The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-14
READY FOR THE DECISION
The Bergen Chassis Con-
cludes the Hearing in
Pastor Freund'S Case.
ADEFIANT CONGREGATION
There's Enough Fourth Of July
Spirit Among the Pastors People
to Go on in Spite of the Chassis.


The lines of battle between the or
ganizers of the New Reformed Church in
Hoboken, of which the Rev. J.W. Freund
is striving to be pastor, and the Bergen
Chassis are likely to be pretty stiffiy drawn
within the next two weeks.
The promoters of the new society are,
from reports, inclined to regard with In
difference the action of the Committee of
Chassis, which closed its labor of taking
testimony for and against the granting of
the permission by the church powers In
New York yesterday, and are plainly no
more disturbed over the possible action of
the higher body in reviewing the testi-
mony and recommendations submitted to
it for decision
The attitude of the committee is one of
calm dignity, backed by the confident
prestige Of authority; that of the petition.
ers, one of indifference, the only object OF
the. application being, as is claimed, to
satisfy the scruples of the Rev. Mr..
Freund, who has no desire to break with
the church which has invested him with
the right to preach.
The situation was summed up yesterday
in phrase coined by either side of the
controversy, one being, 1T is simply u
lawless assemblage of unorganized per-
sons il the Church refuses to grant the
permission;" and the other, 1.-THE movers
in this new church matter are not going
DtlOI6 tuC UO(iJ WlUu bUelr 0dJS
under their arms and begging, for Gods
sake, to be permitted to organize"
EVEN HE WAS KEPT OUT.
The session in the Synod's rooms, in
New York, yesterday was secret, and
none but those persons who wished to
urge the granting of the permission were
permitted to witness the proceedings.
Even the Rev. Mr.. Freund, who was
there in the quasi role of defendant, was
not admitted to the rooms while some of
the testimony was being taken.
| called last eveningson the Rev. Mr..
Manchee, pastor of the First Reformed
Church of Hoboken and chairman of the
Committee of Chassis, and asked him if he
would outline for me the nature of the
testimony taken and the recommends
ton made by the committee to the Ber-
gen Chassis on the strength of it.
1--WE are acting" he said substantially,
under authority given us by superior
body in the church to take testimony in
confidence on the matter of an application
to form new church and report the re-
suit of our investigation to it. / could
not violate the plain instructions of my
superiors without incurring censure
The committee has completed the taking
of testimony and is now preparing its re-
port. Until such time as the papers pass
into the hands of the Chassis the nature
of the matter they contain cannot be
divulged. 1t will require, under the laws
of the church. a notice of ten days to con-
vene a special session of the Chassis
That session will be held at the rooms of
the Synod, in New York, two weeks from
today. At that time the result of the pro-
ceedingS will be made public.
1t WAS stated last week, Mr.. Manchee,
by member of your committee, that the
testimony submitted by the Consistory of
the German Evangelical Church embod-
led matter that would result in Mr..
Freunds being cited before the Chassis to
defend himself" / said. lis that the
case?' questioned. Mr. Manchee parried
this direct question by saying that the
rumors affecting the personal character
of Mr.. Freund were only incidental to
the investigation. He admitted, how
ever, that they were authorized to investi-
gate them, and handed me the resolution
that embodied the authority, and of
which the following is copy
Whereas, Certain rumors have been heard re-
Freund. member of this Classis, former pastor
of the German Evangelical Church, of Hoboken
and at present interested in the enterprise for
the organization of which application is now
before us; therefore,
Resolved, That the Committee appointed to
consider the application for the organization of
a new church at Hoboken, be ordered to investi
gate these rumors, and report the result to
Chassis. Isl j. f. Harris,
Stated Clerk
When Mr.. Manchee's attention was
called to the fact that the promoters of the
new church intended to hold their first
public meeting on Sunday next, without
awaiting the result of the pending pro-
ceedings before the Chassis, and was asked
if such an action by them would not preju-
dice the church party against granting
the application, he said
AN ACT OF DEFIANCE.
"Oh, they can meet as an assemblage of
individuals, but without the authority of
the church body they cannot organize.
Why, look at the definition of the word
Organize, F." he said, as if striving to i'm
press me with the weight of authority the
dictum of the Chassis carried with it.
'"They can meet, but they cannot organize,
and without organization they lack CO.
hesion and are powerless. :"
When / called on the Rev. Mr.. Freund
at his residence, No. 1876 Hudson street,
Hoboken, he was disinclined to talk. He
said that he was ignorant of the nature of
the testimony given by the Consistory of
his old church. He had left them in a
spirit of Christian brotherhood Many of
his parishioners had looked for acrimony
in his farewell sermon, but had been dis
appointed. He had no complaints to
make Were all the bitter personalities
from the other side? Well, suppose they
were Would it be the part of Christian
forbearance TO meet them now with Bit
ter personalities.
Mr. Freund said that there were forty
heads OF families WHO were Interested IN
the formation of the new church.
''Would it weaken the old church,"
"Well ON the admission of the men,
bers of the old church some twelve mem
bers are likely to secede. This would not
make very large break in a congrega-
ton of 50O The application for the new
church. he said, should stand by itself
and not be mixed with the consideration
of matters personal to myself Is it
understood that l am to be the pastor in
any event? Well, yes, of course it is.
ENOUGH FOURTH OF JULY SPIRIT
When / put the question had put to
Mr.. Manchel, asking what effect the first
devotional meeting of the new church
taking place ten days before the Dlassis
could meet to hear the report of the In
vestigating Committee, could have, he
answered.
"The gentlemen who are prominent in
this movement have Fourth of July
enough in them to organize even if the
Chassis refuses to grant the permission.
They brought their spirit of independ-
ence over with them from Germany, and
are not going to be frightened at the re-
fusal of the Chassis to permit them to
organize The Chassis may refuse to recog-
niZe them as a church under its pro-
lection, but they will meet all the same.
"Will you preach to them next Sun
day"
the Church if it is possible. If it is not
possible" he said, as he warmed up, 81
shall preach without its permission. | can
preach on the street if choose and they
nopnnt rnoleSt me -