Evening star., 1895-04-29
ST. MARKS TWO VESTRIES
Rev. Mr.. Graham Says he has Use for Only
One
He Proposes to Hear Both Sides and
buking His Qunrreling Flock.

Rev. A. j. Graham was to have been in
sdtuted as rector of St. Marks p. E. parish
next Thursday. This ceremony has. how
ever. been Indefinitely postponed by Mr..
Graham himself. He gave his parishioners
to understand yesterday that he would not
be Instituted so long rs there was dissen-
sion in the parish. AS he remarked in his
talk to his congregation. he must have a
vestry, but he has no use for two. He also
made 1t very plain to his people that he
proposed to test the confidence they had
In his leadership. He asked to have those
and only those members of the parish who
had confidence in his Judgment, and were
willing to abide by his decision regarding
the present dispute in the parish, to he
present at meeting Tuesday night. So
the attendance at Tuesday nights meeting
measure of the confidence reposed in the
pastor. at least so far as the present dis
pute is concerned.
Rev. Mr.. Graham returned Saturday even
ing from MS vacation. His return started
anew the discussions among his parishion-
ers regarding the legal status of the two
vestrles, both claiming to have been elected
la,.in IN 81. Marks parish. A committee repre-
oure Vestry, sworn in April 2i, was pre-
pared to call upon the rector Saturday
night and present their case. but the rector
had politely declined by letter to have any
Talking to His Parishfoners,
The regular parishioners turned out in
good numbers to attend the service yester-
day morning. The lesson of the day was
based on the parable of the Good Shep-
herd. and Mr.. Graham's hearers believed
they detected in his reading of certain
lines more emphasis than he ordinarily
uses. When the morning service was end
ed, Mr.. Graham, instead Of preaching a
parishioners on the situation. 1t was in
tnat talk he remarked that he had no
use for two vestries. He urged harmony,
and declared that the dispute over the
spread itself over the whole parish. He
expressed his belief that his own person.
anty was not involved in the dispute. There
We're he said. two or three persons in the
turn his back upon the city of Washing
ton. but he believed he was supported by
the rank and file of the parish He would
be glad If the situation were such that
the peace of the parish might be secured
by his resignfng, but this was not the case.
He believed that his duty as the shepherd
or the flock required him to remain with
them He had, he asserted, rebuked the
De 1acto Vestry even more severely than
the de Jure 'vestry. He spoke earnestly,
urging his people to rid themselves of the
sin OF. contention and declared solemnly
that it might be one of the greatest bless
great Christening calamity should visit the
church. Mr.. Graham did not discuss the
merits Of the dispute at all. He said the
result Of the Easter election, as announced,
had not been satisfactory to him, because
It was all one way. The old members Of
the parish were not represented at all, as
he believed they should be. He reminded
his hearers, however, that qualified voter
two minutes older than the law required.
carried just as much influence as the man
who had labored in the church twenty
years. and given his money for twenty
years. He very carefully abstained in his
references to the two vestries from recog-
nizing either one. He referred to them in
the one case as the vestry sworn in Easter
night, and in the other as the
vestry said to have been sworn, in April
To Talk 1t Over.
Mr.. Graham finally asked that the COM
mittee referred to and the de jure vestry,
sworn in April "a, meet him this evening.
that the vestry sworn in Easter Monday
should meet him tomorrow afternoon at
o clock. and those members Of the parish
who were willing to abide by his decision
Of the matter should assemble in the church
tomorrow evening. He did not promise to
then announce any decision, saying that 1t
might be as dark before him then as at the
time he was speaking.
The matter was very generally discussed
among the parishioners of st. Marks yes
senting the parishioners who protest
against the de facto vestry will, 1t is un-
derstood, propose to Mr.. Graham that he
recognize the de jure vestry, else make no
but permit the contest to be car
ried to the diocesan convention for settle
ment. Members OF the committee and Of
the de jure vestry express the greatest con-
fdence in their ability, to carry their point
before the diocesan convention. Some men,
bers Of that party. however, strongly favor
a compromise, fearing that a prolonged
may do irreparable injury to the
parish.
At the services yesterday there was no
offer made on the part of the de jure war;
dens or vestrymen to take up the colec-
ton or perform the duties of the offices to
which they claim to have been elected.
They said it was not their desire to make
q scene in church. Some members Of the
parish, however, declined to put their con-
tributions in the plate passed by the de
facto wardens.