The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-20

ALLEN SAYS NO.
GTeenvil1e Reformed Church
Must Get a New Pas
tor, Now.
DISRUPTION WAR FEARED
Meeting Of The consistory Led to
His Decision After Eight
Weeks Doubt.
DISRUPTION WAR FEARED
Meeting Of The Consistory Led tt

Key. e. ]. Allen, who has for the past
elght weeks been considering whether or
not TO accept the call extended to him
py the congregation of the Greenville
aSsLod aeSSlorEsed Saurch. has at length decided
aasuVersely. The reason why he refuses
tne paStorate is not known, bur it is
lraceapie to- the stormy scenes that
marked the meeting at which the cali
was extended to Mr.. Allen by majority
This was the celebrated meeting Of
January 20, when the segregation spill
on the question of a choice, one side
ll nm. This latter class was divided over
Ihe respectlye merits Of Rev. ~ HI
RRiDIIhman, q M,o,l ReyI M J, J. Bridges aad Rev
many Of the large number in attendance
Were excited. Some lost theic heads,
ana 4 scenes which had never been seen
Mr.. a. Nelson Walker was warm
partisan of Rev. A. II. Hibshman He
claimed that a member of the consistory,
his candidate giving him the resnlf Of
the vote as AZ for Allen and 80 for
Hlbsam1an. whereas the reverse was the
case This led Mr. Hibshman to with
draw from the contest. Mr.. Walker
characterized the action as 'srnisrep-
resentation'' and insinuated thai il was
forming any candidate of the result OF
the vote was in itself very reprehensible.
MIR. Walker drew up minority report
It . the South bergen classis, which ads
Indicates the affairs of the Reformed
Church in this city. The matter was
k kept secret secret by the consistory from all
dreaded publicity that they exerted every
effort to keep it from outsiders They
succeeded admirably until last evening
Allen had refused the call.
A few days ago the South Bergen
Classis met in conjunction!, with The con-
Church to consult regarding the minority
report. Mr.. Allen was also on hand.
The. Chassis were undecided how to act
until Mr.. Allen, for the first time under
standing the condition of affairs, said he
felt that he could not under the circuni-
stances accept the call. There was norh-
the meeting. Mr.. Allen was determined
not to take pastorate which might lead
to much unpleasantness
This leaves the Greenville Church still
without a pastor. 1t has been 50 ever
since the resignation of Rev. w. p
Bruce in June last. Now the church has
will be difficult to INDUCE a minister to
accept call even if the warning fac
tons could be induced. to combine on
any one man. The work of choosing a
pastor viii have TO be gone through once
again ard more meetings of a stormy
nature will doubtless he held.
anoPher es meeng aaT as ss The oss feeling bea Between @
certain prominent members of the church
is SO strong that it does not seem pos
sible the breach can ever be healed so
long as minority reports are to be com
sidered by the Glassis, said a prominent
wita either faction, 'tthere will be no
choice. am afraid. One side will never
give ir to the other. I think the only
way is that suggested by Mr.. Michael
Schultz. Sr., that we allow the consist
ory to choose the minister. 1t does not
seem as if we shall ever have harmony
and unity in our church again. | hope
they do something soon. We are tired
of being without minister and ii it
continues the church will suffer from the
lack of pastor"