The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-05-21
CHURCH ELECTIONS.
The Newark Diocese Dis
CuSSeS Ecclesiastical
Ballot Reform.
oURTLASD PARKERs SCHEME.
he Wants the Voters Registered
and Put Through the Aus
tralian Formalities.

Church, Newark. The session was later
Than usual in closing, which was caused
by lengthy discussion over the report OF
The committee appointed at the last session
10 prepare an amendment to Canon Of
The code. The committee recommended
that none but communicates should be
wardens, and Mr.. Henry proposed "a fur-
sher amendment that vestrymen also
should be Communicates. Several clergy
men were opposed to the amendments,
but that in reference to wardens was
adopted.
Mr.. Henry spoke earnestly in favor Of
his amendment requiring vestrymen to
be communicates. He claimed that it
was but right that those who had charge
of the material interests Of the church
shoul d be within its communion. Several
cIer gymen spoke against the amendment.
They did NOT doubt its propriety, but
they did question its expectancy. They
told how many parishes. In new and
struggling communities, could not have
existed but for the help and counsel of
vestrymen who would not have been in
the board had this rule been enforced.
Mr.. Courtland Parker said that he ap-
preciated the Importance Of having all
officers Of a church communicates. "But
this is aquestion, /" he said, (which should
be deciued by policy. The yestrymen
are trustees and the persons who are re-
sponsible for the corporation. When you
say they are responsible for more than
the temporalities OF the church you
trench upon the duties of the rector.
don't say It would be wise for rector TO
do as he pleases regardless of the vestrv.
mean to say that no more can be legally
required and asked than that the vestry-
men shall do their duty in the temporal
ities of the church."
Mr.. Parker quoted an instance of man
who had been a faithful and valuable
member of the church who had not gone
TO the communion because he held so
highly the sacred privilege Of the Lords
ra0le and yet Mr.. Parker believed that
that man had been received into bis rest
with the saiutation. "Well done good and
faithful servant
81 think 1t would be grievous mistake
to pass this resolution" said Mr.. Humph-
reys, OF Bergen Point.
81 think that we ought to hesitate In
putting this amendment into the canon
laws" said DIR. Harrington, Of Bloomfield.
'.The law at present stand that the depu-
ties 10 this Convention must be commune
cants. II also requires that wardens shall
be commandments. / don't think we
>
The amendment was then put and lost,
and the third section was adopted as re-
ported.
CLASSIFYING PARISH VOTERS
The committee also recommended the
following amendments to the cauon:-
SEC. ". Those who shall be entitled 70 vote
at any. Parish meeting, or be eligible 10 any
office Of the Parish, shall be baptized male per-
sons, OF full age, accustomed to attend divine
worship In the Parish church, who belong to one
n n
nected with the Parish for at least six calendar
months Immediately preceding the nesting or
Glass l. All who bold a sitting in the Parish
church and have paid the rent due thereon to the
beginning of the quarter IN which the meeting or
election IS held, or
Glass In a church where the seats are not
rented, all who have by subscription or other
written contract agreed 10 contribute to the
current expenses Of said Parish Ia the mode for
raising the same adopted therein and have paid
the amount Of their said agreed upon contribu-
ton due at the beginning OF the quarter In which
the mesting or election is held. The names of
the persons agreeing as aforesaid and the date
of their contract shall be duly recorded by the
Secretary or Clerk Of the Vestry in book to be
proyt led for that purpose.
Sec. " A list Of such persons as are entitled
to vote at any meeting or election In any Pars
ish shall be made and signed by its treasurer.
rector minister in charge, If any, and the
wardens, or by majority OF such persons. at
least ten days before such meeting or election.
ami shall be open to Inspection in the vsstry
room Of said church until the same. 1t shall be
prfBsa 5dcie evidence of the right TO vote OF
persons whose names thereon, subject, now
ever, 70 Challenge thereof or to addit,on az the
the rector or President of the Parish meeting
shall decide in the first instance, but appeal
from snch decision, the majority Of legal voters
present, named on said list, shall finally deter
nline.
II no such list of voters shall have been made
as above required, the election shall neverthe.
les proceed. unless ten persons having the
qualifications aforesaid hen and there present
shall demand such list, In which case another
meeting shall be had 10 fill the vacancies ere
ated by such default TO elect. under the statute
OF New Jersey snpl lemental to the act 10 ircor-
poIate trustees OF religious societies, approved
March p, 1883.
This brought on another lively discus
sion, which wes participated In by almost
every delega e present. The question was
brought up whether the section would not
interfere with churches where pews are
free or practically free. DIR. Boggs stated
that the yestry regulated who shall be
considered as Subscribers In free-seat
contributors. The section was then
adopted. 10 the fifth section. providing
for an official list In each parish of per-
sons entitled to vote, and for an election
in case no list Is made out, and also pro-
viding that the election shall not apply TO
any church having cnarter or act OF IN
corporation which conflicts with it. DIR.
Bishop offered ar amendment that chai-
lenges shall be made through the pastor,
but it was lost.
OBJECTS TO BEING IN THE MINORITY.
Tie Rev. Mr.. Gran berry raised a breeze
when he suggested that the amendment
In requiring the treasurer. pastor and
wlrdens to certify to the list of votes was
unfair to the rector, who though he
should be placed at the head of the par
tsh. by this arrangement was placed in q
minority OF one TO three. During the dis
cusslon the point was raised that the pro-
posed amendment conflicted with the
State law, and the Rev. Mr. Bishop of
Orange stirred up Courtlsnd Parker by
referring TO the committee as ''distin-
gnished legal gentlemen" and at the
same time asserting that they did not an
swer the question whether the amend
ments would stand in the light OF tn g
State law Mr. Parker replied that it
would, and paid his compliments to Mr..
Bishop. In sundry sarcastic remarks
about "extinguished gentlemen"
II fear" replied Mr.. Bishop, .'that am
the extinguished Clergyman referred to,
but the gentleman who objects to being
referred to as distinguished member of
the legal profession has not answered the
cues: ions asked. No answer has been mad e
10 them. have not called into question
whether any one has done his duty or
net. The question Is simply whether the
canon proposed con dicts with the State
lsw Can we pass this canon legally,
That Is the question want answered. III
the gentleman will answer directly that