The herald., 1897-12-31
A CHURCH IS
DISSOLVED
When the Presbytery Has
So Ordered
SUPREME COURT RULES
On Questions Sent Up From
Los Angeles
THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
HAS CEASED TO EXIST UNDER
THE LAW
The Presbytery Did Not Exceed It's
Powers and Its Mandates Must
Be Obeyed to the Letter
by the Church

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. SO.-The SUE
preme court has rendered decision in
the matter of the dissolution Of the
First Presbyterian church Of Los An
geles, in which it holds that the eccle-
siastical power conferred upon the pres
bytery Of the Presbyterian church IL
supreme in all church matters, and that
inferior ecclesiastical bodies must obey
the DEGREES of the presbytery. The point
as to the right of plaintiffs TO represent
members of the Central church the su-
preme court finds it tenable, and that
any individual member could maintain
an action for himself and other mem-
bers of the church. Ruling upon the
power of the presbytery. the court says:
"The ecclesiastical court known az
the presbytery had power to deal with
the First Presbyterian church in all mat
ters ecclesiastical. The church as an
Ecclesiastical body was under the abso-
lutte control and dominion Of the pres
bytery, and its decisions and DEGREES
were as binding upon 1t as decisions and
DEGREES of this court are binding upon
inferior judicial tribunals. These de-
crees are not only binding upon the
church as an ecclesiastical body. but
binding and conclusive upon the court
wherever and whenever material to
pending legislation. The presbytery had
power to dissolve and disband the First
Presbyterian church and exercised that
power. The record Of its action shows
an effectual dissolution Of the church
known as the First Presbyterian church
of Los Angeles. 1t was divided into two
new and independent organizations.
Even its church records were trans
ferred. AS a church nothing was left OF
lit. 1t is apparent that many members
were grieved and deemed the treatment
harsh, but all must bow to the law, and
ecclesiastical law, equally with civil
law, is binding in it's own domain"
PRESBYTERY LAW
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 30.-(By Asso-
ciated Press.) The state supreme court
in an opinion delivered today held that
of a church are supreme. This was
rendered in the case Of church diff
Guilty in Los Angeles, arising from the
division Of the First Presbyterian
church by the presbytery into the Cen
trail and Westminster churches, result
ing from trouble over the purchase Of a
building site. The records Of the First
Presbyterian church were awarded to
the Westminster church. The presby-
terry further ordered commission of
five to apportion the funds Of the dis
organized First church, and this was
done.
The Central church recognized the
action of the presbytery, but the trust-
ees Of the old First and their followers
|repudiated the action Of that body and
refused to pay any Of the funds in Ques-
ton over to the Central church, where
upon legal action was begun by the
Central church. One of the points in
the defense was that the First Presby-
terian church was Incorporated under
the laws of the state and the Central
was not; also that the presbytery had
no power to disrupt the church and
divide its money, only courts having the
latter power; and last, that the CONF
plant was improper, inasmuch as the
complainants and defendants should all
be named. These objections were In the
demurrer which was sustained in the
lower court, which order was overruled
by the higher tribunal.