The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-04-13
TRUSTEES STORY.
Pastor McCowan Received Suf-
feient Money to Support
His Family.

The failure of the officials of the Linden
Avenue M. E. Church to pay Pastor Nc
Cowau the full amount of his salary for the
past year, the full particulars of which were
published in The JERSEY CITY NEWS yes
terday, has caused lively row in the church
and the next meeting of the Stewards will
be a lively one The trustees of the church
are highly indignant because Pastor Nc
Cowan has accepted charity, and it is now
even doubtful If the pastor will receive the
remainder of his salary. One Of the trustees
of the church, who does not wish to have his
name mentioned, when interviewed by re-
porter of THE JERSEY CITY NEWS last even
ing said:-
''If Pastor MCGOWAN says that he would
assistance, he lies Pastor MCGOWAN has no
occasion to complain. If he is in want he
has only himself to blame. The matter does
not concern the trustees, as the stewards Of
the church are supposed to see that the pastor
receives his salary, but as an officer OF the
church have a right to discuss the matter.
AS TO UNPAID BILLS.
81 see by the interview in THE NEWS that
Mrs. MCGOWAN expects to leave Greenville
and leave number of unpaid bills behind
If she has failed to pay her bills it is her
own fault. She should not lay the blame to
us. know that one of the bills which Mrs.
MCGOWAN claims she has been unable to pay
has been due since last year. This bill was
for groceries from hammers & Fiedmann of
Linden and Ocean avenues. Last year Pas
tor MCGOWAN received from the stewards
$3.50, which is $50 more than his regular
salary.
The Church has provided him with a
handsome parsonage, which is comfortably
furnished. All then that Mr.. MCGOWAN had
to look out for was food and clothing for
himself and family, and for this he received
81, $50. Now l consider this sum suff1-
Gent for any man to live comfort
ably, and if Mr.. MCGOWAN did not
pay his grocery bills he must have squan-
dered his salary. During the past year he
received at least 81, 900 and there is still 5000
due him, instead of S400 as reported. He
was engaged at salary of $1,000, but last
year we gave him bonus of 500 and $50
for a Christmas present. During the past
year, however, the trustees have found it
extremely difficult to make both ends meet
and Mr.. MCGOWAN knew this but l suppose,
he expects to receive another bonus of 500.
OFFICIALS DID THEIR DUTY.
The officials of the church have done all
they could to give Mr.. MCGOWAN his salary
and if he has accepted charity from mem
berS OF another church they must be blamed.
I believe that if the ladies who had charge
of the recent charity entertainment had
offered to give Mr. MCGOWAN cart load of
groceries and provisions they would have
accepted it. They are the sort of people
who will take everything they can get. 1
thiuk it nothing short of an outrage for the
ladies of the committee to give these things
to Mrs. MCGOWAN. The entertainment was
advertised to be for the benefit of the
poor families of Greenville, and there are
certainly many families in Greenville who
are more deserving of charity than the Nc
Cowans. 1t IS charged that the officials OF
the church. manifested Indifference regard
ing the welfare of Pastor MCGOWAN and his
family This is nothing short of false
hood. The officials have provided MCGOWAN
with furnished parsonage and snug sal
ary They certainly couldn't be expected to
do more than this. He has always received
his salary promptly, and now that hard
times make it difficult to raise money and
we have been unable to pay him all but 5000
of his salary, think it extremely ungrateful
for him to complain. I do not understand
what Mrs MCGOWAN means when she says
that she will make a clean breast OF the
whole matter it we do not pay the remain
ing money. We have nothing to fear, as we
have done nothing that we can be ashamed
Of"
The trouble between Pastor MCGOWAN and
the officials promises to furnish the residents
of Greenville with spicy gossip until Mr.. Nc
Cowan leaves Greenville for his new charge
at To ttenville, s. /.