The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-26
CHURCH SPLIT BY GOSSIP.
TWO SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS
DIMINISHED by TIE RECTOR.

The superintendeni tho Librarian, ana AM
other Teacher Resign In -. stephens Par
ish. Tot,snviIe-The ncv. trrderic wcihnm
says the Trouble II All Duo 20 Jealousy.
Gossip and jealousy threaten to wreck st.
Stephens Protestant Episcopal Church In Tot
tenyilTc. S. l., and havo split tho church into
two factions, supporters OF the rector, the ltev.
Frederic Wclhuin, and those who ARE his dc.
ciarcd enemies and who say they will not cntc'
tho church again during his incumbency. AL
ready two persons have been dismissed az teach
ers In the Sunday school by the rector for tho
alleged offence OF g%ossipping about his personal
affairs, and others, ho says, vii! fot-
low until tho gossippers are rooted out
Of the school. Out Of sympathy for the
dismissed teachers. the sunday school supcrin-
tendcnt. Gilbert :. Barnes. and Librarian sWil-
liam Meyer have resigned, rs has Miss Minnie
Sleight, u teacher. The teachers who were dis
missed are Mrs. Charles Higbio. the wife OF n
iewelry salesman. and Miss Emma Herrcll. the
daughter OF Jacob Hcrrel!, ono OF the largest
merchants in the village.
Mr.. welham said yesterday: Tho trouble
has boon that l did not visit these people as
much as they thought l should. In fact, 1t has
been tho experience OF my predecessors that
there is q great deal OF trouble constantly
arising in the parish from jealousy. As for
gossip, there is not another place in the United
States that can compare with this village. l am
unmarried, and probably some Of tho ladies
thought l should do nothing but mako
social calls. Tho nature of tho scan
dial l will not repeat, but there are
many stories to be hoard in tho village. l
folt that, as the persons whom have removed
were antagonistic TO me ana had gossippcd about
me and were not in harmony with me, l had bet
ter remove them. l wrote these persons u four
page letter telling them of my action and eN.
planning the reasons to them. To the vcstry l
sent All cight-page letter, which. without making
specific my reasons, gave them sufficient ground
for my action.
''The removals will not end there, for I pur.
pose to follow them up and have the dismissed
teachers removed from the Kings Daughters
Circle, OF which they are members, and VIII
have Miss Kate Herrcll, the sister of Miss Emma
Herrcll, deposed as Treasurer in addition. l
did not know how popular l was until this
trouble came up. and showed how much in de-
mand l had been. | blame Mrs. lIigbie, who is
old enough to know better, for circulating
stories. As vet there have been no charges
made by or against me to the Archdeacon. and
] do not expect any Will be made. l do purpose,
however, to weed out these persons who are OPP
posing me in my work and endcavoring to Gre
ate discord. Jealousy and gossip have been the
sole cause of it,"
Mrs. Higbie said: 81 heard through the Her
rell girls that the rector had said that my family
had caused moro trouble in the parish than any
other. When | faced him he denied II. | do not
intend to have anything to do with the church
during his administration. and neither will my
friends. He will find that the church, will be
crippled. have had many friends call upon
me and express their sympathy. Just wait
until my husband returns. He weighs 200
pounds, and he will settle with Mr.. Welham
and get an explanation from him, too"