New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-06
DIVISION IN A CHURCH.
SEVERAL HACKENsACK BAPTIsTs TRIED
ON UNUSUAL CHARGES

ACCUSED OF FAILING TO HONOR THE PASTOR
AND OF NOT SHOWING BRoTHERLY LOVE
FOR OTHER MEMBERs-HAND OF
FELIO NsHIP WITHDRAWN.
Hackensack NAV (SpeciaD-An extraordinary
crisis in a church trouble was reached last msn'
when the congregation OF the First Baptist Cnurcn
of Hackensack was called together to consider
charges against number OF members all we'll
known and respected citizens. namely: Mr.. ana
Mrs Frank Pitcher. Mr.. and Mrs. T. W. Spencer
Mrs J. H. Bennett, John Westervelt and Mrs
Richard Bush
on April % these persons were requested TO appear
before the Board OF Deacons on April @ as charges
had been presented against them for violation OF
the rules of order and failure to keep covenant
obligations" This was signed by A. j. Brinkerhon'
clerk.
No response was made to this In person, out MIS-
Pitcher referred the clerk by letter to Matthe"
xviii, 15 49, and her husband demanded that the
charges be made specific in writing. al the same
time warning the deacons that II they TOOK any
action detrimental his character he would hoo
them legally responsible. Under date OF May
another notice sent calling upon tne eisn'
members to appear before the church on May T. ~
answer the same charges, which were saio u We
made by Deacons A. J. Brinkernon' James r.
Church. w. H. D. Mearns and Theodore b. Cornell
a committee appointed by the AdVsory oo"iO
Added to the summons was the iihe'
This is public offence
Mrs A. D. p Gilbert and her daughter. Mrs. j.
f. Bennett, did not appear. the mother oe'rs "
Mr. Bennett represented his wife ana harry e'i'ei'
his mother Mrs. Bush was represented ny hei oo"
Raph: Mr. and Mrs Pitcher were present. Inc
others did not make showing IN perso" VI W
proxy. - .,.o
Tb. general scope OF the charges against these
brothers and sisters was that they did not hohor'
esteem and love their pastor and have tehoei re
gard for his reputation; that they did not cui'ae
and cherish brotherly love for all members VI INC
! church These appear in the rules anu co'e""''
obligations supposed be familiar to every me'h-
| hr -, tho church Specifically, although not SO
nresented In the meeting elsewhere, some Oh inc
accused members are said to have talked ABOUT tne
church and pastor, failed TO attend service iau.
| their pew rents. and to have Gone ot"er ue'
| detrimental to the church. The rules say Una.
! member dissatisfied with the pastor must give
Ito 70 tho Roard Of Deacons, in writing, statins
rho dssa tsfacton This, II is said was not zone,
| Int in the meeting last night Mrs ftcher oeca' u
that II Pastor Read and the deacons, Z. V. pr'ini
bor and p L. Conklin would call at her nome sne
would tell them why she did not love anu e''@'"
her pastor ,,a ac
Mr. Pitcher and the other speakers TOT tue az
cused members condemned the manner II, ~
tbev we're brought up before the congregation anu
! held on general and vague charges ihes ue
manded specific declaration OF ohence' Du' INV .N
get II one OF the accused persons decafeo 'a' '''
| hearing was an outrage. such as mad never WIZ
been perpetrated upon Christian people IN any eo.
munl,y; that it was wholly onesu Wodsrator Pas
whenever their talk did not SUIT the 20 m,
| TOR Read they were called to oruer' One VI ~"
deacons refutes this. He says: ,.,r ,s.r,ne Ever,
Every person present had falr near Viii
one of the accused should have peen iail,, rnrent
the charges II familiar with the - he made thar
that of violating the rules of order and iai r, az
| keen covenant obligations, which are e,eaiH DC
LnAH CtNa
MIR Bennett deied anybody TO suD stah.a'e sni a.,
charges against his wife but ne receuep nsr.ons o.
tra ,g' were responsible for all the trouble in IN
church. Mr. Pitcher Jumped up ana nou ssAeu
'.Are there no charges against you $50 ar
There are no church charges against me- o."
swered the Deacon. ~, u,s called Z
Mr. Pitcher repeated his query anu "a'
Deacon Church. in the course OF his summing hr !
n ~, had reduced their subscriptions FOR pc
rents on one Sunday to the aggrega.e anmsnrac
$50 made IT , LOOK V Wgen s seen by reporter
Church and other officers refused 10 nax s am
anetar 70 talk TO outsiders about matters reauh
70 the church interests in this way; ;. ,s,o,,a
| AFTER An parties had been heard IL was liosu
that the right hand OF fellowship be Withdraw
IRON, Mr. and Mrs Pitcher Mr.. and MIS-. openGe
Mrs. Bush and Mr. Wssterven ~ l Mrs Gilbert an
her daughter were laid on the table -.
,ahsrs in good standing said be seventeen
signed an application for their letters OF Titnu ~
from the church; and II was ,u,.I ns 70 take DR.,
i,minsry steps for organizing another baptist chuS
n Hackensack When asked about this one OF tl
party admitted applying for letters Du' "0"' ~
| discuss the matter further - -, ,,
The Baptist congregation contains some OF bs 81
best people In the town. ana mas recsnuy nee nee
n,atino an effort TO raise funds for building ne
ntan,,te The pastor the Rev. D. d. Read Is
scholarly man and good preacher. put as 49, one
bis friends put IT, ''he cannot please all men. an
esneclally has he failed to meet the requirements
!; a small percentage who always want 10 run o.
cbnrch without regard to the majority They war
"a force Mr. Read out. but will not succeed