The San Francisco call., 1897-11-27
Ve8trymen of the Church Pay
Their Departing Minister
$4,000 to Quit.
some HAPPENINGS At ElNTER.
Rumors of the Causes for the Rup
ture Agitate Episcopal Circles.
Church Officials Silent.

Trinity Church is reCtorless, and the
Rev. George Edward Walk Is looking for
q church in the East and Trinity congre-
cation IS looking for new shepherd.
When the Rev. Mr.. Walk came into he
Episcopal denomination from the Chris
tians, about six years ago, the event ex-
cited much discussion among tha different
sects. The Christians bewailed the loss
of leader among their clergy, while the
Episcopallans hailed the event as a sign
that eventually all denominations would
be united under the banner OF Episcopacy.
Old Trinity parish at that time was
withou, rector, and an embassy to the
East, cons sting of Major Hooper and
others equally prominent in the church,
after great effort and untiring zeal, re-
turned home with confessions of absolute
failure 10 find one. The committee found
that clergymen of the stamp required b.
Trinity parish were not TO be had al any
off er that the church was able to make,
and were quite as much in request at he
East as in California.
The present Bishop Of Tennessee, the
Rev DR.. GATOR, who was then president
OF the University OF the South at Sewan-
"
tinitely greater than the one he was then
receiving, but he declined, and others to
whom most hatterlng offers were made
refused to leave the East.
AT that time the Rev. Mr. Walk was
officiating at the little church of st. An
drews, East Oakland, ana by his a BILE
mani estatlons had crowded the parish
church with wor>hlpers and placed it Tor
the first time on a secure financial basis.
4 suggestion OF the Bishop o: the do
Cese caused a committee from Trinity 10
be sent over The bay 10 hear the new con-
vert from the Chr stian church with the
result that the Rev. Mr.. Walk received
a call and accepted forthwith.
The choice OF the meeting was unani-
mously confirmed, and the people were
charmed with their new pastor.
There seemed complete harmony be-
tween the edifce itself and the minister
who occupied the pulpit. The salary al
first agreed upon was inc eased from wear
TO year. and upon one occasion Mr.. Walk
was given long vacation alter his ardu-
Gus labors, together with a check for $500
10 nay expenses,
Another time, at the birth of ths
rector s child, the congregation outdid IL
sell IN the LAWS huess OF its favors.
The relations thus established between
congregation and priest seemed likely to
continue for an indefinite PERIOD and
most surprise among the entire EpIsco-
paian denomination. The vestrymen re-
fuse to talk and Will neither deny nor adj
nit anything. Even Major Hooper be-
comes mysterOusly mum when ap-
preached upon the subject.
The only information Youch afed is that
"Mr. Walk IS now out of t. city with his
family, who are very anxious that he
should find an Eastern residence. On
that account the Rev. Mr.. Walk may not
return to Trinity.
But nevertheless it Is well known that
Mr.. Walk Will not return to this city, and
furthermore that the Yestry of Trinity
Church, in order that the Clergyman's
services might be dispensed with without
friction or scandal, paid him $4,000 to
quietly Withdraw.
The occasion which made a severance
OF pastoral relations between the parish
and the clergyman desirable is very we'll
known. One thing has always been un-
derstood. That the rector was fond of the
good things OF life, such as San Francisco
markets afford, Is no secret, but that the
effects of over.indulgence would be pub
llcly manifested was not anticipated.
1t was Easter sunday of this year that
the congregation of Trinity observed the
minister evidently suffering from indis-
position and hardly capable of carrying
on the service. AT the time it was as
SuHltN mat me C4eI gN man WAS lee ing Inc
effects of the long !enten last which was
bu. mat day concluded, but other persons
were quite as positive that different ex-
pianauon of the situation was possible.
1t IS denied also that tae Rev. Mr.. Walk
ever dlspaved symptoms o over-develop-
ment of the paternal instinct coward the
genJler mem bers of his flock, and the
rumor to that effect probably arises from
some attentions on his part that were mis-
understood. 1t was significant also that
in The week after Easter, when a mis-
sIanary meeting was called by the Eps-
coPai head OF The diocese to meet n Trim
ity Church and all of the clergy of the
city were asked to be present, several
were unable to b present.
The Bishop himself was conspi nous by
his abse1oe The incident at kate fields