The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-01-18

ST. MATTHEWS WAR.
Rector Throop and His
Young Men Have a Serious
Failing Out.
TIE PASTOR EMPLOYS COUNSEL.
Trouble Over the Disposition Of
the Proceeds of Fair-A
Vestryman Talks.
THE PASTOR EMPLOYS COUNSEL.


Trouble in Episcopal churches is un-
usual, but just at present there is the
liveliest kind of row in st. Matthew'S
Protestant episcopal Church in Sussex
street. this city. The entire parish is
excited by the grave misunderstanding
which has arisen between the rector, the
Rev. Montgomery Hunt Throop and the
young men of St. Andrews Guild.
The Misunderstanding has assumed such
proportions that the future of the church
is inperilled.
The rector has established a precedent
in Episcopal rulings, and excommunicat-
ed nine young men who he believes are
the cause of the trouble which now
threatens to disrupt the church.
Last night the vestryTnen of the church
met in the home of one Of the members
on Grand street to discuss the situation
and the startling information was given
that the rector was making his fight
through Counsellor Alexander Simpson.
This announcement caused the vestry-
men considerable uneasiness- The edea
of ahe rector retaining counsel caused
them to shudder at the serious turn af-
fairs have taken.
The trouble reached a climax last Sun
day morning by some extraordinarily Sc
we're remarks by the rector al the morn
ing service. He denounced the young
men Of the guild from the pulpit and in
unnis taxable terms invited them to
seek salvation under the guidance of
some other expounder of the gospel
The invitation. it is understood will
be accepted by the young men, who have
a great many supporters. Their friends
is is said also propose severing their con-
nection with the church
One of the first things that the Rev.
Mr. Throop did after he became pastor of
the church. about three years ago. was to
organize the ST. Andrews Guild. The
duties of the society. as he explained
them. were to promote the attendance at
the church services.
While Mr.. Throop 1abored earnestly in
this direction the members of the guild
were not idle. Until few months ago
there was steady improvement in the
Throop arranged and supervised operettas
and entertainments that attracted the
considerable money into the church treas
ury Among the young ladies who took
part in the operettas and dramatic en-
Grand and Washington streets. Her sue
cesses encouraged her to go on the stage.
and she now has a part in A. M. Palmer's
ed in the Academy of Music during the
coming week. She sings the famous "Ben
Bolt
While everything was apparently sailing
along smoothly the young men Of the
guild complained that they found 1t an
exceedingly ditiicult task TO get people t9
operettas were successful financially, but
yo gn a II the hef and
fallen of. The members of the, guild
accordingly after explaining their in
ability to get people. to Join the church.
asked to be permitted to disband. Their
reasons for so doing were embodied in Z
letter which they forwarded to the govern
ing, society. The letter was forwarded ! to to
the guild that the request should. have
been made to Rector Throop. Mr.. Throop
learned Of the letter. and 1t was OF 1t he
'sThe young. men could not have taken
more insulting, course" said he. 7 am
derer that ] should be treated in that
way
try some r1 1e Z time ne ago, ss's but the vestrymen
ing to leave ST. Matthews Church IN,
til get ready and am not ready now
He said a great deal more just as caus-
The letter which was forwarded to the
bishop was signed by nearly every MEM
Der of the guild. Among the signers was
Sheppard Franz, the Librarian of the
1 On Sunday V'ti the rector directed the sex
ton. It is alleged, not to admit Franz to
the Sunday school rooms Franz was
him and upon finding the door locked
quietly opened it with a key of his own
Mr. Throop met him and gave him to
understood pretty plainly that he was
not wanted Franz went back at the ex-
scene had a warlike aspect, much to the
amusement of the small boys of the Sun
day school and the terror of the little
girls.
The young men and many old MEM
bers took sides with Franz and announc-
ed then and there they would leave the
and some of the church people reminded
him Of the fact that they belonged TO
the church before he was ever thought
Since that occurrence Mr. Throop has
had on war paint: He is after Franz's
TO do so and Mr.. Throop through coun-
se1r wt Franz 81 vTy Te
fusal to surrender the key and sever his
,connsetion with the church prompted
members Of the guild are on topa as many
to withdraw their financial Assistance
perch
This trouble follows closely UPON re-
cent quarrel about the proceeds 8pf fair
held in December. AS is customary the
receipts of the fair were turned over to
siIssr dRsasafn' sfs S35Dsy 4 So p $ & &
ed n m the #FreaSurer
Mr. ThroopsEit is sa d,
esome. The Dominic
1t and seseral other
urn giving him as
entitled 10 part Of
nllted. But the trou-
-ed into game Of
sSryl1en cannot d s.
5ishob alone having
easing his income,
Wing stereopticon
Ben Hur''
5ners threaten to
tons To pro-
1r may. with the