSE THEIR PASTOR.

The Congregation Refuses to Abide by
the Presbytery's Action and viii
Take the Matter Before the synod
The Grounds Of the Appeal-A Case
of the Majority Not Willing TO be
Governed by the Minority.
The congregation of the First Presby-
terrain church held a meeting last night to
receive the report of the delegates to the
presbytery upon the resignation of Rev. j.
w. Rogan. There were not over seventy
five members of the congregation present
at the meeting. but large number of them
held proxies Mr.. b. F. Train was made
chairman, and Mr.. H. w. Way acted as
secretary.
Elder L. B. Davis, who was a delegate
to the presbytery, reported that after
hearing the facts in the case, it had
dissolved the pastoral relations between Mr.
Rogan and the church, and had instructed
the clerk to so notify the congregation.
THE PRESBYTERY's ACTION.
After hearing the report, Chairman Train
asked If tho congregation would abide by
the presbytery's action. Mr.. j. E. WAY
said that he thought the church ought he
accept the decision. The church went to
it, he said, for counsel, and he
thought that it was to her in
terest to accept its action Mr..
Way was followed by Mr. w. j. Lindsay.
who spoke in opposition to him. He urged
the congregation to appeal to the synod.
The chairman was called upon for his opin-
ion. He said that severing the relations
between the church and pastor always left
the church desolate. If Mr.. Rogan, he said,
were to consult his personal interests, he
would go. The chairman said that he had
been shown a letter by Mr.. Rogan from an
official Of the New Jersey church to
which he has been called, stating that
the call was unanimous. Personally it
was therefore to his interest to go. He
thought though, that the congregation
should look to the interests of the church.
TO APPEAL TO THE SYNOD.
A vote was then taken as to whether or
not the congregation would appeal. The
vote was by ballot and resulted, 103 favor
ing an appeal from the action of the pres
bytery to the synod of South Georgia and
Florida, and ) against appealing
The synod meets at Townsville Jan. 16.
Mr.. j. E. Way and j. A. Bates cast the mi
nority vote. a board consisting Of five
commissioners will be appointed by the
chairman to present the matter before the
synod. Three OF the commissioners were
appointed last night. They are Elder
B. Davis, VIM. Lindsay and L. T. Way.
A series Of resolutions formulating the APP
peal were read by Elder Davis and were
adopted.
GROUNDS OF THE APPEAL.
The appeal is on the ground that the
action If tho presbytery in dissolving the
relations between MIR. Rogan and the church
will work great injury to the latter. The
resolution stated why the action of the
presbytery should be reversed. The congre-
cation, it was stated, is very nearly united
In regard to the pastor, the vote to accept
his resignation being 100 against and 81 for
The congregation has reason to believe, too,
that some Tho voted with the minority are
warmly attached to their pastor, and voted
against him as matter of expediency.
The resolutions go on to say that under the
pastorate Of Mr.. Rogan, the church
has prospered, and is in a
better condition than it has ever
been, and that not only among his own
people, but also among the citizens Mr..
Rogan stands high, and is exerting an in
fiuence which the church cannot afford to
lose.
A PRESBYTERIAN CENTER
That Savannah is central point where
PresbytIianism should be strong, but
where The influence would be greatly
lessened should Mr.. Rogan be removed.
There are nine reasoIs embodied in the
resolution which the commissioners will
submit to the synod why the action of the
presbytery should be reversed.
The matter has already created consider
able feeling in thu church. It was under
stood that Mr.. Rogan would accept the
pastorate of the Philipsburg IN. j.. church,
should he leave Savannah. 1t is believed
now that, at the earnest request OF his con-
gregation, he will remain here, should the
synod 50 decide.