New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-17
AGAINST THE EX-PASTOR.
THE REFEREE FINDS FOR THE oPPO-
NENTS OF c. V. PATTERSON
HISTORY OF THE TROUBLES IN THE CENTRAL
PARK BAPTIST CHURCH. WHICH HAS BEEN

tIrsToRy OF, THE TROUBLES IN THE GENITAL
PARK BAPTIST CHURCH. WHICH HAS BEEN
CLOSED SINCE THE SPRING OF 1894
The internal dissensons which have kept the
Central Park Baptist Church closed during a iohs
lega! fight between its former pastor u 'e"'o'
patterson. and the large body Of church members
,osaa ~ hin, and his following have been ended
hy a decision which gives final victory 10 MT
pattersous opponents The church building NO
2a5 East Eighty-third-st. will be reopened as soon
as possible and new pastor selected Inc e
property is valued at $1,000 and II IL unihcu"oeiu
The story OF the troubles In the church IT, III o'
follows: 90, r.. ,.s,or
enc Pow Dr c. c. Norton. resigned the charge
hortl, before September l. 1892. on account OF III
x,,h On that date Mr.. Patterson was called 70
the pastorate - =, oounse,
for the victorious party. ana Modeia'oi III ~
church councils. had been unsuccessful country
castor and never before had had charge IN 'his
civ He had been conducting a laundry business
a. Ssventv-third-st which was carried on unoef
voman's name | believe. One OF MS nrs' act'on'
was astonishing. At meeting OF the ->e" ~
pan,ist Association he announced that loo Gnu"
,rsrhers had been dropped from the roll ai."o"e"
M such action had been authorized oy the C"u
Ir,. dsnar,ure from Baptist usage and doctrine had
hoor such that in first weeks OF 1881 the oi"e'
hars NJ the church determined not to submit
=, his dictation Mr.. Pattersons following was
.or,nosea Of people whom ne introduced lor MS
ovn nurposes and 1 believe his peculiar aO'o"'
vare taken for the purpose OF driving al u"e
pon,ists from the Church and thus Strengthening
himself. ~,,. a. go,
"At \ meeting OF the Church on February 10 1891
, '.au-oaded. through a resolution OF his own. re-
scnd,na all the governing laws OF our Church tue"
in force His expressions were so great tna' 'hree
trrstees-Ievl X Smedes. j. W. sproul ana D. W
meteorological 10,
ION March > 1894. Mr.. Patterson caused an e'ec-
,ion 70 he held TO Al vacancies. An hour oerore tne
'.,(o olac,,on h. called a meeting OF the Church,
=, which he arbitrarily declared adopted resoiu-
Ito, excluding 9Os members in good standing WITHOUT
giving A hearing or notice TO any OF theH'' Al
the election he read from the chair a list OF mem
hers of his own production. and SAID no one ""ose
name WAS not called would be allowed 10 vote oh
the list were a number Of persons having no risht
&c vote The number Of ballots IN the ooA eA0eeu'O
.ha nun,bar of persons voting by eiGhty-four
"Nr Patterson closed the polls. although num-
her of people wanted TO vote ana announcer doou'
1876 majority In favor of his Candidates lot "u9'
A E. Lee. A. A. Hall and Richard Young
Naturally. many members of the Church were
greatly incensed and they attended a business
roeating on March q in force. moderator was
chosen and Mr. Patterson and his friends attempted
TO prevent him from getting on me PLATFORM peis
unsuccessful. Mr.. Patterson ana twenty -uNc az
herents abandoned the meeting. Inc nienipets r.
naming then formally dismissed MI fatteI son
from the paStorate terminated the oHices Vi .he
clerk and deacons VINO were his appointees ana re,
stored the former clerk and deacons. Al tne close
- H. meeting the regular trustees took possession
~ the building and put locks on the doors Later
on Easter sunday. Patterson Win ms mop lolCios
entered the church building and held possession
which was kept until their faction was oustsd py a
tudpment on May , 1894. given by Justice MchrHIl'
OF the With District Court ,
lin III. mean time MIR Patterson gave notice
,bat al election TO I'LL trustee vacancies Nould oe
hid I'm April although IL should nave oten heiu
in MAY Therefore. action was orousht "
prevent the unwarranted election. ana 10 re-trd 10
MIR Patterson from acting as pastor, with ms
10 set aside The Illegal election or trustees III
this proceeding W. II Wills was referee; ana on
his report the election declared lllFsdl a. Wa
tho wholesale dropping OF members from the rolls
.The action in the Superior Court 10 restrain MI.
p,ttsrson from acting pastor was relefFed 10
General Martin T Mcmahon by Judge GbdeisletNr.
General McMahon has Just rendered decision tnat
the church meeting at which Mr.. Patterson was
removed was lega and valid as was also me re
naval OF his deacOns and trustees The decision
is a long on and l. for the anti Patterson party
on every PORT. declaring 'hat MI fd''e'S'" ''''N
without legal right - g.. 49,. ,,,,,,,o,
and was brought by Elizabeth Harding VINO nad
haen present at all the meetings, against {: en-
,or Patterson and others The main counsel Tor the
netitionarr was the firm OF Langbein brotners q
fsngbeIn The church has been closed since the
snring Of 1884, and only TWO trustees are now IN
,tice The pastors salary was Sl.2r a year Inc
orssent church membership is about 100.