The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-03-20
PASTOR FRHUND'S FALL.
The Popular HOboken Min
lister Ruined By Con-
viVial Habits.
WILL BE DISMISSED.
He Has Strong Friends, But They
Cannot GOuntenance His
Excesses.


n Hoboken by the determination Of the
trustees of st. Johns German Evangelical
Church to prefer charges of drunkenness
and untruthfulness against the pastor Of
the church with a view to summarily dis
missing him
Some years ago the Rev. John W.
Freund assumed charge of Sc. Matthew's
German Evangelical Church at the corner
of Sixth and Garden streets. The church
was one Of the finest in the city and bad
an institute attached to it. which was also
controlled BY the pastor. Toe new pas
tor at once made friends with his flock
He was a clever looking, elderly gentle
man, and had a most interesting family,
consisting of two daughters and two sons
Everything went smoothly for awhile un-
Ill summernight festival was
held in Schuetzeu Park when
some OF the parlshioners noticed
that their pastor consumed a great deal
Of beer and the fact was at once com
mented upon and talked about. Other
members OF the congregation OF more
liberal view saw nothing wrong in the
pastor taking beer and upheld him. Tae
matter was dropped for the time being
and It was thought that everything was
over until other stories began 70 be cir
culated about the pastor. The good peo-
pie were shocked at the news that their
beer like an ordinary mortal. This the
pastor did not deny and maintained that
he had perfect right to go into saloon
and drink glass Of lager.
HE WAS VERY INTERESTING.
OF course, during the pastors visits 70
the saloon, he met several Of his parish
toner's, and he was such brilliant con-
versationalist and SO unlike other minis
tiers that a great many began to like him
and were willing to overlook his weak
ness. Thus matters stood until two years
ago, when the more straight-laced mem
bers of the church arose In their wrath and
said that Pastor Freund must 20. They
did not want to have him for a minister
because he was a jolly good fellow. Then
began q most interesting war Several
OF the congregation were friendly 70
Pastor Freund and vigorously upheld
him. After considerable wrangling Pas
tor Freund was dismissed. and several OF
the congregation who were friends TO him
left and started TO organize new church
The next Sunday after Pastor Freuod
was dismissed, about 100 OF his old
parishioners answered q call TO meet in
| Cranes Hall, which is directly over the
Morgue, and there services were held.
and were continued every Sunday until
| the old Baptist Church at the corner or
| Third and Bloomfield streets was pur-
| chased by subscriptions raised by several
] of the wealthy parishioners OF the new
4
man Lutheran Church, and at once the
congregation began to increase IN size,
and everything was progressing smoothly
| Pastor Friend was allowed liberties that he
| did not enjoy with his old charge. and II
| was nothing uncommon to see him enter
| saloon with couple of friends and drink
| two or three glasses Of beer. Poet Wend-
| laudt who with his wife and child conn
mitted suicide by drowning. was an inri-
mate friend OF the pastor, and II was
from his church that the three suicides
were buried.
TROUBLE WITH HIS SONS
Shortly after this the pastor had trouble
with his two sons. Both were wild,
and were continually getting into
scraps One OF them broke into
/ the house one night and stole
gold watch from his sisters apartment
| He was arrested, but his father relented
| and did not press the charge After this
happened it was noticed that the pastor
drank harder and speut good deal OF MS
/ time in the saloon. He also got the name
/ of "The Marrying Minister" he began
/ 10 perform more marriages than all
| the other ministers in the city combined
| If a young couple wanted TO get married
onickly and no questions asked Pastor
| Rreund tied the knot de married, ae-
l cording to report. about two couples every
1 day, and was nothing loath in drinking
his share of wine at the reception which
/ followed
| Strange stories Of the pastors doings
! reached the ears of the trustees, and they
called Pastor Freund before them. de
/ was then told that he would have 10 give
up his drunken habits or he would be ex-
/ PEELED The pastor expressed great penn
| tence and said he would, but two weeks
| ago he broke his promise in such man
1 ner that the trustees were bound 10 dis
| miss him. he officiated at q we'd
ding at which several promin6nt
people were present. After the ceremony
ne drank to such excess that i Is said he
| had to be taken home. The affair caused
| a great scandal, and efforts were made 20
hush it up. When the pastor realized
| what he had done, he knew that things
were coming to a climax, and he sent IN
| his resignation. The trustees refused 70
accept il, and at once acharge OF untr1th-
| fulness and drunkenness was drawn up-
PATIENCE CEASED TO BE A VIRTUE.
l met one of the trustees of the church
| this morning AT first he absolutely re-
| fused 10 talk about the matter at all, but
| finally he said. sit is true that charges
have been preferred against the pastor
and have no doubt but what he VIII Dc
dismissed. Patience has ceased TO be q
| virtue. / was one of the most ardent OF
| his supporters at one time. but lately he
has been carrying things with TOO
| high a hand. do not object
SO much to mis- going into saloons
/ and having a glass OF beer. Inere
| is no harm in that But l do not believe
! in his being known throughout the CITY
| as a Jolly good fellow. When ne drinks
10 excess it is time that someting should
be done.
1 next called az the pastors handsome
residence on Hudson street, but ne was
not at home Much sympathy Is ex-
| pressed for Pastor Freuno IN some quar-
ters. His two beautiful daughters are
1 Frustrated over the affair.
A Cruel Thrust at Larkins.