The morning times., 1896-01-13

power with any OF the others. For this
reason it is morc than probable that the
proceedings viii lie of very great Interest
to the public.
The last effort TO reconsider the con-
lIictine interests in the church was
Joint mcciirg of the three pastors, none
of whom has desired or viii make any
statement Of what then transpired. The
real matter in Interest appears to he the
future ur Mr. 2iicn or Dr. Sunderland,
growing oai oL The fact that the trustees
and session have united in n request To
DIR. Talmagc that he prca cl at the morning
services. Il has been whispered about
among thc congregation ,hal at the final
meeting between the pastors DIR. Talmage
made She statement that he would never
preach at the mnrning services if DR..
Alien would call OFF the proposed special
meeting of the Prcsbytery. 1t is in-
ferred iliat the proposition was rejected,
ina s:.auch us the Prcsbytery viii meet to-
day.
THE PROPOSITION MADE
II is known that the trustees and session
have made a proposition 10 DIR. Talmage
To preach at tie morning service. although
the terms al that proposition have never
been published. DR.. Ta:mage himself
statcd Ia The Times that ucii proposition
had been made, but he declincd to discuss
It's merils. 1t can now lie stated that the
proposition is in writing, that it Tecites
in the preamble The causes that led to the
offer, ard offers an adjustment whereby
D:. T'alina,c Lc allowed 10 prea Oh morning
and evening, and shat DIR. Sunderland and
Rev. Mr.. Alien be allowed the same privi-
lege when desired. DR.. Sunderland as
scented Ia this proposition, but Rev. Mr..
Allen declined To sign it.
One of tiie big questions To be determined
by the Presbytery, will be the construction
OF the articles OF agreement under which
Dr. Talmage accepted the call as co-pastor
to the church.
It is stated that early last summer when
the question OF bringing DR.. Taimage here
was being discussed, it was frankly stated
at meeting of the trustees. at which DR..
Sunderlan nd and Rev. Mr. Allen were present,
that the church could not then support two
pastors. This appeared TO bring thepastors
face to face with the problem which should
go. At that meeting Rev. Mr.. Allen had
made the proposition to have Dr. Taimage
deliver some lectures here in aid OF the
IL
proposition tn give Dr. Ta!mag gea Il permanent
call, and stated the reasons why DR.. Tai
mage might receive the call with favor.
He was authorized TO consult with DR..
Talmage. and as a consequence the invita-
ton was formally made.
Dr. Sunderland, who was In New York.
sent on list of names here to be appended
to the invitation, including that of Rev.
Mr.. Allen. IL is said that the latter pastor
did not thea sign the Invitation. DR.. Sunder-
land returned from New York with articles
of agreement ratified by him ard DR.. Tai
mage in pursuance of the invitation.
WHAT TIE ARTICLES PROVIDED.
Before these articles were read to the
congregational meeting, including trustees
and elders, resolution had been agreed
upon by the two latter bodies that the
pastoral relations OF Rev. air. Allen should
remain undisturbcd until October next,
and this resolution was passed by the
meeting.
This fact will constitute a point of law
for the Presbytery. There is, however.
another point of law or legal construction.
The concluding article of the agreement
under which DR.. Talmage accepted was
tIub lIt dEIttIilCDl NOhti ~
the consent of the parties. There is an
other side light on this article, for instance:
Who constitute "the parties" in interest?
Does it mean DR.. Talmagc, DR.. Sunderland
and Rev. Mr.. Allen, or these three and
the trustees, the session, and the congrc-
CATION? Does consent mean the unan-
imous consent or the view of ma jority of
the parties in interest?
1t win thus be seen that there are very
grave questions before the body which
will meet today, and one of the interesting
features of the case is that there is not
the slightest feeling between the three CO.
pastors.
One of the congregation said that If the
Presbytery decided that the status should
remain unchanged. Rev. Mr.. Alien would
be in the position of excluding DR.. Tai
mage from the morning pulpit notwith-
standing the invitation to it from the trus-
tees and session. On the other hand it is
said that when Rev. Mr.. Allen offered to
resign. this solution was not accepted. The
final effort towards an adjustment was
the offer of the trustees and session that
DIR. Talmagc be allowed to preach morn
ing and evening. and the other two to be
permitted to preach when they desired.
The causes which have led to the desire
to have DR.. Talmage at the morning sermons
are that it was inconvenient for some of the
congregation to attend at night, especially
the very old members, that DR.. Talmage
could not reasonably decline to accept in
vita.ions to preach at other churches In
the morning, and that some OF the congre-
cation had ex pressed an intention to racate
their news if an accommodation between
the pastors could not be arranged.
+ IL was Intended TO hold tonight, at the
church, a meeting of the congregation,
trustees, and session, but that meeting
has been deferred until the 11th OF next
month.
This has probably been done in view
OF the submission OF the questions involved
to the Presbytery, which will assemble
this morning, at 10 ociock, at the Fourth
Presbyterian Church.
DIR. TALMAGE's STATEMENT.
Last evening, before his sermon, DIR. Tai
mage made the following statement:
AN outra gcous wrong has been done
the by many or the newspapers OF this coun-
try concerning my pastorate in this church.
and call upon all newspapers who believein
fairness TO state the following facts:
II have been preaching here in the even
ing by tny ow n choice. A. very many more
people come 20 oar church in the evening
than can SIT inside the bsllding. many OF
them sfsn3ing In The stre-t IN hoar and a
hair hcfore tsse time % serviers. there was
a psiittsa .isn-e b. al NE hasrd af eticrs