New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-17
pROFFSSORSHIP TO BE ENDOohD'

,.,.r., ervrvARY TO PROFIT BY THE
SALE on, THE CHURCH OF THE ANNC"OiH
r1ox- COMMENT or THE vEsTR1s ACTION
- 100, definitely determined by the vestry
-, r,,teconai church Of the Annuncaton' IN
We. roureenth-st.. whose property was recc'''''
old AZ auction TO liqudate the mortgage "''''"
e,ooa against ii, 10 utilize the money
f.er tho pavment OF all Indebtedness 10 eho'w '"o
,ofossorship IN the General THEOLOGICAL semi
80 ,.tioh mo Rev DR. William J. Seahury'
-, .o,or ~ the church, is the Incumbent Inc
o,,,t inns available for the endowment ~ II -
understood. about StoO"j It,.
>Trch comment has been made in church circles
since this proposed disposition OF inc i",e'
church has become generally known IL Is s"'i
-, Gonna neople that the vestry have sa'r'hCeu
their church 10 provide permanent iho'''o 40
their rect ,r. while a union WIN So''' ~
church might have saved the Annuncia'oh ono
~ the older Episcopal parishes IN the "N, H'
abandonment. as was the case WIN -. ..
~ the Holy Martyrs. on Forsyth-st' when WAS
,o,d ar auction under foreclosure OF mortgage
some months ago.
In speaking of some OF The members % "S ~
rrAgation on the subject few Gays aSo ~
ch,,r, denIo-ed the necessity which compelled
the abandonment OF the church. lie sald 'h"'
twice within a few years he had rendered ma
rasipnation 10 the vestry. thinking that perhaps
another man in his place might retrieve the 100
tunes of the parish but that IN" N"S'y h"u ~
clned TO accept it, He said that hve oFeftui"s
had been made to other congregations with we"
NJ consolidation but that they had como 10 MOTH
ing one Of these offers. he said. was made only
a short time before the foreclosure sale, AMI was
especially liberal in It's terms. Under these con-
ditons Or. Seabury said. the vestry did not feel
Ike turning the money 10 neghborlng
churches because OF tho unfr,endly attitude they
had assumed toward the Church OF ina Ahh"'''''-
ton.
He dlsc'ained any responsibility for the dispose
ton OF the remaining funds OF the church. and
said that he wished The funds 10 be used ~ the
endowment Of n chapel at the Cathedral ~ -.
John the Divine. and the tablets, memorials and
other articles Of similar character now In the
present church 10 be placed in the chapel Again
the vestry declined TO accede TO his suggestion.
and he was forced 70 accept the proposition look
ing 10 the endowment OF the General Theological
Seminary plofessorshp.
In letter defending tho course taken by the
vestry Of the Church OF tho Annunc!ation the
Rev. DR.. Thomas Richey. OF the General Thcolog-
cal Seminary. says:
1t is TO be remembered that the Church Of the
and admirers Of the late Or Seabury Gather OF the
present DR.: Seabury, az testimony 10 the stead
tastness OF hlt principles ana token OF respect
Tor the greatness OF his character. Since his de-
cease. the neighborhood In which the church IS
situated has undergone complete change and the
services have had to be maintained at the ey,,
question the right Of the veHry to dispose en Of Sbe
property to pay the Indebtedness, nor the lawful
ness OF the obligation to apply what remains to
the honorable retirement Of the rector during his
lie. This is IN accordance with both the law and
the equity OF the and II is also In accordance
with the laws OF the State OF New York ln a
statute enacted some five years ago. TO make such
final disposition OF their property, either congre-
gational or educational uses In their own iudg-
ment the holders Of the corporate trust may de-
terfninc.
DR.. Seabury and many OF his present congrega-
ton will attend the services in the Church OF IN.
Holy Apostles at Ninth-ave. and Twcnty-eighth-
st., OF which the Rev. DR.. b. T.. Backus IL rector
after the closing OF the Church OF the Annuncia-
ton in May.