New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-15
PEEKSKILI..

The Chassis OF Westminster. which VIII mes, n'
Yonkers to-day will have serious matter 10 auJun'
cae-the settling of a difference which has arisen ne
tween the Rev Henry Smith. pastor Of the Reformed
Church OF GERMANTOWN In MOnrose four miles from
Peeksk. and part of the congregation Members
OF the congregation and OF the Chassis say mat the
charges preferred can be sustained Others say there
IS nothing in them. All. however are unanimous III
the opinion that If the charges are true ana can De
sustained, they involve serious consequences.
The charges will be presented TO the Chassis to-day
and involve questions of loyalty to the Reformed
Church OF America and other points
The Reformed Church Is 16s years old, ana II IL
many years since there has been any discord in It.
The pastor for long time was the ReV.
Joseph \. Harper, now Of Scarsdae. under whose
administra ton the church prospered. When the
finally resigned to seek larger fields. the Rev f. A.
Bogardus came He was not unpopular. but left on
account Of his SON Last spring the Rev Henry
Smith was called. and on June he began his ministry
there There have been number of dates set for
his installation but they have all been set aside. for
reason another.
From the time OF his appearance here trouble be-
gan. and several OF the congregation took dislike
wife and two children one by each wife. He came
from Tannersville. Greene County. n. Y
coneistory OF the church, which board is made up Of
Henry VredenDurg. David Hennion Alfred Reynolds
and James II. Lent. This petition was presented by
Clifford II. Strang, lawyer. Mr. Strang ami mis-
father are both members Of the church and the lat
"a -
nent inhabitants OF Montrose. The petition
signed by eighteen members of the church ana
charged the pastor with disOyalty TO the Reformed
Church and asked for his removal. on January ~
by all the members of the consisory stating that the
charges not sustained. a meeting OF the sign
held, and some wanted to resign from the
church at once. but as that would give them no
standing In the church 10 speak, IL decided that
any of them who held office should resign. There
upon Nathan Pat Bushnell. well-known Peekskl
lawyer who was president Of the Christian Endeavor
Society connected with the church resigned his office
and also the office of chorster OF the church Pastor
Smith was Immediately elected president of the
cety by majority OF the votes. a direct rebuke
to Mr.. Bushnell. and Albert =. Marnus chosen
ME l.. Turner gave up her place organist of the
church. and Miss Lottie Covert refused 10 longer
organist in the Young Peoples Society for
Christian Endeavor. Miss Josie VI. Orne there
upon prevailed upon TO take both places.
Immediately upon the dismissal of the charges by
the cOnSsiOry. lawyers prepared the charges which
will be presented to-day TO the Chassis
The Reformed Church has large field OF parish
TO draw from. MOntrose. Buchanan. Centre
vile. Nerplanck. Boscobe ana other hamlets all fur
n!sh the church-gOers. The church has about
hundred and sixty members. and the pastor receives
the modest salary Of $500 year and parsonage. IL
is said that he Is doing much evangelical work Last
Sunday twenty-slx new members were taken into the
church. one of them was the pastor himself and the
novelty was presented OF the Rev. Henry Smith taxi
Ing his letter from Congrega tional church Tan
nersve. Greene County. and presenting il to the Re
formed Church al Montrose. of which he was the
pastor receiving his own letter and receiving himself
into membership in his own church. This was done
because he was told that many members of the
Chassis had said that they had jurisdiction over
OF the Reformed Church although he was preaching
In and