The herald., 1893-08-29
ALL ABOUT AN ORGAN.
WHY REV. MIR. CRABBE RESIGNED
HIS CHARGE.
The Recent Controversy in the United
Presbyterian Church of Thiss
City = Some Statements
About tho Affair.

l
to his hearts content and the other
members of that far-famed musical
family can also disturb the neighborhood
if they choose, but portion of the local
Presbytery does not think that it is
proper for the members of its church to
follow gentle Johnnie's example. go have
decided that the organ. like the heathen
Chinee, must 20.
While not coming out fiat-footed for
the deportation OF the orga they have
recently taken action in regard to the
United Presbyterian church that
amounts to virtually the same thing.
They have requested the pastor, Rev.
| H. w. Crabbe, to relinquish the charge
of the church and this, too, in the face
OF protest after protest from the congre-
CATION, the majority of whom desire Mr..
Crabbe to continue his work at the
church and have repeatedly go stated.
The action OF the presbytery, it is
| claimed, is due largely to the efforts of
two of it's members who have been op-
posed to Mr.. Crabbe for some time past,
and have now obtained their object in
his recent resignation.
Mr.. Crabbe has had charge of the
United Presbyterian church for nearly
six years, but the difficulty with these
members of the presbytery dates back
about two years. As members Of this
body they are not attached to any
church but worship at any Of the
churches of their denomination.
The first cause of the trouble, it is
said, was due to certain reverend gen.
tleman who protested against the con-
tinuance of the use of the organ in serv-
ice. He first went to Mr.. Crabbe quiet
ly to MIR. Crabbe and stated his objec-
tions. Mr.. Crabbe replied that as the
organ had been in the church since he
had assumed charge, he had no author
ity to remove it. The brother, however,
was not satisfied, and from then on was
loud in his denunciation OF the organ.
The next protest came from the fair
seq. The wife Of the other member of
the presbytery stated that she did not
favor voluntary singing by the choir.
She affirmed that one ofsfhe laws of the
United Presbyterian church provided
that only psalms should be sung in
worship by the congregation. No par
ticular action was taken in regard to
this latter protest, and from that time
on the two reverends combined forces
against Mr.. Crabbe. A slight friction
among some members of the congrega-
tion was the result, but no serious
rupaure has as yet occurred. The
church has progressed fsvorably and
thrived, but the ever restless spirit of
discomfort has been alert, and has at
last accomplished the desire of very
small part of the congregation.
Under the nature of Mr.. Crabbe's
charge he is reappointed every year by
the preabytery, the congregation meet
ing and voting for or against his reten-
ton. The decision OF the presbytery 10
generally influenced by the vote of the
congregation.
At the meeting last year there was
but slight opposition to Mr.. Crabbe.
but at the one held several months ago
for the ensuing year the minority ac-
complished their object by rendering
report unfavorable to the retention of
Mr.. Crabbe as pastor.
The meeting was attended by but q
small part of the congregation. When
the vote upon the pastorage question,
it resulted in IA for Mr.. Crsbbe and II
votes agsinst, this result being sent to
the preebytery as the desire of the
| whole congregation. As the congrega-
tion numbers fully 80 active members,
the rest, when the heard of this verdict,
com bined and signed secondary petit
ton numbering so names. The petition
was sent to the presbyetry and asked for
permanent settlement of Mr.. Crabbe as
pastor of the United Presbyterian
church. This was denied by the Pres
bytery, and in the face of the fact that
no remonstrance whatever from the
balance OF the congregation had been
presented. The congregation not desir-
ing to lose Mr.. Crabbe, then presented
another petition asking for call leav-
ing the name OF the pastor vacant, but
this was also denied.
Another meeting was held, at which
the members OF the church pledged aut.
fcient money to pay thespast0r's salary,
independent OF help from the board of
home missions, and another petition
was eigned and afterwards presented to
the presbytery, asking that Mr.. Crabbe
be eettled AZ pastor of the church. This
third petitition, although representing
fully two-thirds Of the members OF the
church, was denied.
At all three meetings OF the presby-
terry, when the various petitions were
presented, the two brothers referred to
above were present and conducted the
opposition to Mr.. Crabbe. They spoke
at length against his retention and ex-
pressed themselves as strongly in favor
of abiding by the report OF the annual
vote of the congregation.
In view of the persistent refusals of
L -I..A 80 NJ. H.