The sun., 1895-04-01
ITS PEWS NO LONGER FREE.
ST. PETERS, BROOKLYN, TO RETURN
TO THE RENT SYSTEM.

TO THE RENT SYSTEM.
Dr Parker, Its Rector. Announces from the
Puipit that the Experiment Has Proved
FniIure-Dr. RaInsford's Church. He
Says, Han BEHIND $4,000 Last Year.
The free pew system which has beon in oporN-
tion In st. Peters Episcopal Church, in State
street, Brooklyn, since the Rev. DIR. Lindsay
Parker became the rector, nine years ago. has
been abandoned. The formal announcement of
the fact was made ut the services yesterday
morning. 1t came somewhat in the form OF "
surprise to the parishioners, although this notice
had been sent cut a few days ago by the vestry-
men:
After mature dcibcration It has been determined
by your vestry that from and after May next the
pews OF the church shall be rented and the present
system OF free assignments cease.
The members OF the congregation earnestly
questcd to be present Sunday March 81, when
plici statement of the for this action will be
made by the rector aud a member OF the vcstry.
The failure Of the free pew policy in st. Peters
Church Is regarded as II blow to its adoption by
other Episcopal churches in Brooklyn, for, under
the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Parker, 1t was
generally supposed to have secured n firm hold.
Even In st. AIMS Church, on the Heights. in
which 1t has been in operation for several years.
and which has the advantage of some special en-
dowment funds, 1t is now thought that 1t may be
dropped.
A large congregation was on hand In st. Peters
yesterday to listen to Dr. Park funeral Grafton
on his defunct pet hobby. Mr.. Frederick I.
shannon nrec.ded tho rector With n .t,temcnt
m,de from IN. chance, nm IN. ,,art ~ IN. tru,.
-. ,,,,., ~ - '|e -
nine years the church became free pew
church, and the custom Of renting the pews.
which had hitherto been practised had been
given up. DIR. Parker had always been stanch
so. @ -. VIZ ~. . ,.,', ."eo ".n ""'
honestly determined 10 make the experiment.
1.-THE old pewhoders." he continued. agreed
10 SUBSCRIBE rs much us they haa oeeh paying
IN rentals ana we were assured ns large an III
, ,,n" .sss,,. "a A"n ,,a, n,, a w. .s ~ h.
..on ."pN.' ""> "o seei''o'' w ia W
maae no mistake soon ho"erer s some an
failed tn sub.cribe n, much n. their predece,
i"Heu ~ euo''''oo "e nu'i 10 '"e'i ~ ioue'
to 20 per cent. of all the subscribers either
neglected. to notify u. mr. failed absolutely IN
keep their pledges. 1t thus happened that our
expenses remained the same. while our income
was reduced. A heavy burden was then placed
on few members of the church. and the rector
himself even suggested that we should make
reauc.,on IN ms sa. ,i,S,, >ow, % a''tr nine years
Wv soa...naa ,na ,mS h.n. ann,,,ans e.. .h.,an,, a.,
heartehea ana nave consluoeu 10 noahdoh
in our funds is s.. 600. and we urge you to vino
.n,.. -. w, INV" us' 20 S,'.'as "a 80 u, " 49,
pew and sitting will have fixed rental. and the
navmcnt will be quarterly in advance. This viii,
be TO sHy m ana nos
dean II absolutely necessary II there arc anv
strangers or visitors, however. they win always
ahle to nav the iowest renial which will he 81 n
Quarter we nromise TO nroviie them with seats
,Tbs Rev iir parker wbo smoke from tho mil
nit I first remarked hat II he we're seeStipea
cxxyi iof ny I'VE nre like them that u Gream" II.
said in part: I'VE have dreamed our dream and
had our vision ana % now d We nave % nTaSsaea Ken to
we are wiling to acknowiedre that il Is ali a
dream and is not to be fulfilled. Our cherished
% our vision and cherished our ideal in " spiis OF
stiii heiieve in the theory of a free cburcb
bu, mart of INV awakenine is the dsroyerw tn:
There & Sa Tsa o. Ssween
tive hnt er nerence has drmonstrated amonv
that theory is not trustworthy. We undertook
W.. have done th. hest we could hut an, here ~
ncknowedse that SO far as MAKING m Ihi, self,
sustaininr church ON the free new nrincinle Wa
have not succeeded. we have had Several
Classes OF people to deal with There were some
others who believed in it hut did not sunnort II
and made promises and did not fulfil them:
and still others who SmDly down he avs
tenn. sat down on us and took things easily
Il will tell you littls story by way OF illus
tration which is strictly true. Aman we'll 70 do
In this worlds goods. who was pewholder and
a now owner in another church came ami set
tied among us. He subl.t his new in his own
church for S3OO and made us nm annual offer
Ing Of $50 for the seats for himself and his Vito,
That is the way some people have tclpeI us to
work ont The beautiful free church system.
There were Others who had no regard what
ever for tho moral obligations involved There
are religious vagabOnds eccelsiasIical tramps,
cisinR tne nu%sG, % sp'n p 'no nv p[eaching. t, q ~ ana
drop cent in the box and look as II they were
Rlvlng, %. ~ may De aSken, are tneTe not sue
don't know ~ one Il seems "a Il was wrting