The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-29
FEAR THEIR RECTOR MAY GO.
ST. JOHNS CONGREGATIONS DIS
CUSsEs PARISH AFFAIRS.

The Possibility of Rev. Chas. II.
Strong Leaving the Parish Neces-
states Closer Attention to Bust
ness Matters on the Part of the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of the MEM
bers Had Paid Too Little Atten-
ton to Their Financial ObIiGa-
tiOns-PIans Adopted For Remedy
ing the Difficulty.
! There was a business meeting at st.
Johns church after the morning service
yesterday. The announcement that there
| would be a parish meeting resulted in a
large number of the Pensioners remain
ing. It's chief public interest is due to
the question of Rev. Charles II. Strong
remaining in Savannah, which was in
| volved.
The parish meeting was referred to by
Mr.. Strong just before his sermon. He
said that, while some had imagined he
would speak of the business of the church,
such would not be the case, one of the
precepts of the church being to keep the
temporal and spiritual as far removed
! from each other as possible. In making
arrangements for the coming year, how
ever, he asked that he be not considered,
as he desired that these arrangements
be as free from complications as posi-
bic.
Rev. Mr.. Strong preached an exception
ally interesting sermon on the subject of
refined sin, in which he showed what
difference there seemed to be in the es-
timation of cuIpability as between persons
of high and low estate. The robber who
steals a few dollars is considered lower
than the church man who makes away
with trust funds. The Lord, he said,
! knows nothing of any such distinctions.
He referred to the Pharisees, who thought
they could not sin as other men; and
to the woman who was to be stoned for
having snned when Christ called upon
the man without sin to cast the first stone.
Respectable sin, he argued is more dan
gerous than any other. Scarcely man
reads an account of a life of vileness,
of murderer without a shudder, but the
respectable sinner dies, a long obituary in
terms of praise is written, and a hun
bred young men follow the example. The
results of respectable sin are in the end
worse, IF anything, than those sins of
the other class.
There was a full attendance at
the parish meeting. Mr. S. 2. Hamilton
was made chairman and Capt, w. W.
! Williamson secretary. \ paper was read
from the vestry presenting the, conditions
! of the parish, and calling attention for
! chilly to its financial condition. 1t was
shown that the parish had fallen consider
! ably behind, and had met its obligations
| by discounting the notes of the vestry,
| which were made bankable by the per-
! sonal Endorsement of the members OF that
! body. The members of the vestry did this
| willingly but the trouble is that 1t makes
| some members of the parish too depend
ent on this method of settling the indebt-
| edness and a large number of pew-hold-
ers have fallen behind in their payments
! to the church. 1t was shown that II all OF
the amounts due the church are paid, the
! church could just about pay all 1t owes.
| There are about 800 families, or 100 indi-
viduals, in the parish, it was stated, who
| do not contribute, but who receive the at
| tention of the rector and Of the church.
Unless something is done, it was stated,
there is danger of st. Johns church los
| ing Rev. Mr. Strong, who has been its
rector for many years No church has a
more able or devoted rector, 1t was said,
| and he has always the welfare of the
members of the church, and the best inter
ests of the city nearest his heart. If 1t
| had not been for his devotion to his
church, he would long ago have been call
ed to some other parish. The fact that
! he has already received two calls from
! churches which offer him twice the salary
| paid by 81. Johns, was mentioned. 1t
was stated he does not desire to go be-
cause this is his home. and he wants to
remain here. If the congregation wished
| a., I'd hnvr re
members must show their faith by their
| works.
There followed considerable discussion
| among prominent members of the church
as to the best plan to be pursued. Some
| wanted to appoint a committee TO device
a plan of collecting pew rents, and seeing
| to it that delinquents satisfy their obliga-
| tons to the church Others thought some
| immediate action should be taken, and that
| the members of the parish should express
themselves what they were willing to do
outside of their annual pew rent. Cards
We're passed around upon which many
| members wrote amounts they were willing
/ to give for 1898. Quite an amount was
/ realized from this source. In addition to
! this it was decided that committee of five
| be appointed from the congregation to
! work with the vestry in securing prompt
! payment of pew rents, and also in secur-
| ing delinquent pew rents. The vestry was
/ instructed to take notes for pew rents,
! payable at stated periods wherever it was
! found necessary.
The important feature was of course,
/ the intimation of the possibility of Rev.
/ Mr.. Strong's leaving the parish. This, it
! appears he has no desire to do and the
members of the parish are enthusiastic in
| their desire to retain him. The presenta-
ton of the conditions under which the par
ish is laboring, it is believed, win have a
! beneficial effect, and, it is hoped, through
| the promptness of the members of the
congregation the church debt may soon
| be wiped out.
BELIEF IN CHRIST,