The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-01-18

An AWFUL CHURCH ROW.
The Congregation of the
James M E. Church
Divided.
TREASURER AGAINST PASTOR
The crash Came at the Annual
Election Of Trustees Monday
Night.
TREASURER AGAINST PASTOR

The annual election for trustees Of the
James NJ. e. Church, Summit avenue aud
Bowers street, was held ON Monday
night. ana from all the reports Of it that
can be CLEANED this morning, it rivalled
any political primary ever held In
this city. The pillars Of the church
became excited. called each other hard
ames, and challenged one another to
fight. Charges OF ballot box stuf1ng and
fraud were freely made and the upshot of
the whole affair is that Pastor Russell
and one-half the congregation are on the
point Of leaving the church.
The james NJ. E. Church is
one of the most fourishing
churches on the Heights. Its pastor, Mr..
Russell was greatly beloved By the major
ity Of tho parishioners butt it appears that
for long time there has been d1ssension.
Some of the Board of Trustees OF the
church and the pastor are not on the best
OF terms. 8. C. Loundes, one of
the leading trustees and Treas
urer of the church, did not hesitate to
express his dissatisfaction with Pastor
Russell and his methods. The congrega-
tion soon became divided, one-half siding
with the pastor, and the other with Mr.
THE EvENTFUL NIGHT.
Monday night was the night fixed for the
annual election of Trustees. For weeks
past the partisans of Pastor Russell had
been at work to oust Mr.. Loundes. An
opposition ticket was prepared, and
Mr.. Moore was selected as Mr..
Loundss' opponent. Mr.. Moore
friends were confident they would sue
ceed in electing him. In the meantime
Mr.. Loundes' friends had not been Idle
and were hustling for their favorite. but
it looked as II the majority OF the congre-
cation was with him.
Monday night the church was crowded
to the doors. The ladies of the corgrega-
tion favored Pastor Russel's ticket. and
buttonholed everybody they met. As the
time for the election drew near the ex-
citement was intense. When the tellers
were announced howl Of disapprovai
came from the side that favored the Pas.
tor. The tellers were said to favor Mr..
Loundes.
CAN'T GET A SQUARE DEAL.
I'VE cannot get a square DEAL" yelle
one excited individual In the body OF the
church, "Leundes will be elected any
how"
"He will not be elect ed; we have him
beaten now" yelled a partisan Of the
pastor.
LOOk OUb ZOE buo UOAess CIAS0 dAoeACA
Of the pastors supporters.
The votes~were finally all deposited and
amid breathless excitements the counting
began, w Whens tha vote was announced
| and showed that Mr.. Loundes had been
reelected by fourteen votes there was an
awful row. Half the congregation arose
and declared it was not fair. The women
were loudest In protesting.
A PoLICEMAN's OPPoRTUNE ARRIVAL.
A crowd surged about Loundes, and
| several shook their fists in his face.
Loundes said that no one dared meet him
outside. Several were about to accept his
| challenge when Policeman. Steele. who
| heard the uproar while passing the door.
came in. The presence Of the policeman
seemed to make matters worse. and for a
| time it looked as II the pillars of the
| church would wipe the floor up with { ne
another. Order was at last restored,
but Pastor Russell threatens to resign,
and one half the congregation say they
| will follow him.
| MvEcTIvE.
"This man Loundes has run the church
| for too long time." said one Of the pas
tors supporters this morning. s'If ever
| man was fairly and squareiy beaten he
was, but the boxes were stuffed in his in.
| terest' Mr.. Loundes has been treas
| but has failed to render proper account
| ing. Ii MIR. Loundes insists on becoming
| one of the trustees, the church will not
last lcng." Mr.. Loundes. on the
| other hand, has some of the
best people In the congregation
| with him. and they do not hesitate to say
that Mr.. Loundes received majority OF
| the votes cast, and that Mr.. Loundes
| makes model trustee.