Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-29
AGREED TO DIVIDE.
Two Congregations to Be Formed in
Christ M. E. Church.
DEFINITE ACTION OF TRUSTEES.
The East End Will Have One Halt, and the
Northside the Other.
AN EXCELLENT FINANCIAL SHOWING

An amfcable split in the congregation Of
Christ NJ E. Church on Penn avenue Is the
outcome of the disastrous confagration OF
May D, by which the edifce was nearly de
stroyed. meeting Of the trustees was
neld yesterday afternoon, at which definite
action was taken, that will result in two
handsome churches being erected. The
church membership has long been pretty
evenly divided between residents of the
EAST End and Allegheny, but loyalty to the
location and the church has not only held
the membership intact during the last l5
years, but there have been large accessions,
making the church one of the wealthiest in
the two cities, as well as holding its position
as the bulwark of Methodism in this end of
the State. There have been but slight differ
ences as to the policy of the church, and the
radical action taken Is purely q business ar
rangement, suggested by the magnificent
distances traversed devotionally every Sum
day.
Both to Fare Well Financially.
By this action of the trustees the assets Of
the congregation will be equally divided be-
tween the Allegheny and East End conting-
ents. The assets are quite formidable from
pecuniary point Of view. The site occu-
pied by the church has been the subject of
zeal estate inquiry for long time. Since the
ing from $3.50, 900 to $780, 0OO and it is believed
that something over the latter figure will be
reached. Divided, each congregation will
have S150000 as a building fund nucleus. The
insurance, amounting to $4,000 in round
figures, will be increased by the sale Of the
material, probably reaching nearly $4,000.
Thus each of the congregations will have
over $4,000 to start with. An Allegheny
friend of the church has pledged 900 adj
ditional, and as other large donations are
talked about, a spirit Of friendly rivalry
may be looked for in the matter of which
church will be the handsomest
The name, Christ NJ. E. Church." will be
preserved by the addition of the location,
Church, Allegheny" and "Christ N. E.
Church, East End"
Pewholders Must Vote on It
two churches, it is far in the future as to
who will be the respective pastors. At pres
ent the united congregation is worshiping
in the Bjou Theater, and it has not yet been
decided whether there will be an immediate
split The plan as adopted yesterday must
be submitted to the vote of the pewholders
and afterward to the next M. e. Conference,
but as there is no other feeling existing than
that of an amicable nature no opposition is
committees were appointed by both sides,
with power to act. Among the East End
members of the Board is Alexander Bradley,
while the prominent Allegheny gentlemen
are Messrs. G. B. Shea, Joseph Horne and C.
c. Scaife.
The respective sites to be occupied are be-
ing canvassed. The Allegheny church will
probably be located not very far from the
west Parks, in order to be at distance from
the North Avenue NJ e. Church, while the
East End church will be doubtless built in
the Nineteenth ward, to preserve distance
from the Emory M. E. Church.