The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-04-28

DIVIDED over RITUAL
Grace Church Greenvllle
Again in the Throes
Of a Faetional
Quarrel.
A FANCY FAIR IN IT TOO
High Church Sunday School Dis
pleases the Rev. Chalmers
D. Chapman.
A FANCY FAIR IN IT TOO


The congregation of the Grace Episcopal
Church, Pearsall and Ocean avenues, has
been reduced BY a number Of designations
within the past three weeks. The cause
is primarily in the opposition of Sunda q
Scnocl Superintendent Smiths ritualistie1
or high church views to the low church
beliefs of Pastor Chalmers d. Chapmans
Other causes, also, have led to the resigna
ton Of some prominent church mernberss
Superintendent Smith has been in his
present position four years. Before that.
he occupied a similar post in DR.. Ds
Costa's Sunday school in New York From
the latter school he imbibed his high
church habits. and into Grace Church he
endeavored to introduce some of the ritu-s
alistic practices which were used there;
In the first place. he wore a gown waenE
instructing the classes on Sunday This
was very offensive to Mr. Chapman, and
he wished with all his heart to have it
discontinued. He did not object in words.
however, until recently Mr. Smith began
the introduction of further and more SER
ious innovations.
He taught the children to bow the head
when in the recital of prayer the name
of the Redeemer was pronounced. He
encouraged the nablt. 100, of inclining
the head in passing the receptacle OF the
sacrament in the centre of the altar
Finally Mr.. Chapman could not endure
thls usurpation of his rights any longer,
and he took steps to put a stop to it.
There is some dihiculty in determining
what was the text of the letter which Mr..
Chapman wrote to Mr.. Smith. but what
ever it was it served to elicit in response
Mr.. Smiths resignation. Some say Mr..
Chapman asked for that resignation. but
others say the Rector merely insisted 50
strongly on halt in the ritualistic pro-
gression. that Mr.. Smith had no choice
but to withdraw
A prominent member of the church.
whom reporter from .sThe Jersey City
News interviewed last evening. be-,
MaIled the fact that an Episcopal church
OF encounterlng notoriety, should be tnlls
lfaWn INTO puol4c notice. He said that
N N MI. Chapman's attitude Of late there
mas peen apparent a certain increase of
iIuependence OF opinion. AT one meet.
ing, TINS member said where Mr.. CHAPMAN
doala some objection to the manner Of
conaueting church affairs, he had made.
use ct a peculiar remark Il want it this.
way, are the words the MEMBER as
cra1sd e him. .aIld i dare say you can
endure that for few months. When
ine new pastor comes he can change ii
is he SO pIeases.', The peculiar remark
lel1 Mr. the n meeting dumb with surprise.
MISS Virginia Harry, who taught
cs5ss IN the Sunday school, resigned from
the church at the same time that Mr.
is believed
Mrs. Ernest Harris has also resigned.
Sne, too, was teacher in the Sunday
s9hool, but her res sgnation was brought
ris gave an entertainment for the benefit
cf the church at her residence on Dam
fortn avenue some months ago. The en-
tertainment was a success, owing to her
earnest efforts and nelted about $40. Some
OF the parishioners passing judgment on
Mrs Harris in the fullness of their hearts
at the entertainment. So they talked
about Mrs. Harr.s and decided that sa-
loonkeepers would never do for patrons
for a church which included among its
members such virtuous Christians as
they. Finally, Mrs. Harris became cog
nizant of the severe criticism to which
hand in her resigna ton She is disgusted,
she says, with such narrow-mindednes
aad she will be careful to furnish no fur
ther material for bac5biters.
Other designations than these are ex-
pected ard the Church is in the midst of
a struggle which seriously threatens it's
Chapman has nothing to do with the cid
trouble which came near finishing the
church. Mrs. Harris is a comparatively:
new member and was not a member Of
the church at the time of the old revo-
luton. That old trouble was over the un-
willingness of the vestry to admit Mr..
Chapman's authority TO reverse its deci-
sions. 1t led to the resignation of the
Lockwoods. the. Detwillers, the Morses
and other prominent Greenville families,
who were the real supporters Of the
church. Before that result was achieved
Bishop Starkey had been petitioned to
remove Mr.. Chapman because he was un-
able to make himself understood in
preaching his sermon to that part of the
congregation seated back of the centra
of the church. The Bishop refused to re-
move the pastor and so the prominent
church members resigned.
Since then the church has not been in
as good financial condition as previously
The choir. toe, which was then bne of
the finest il the city, fell away Latterly.
Mrs. Ernest Harris has succeeded in re-
viving some interest in the musical por-
tion of the service, and has enlarged the
choir and improved the style of music
Once Victor Baier led the choir and Mr.
i. r. Morse, now member OF the Schu-
bert Glee Club, sang in it.