New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-22
ADVISED NOT TO SELL.
REPORT ON THE PRESBYTERIAN MISSION
HOUSE.
TWO REPORTS FROM THE COMMITTEE OF
ELEVEN TO THE GENERAL AssEMBLY-TEN
TO ONE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE
DUILDING-GENERAL HAIR
RISON'S VIEWS.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.I

BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.l
Eagle Lake Ind. May 2l.-Four men occupied the
attention of the General Assembly this morning,
and the name of a fifth was received with great
applause. DR.. Jackson, the new Moderator an
nounced as Vice Moderator John Wanamaker' OF
Philadelphia and the loud applause which greeted
that announcement showed how Thoroughly the
commissioners appreciate the fact that man may
be digent in business and yet serve the l"'rd FIX
President Harrison presented the gavel IN siaoe
full speech &C which DR.. Jackson ntuheV re-
sponded Dr. John l.. Wthrow. or Chicago. READ
the report OF the Committee OF Eleven on the PRO-
posed sale of the new Presbyterian Building IN
New-York. and Thomas McDougall. OF cincinnati
a member OF the committee, read the minority re-
port Dr. Withrow had ten names on MS paper La
voring the letting-aone policy. while MI Hio
Dougall stood alone In his desire to nave Inc
boards move out OF the new building and return to
the Lenox Homestead. lower down F'fth-ave'' sell
ing the building and devoting the stewart legaceS
amounting to nearly half a million COLLARS 10 'ho
prosecution Il their work In mission eids al nome
and abroad.
As General Harrison was obliged TO leave the AS
sembly this afternoon, permission was given W nun
to speak for The majority report This ne ala III an
address not exceeding fifteen minutes IN iehs''
which was applauded again and again. AS SUN Do
he had made his argument he lett the puii'"e ~
take his train. Mr. McDougall, VINO hao ocoup.u
more than an hour in the morning resui"eu 'ie
reading Of his pamphlet. and continued FOR an noun
and half reading and speaking until he was caneu
TO order and asked TO make his report h's' anu ne
speech afterward. When ne hao coi'p
reading he sat down without making an a"u
and soon retired. A motion was then maue " euo
stitute his report for the committees $. anu o"u
r Huev of philadelphia, a member or the comi''-
tee was heard until the hour OF adjournment "hen
II was decided to resume the discussion ho'i"
morning. go -, ou,
The bulk of the day was taken up with the iepo'.
he
Eleven was appointed year ago TO confer WIN 'e
Roords Of Home and Foreign Missions. and 10 ao-
wise "a TO the most prudent course TO be pursueu III
connection with the property at fllth-a'e' ""u
Twentieth-st. The majority report WAS eis"eu y!
BENJAMIN Harrison, John Wanamahe' 49,
Harlan James A. Beaver. Thomas E"i,s' 49,"
& Huey Horace b. Sillman, Aexahuel ,
Robert 5. Williams and Dr. Withro"' IN 49,,
Welded the floor after presenting MS paper
consisted OF less than nine printed pages anu WI
McDoueau beran to read his which con'aiheo
sixty-nine printed pages.
RESOLUTIONS OF THE COMMITTED
rn r,o,or,.v report consisted OF the deliverahce
80 ,ho General Assembly of 1894. which refused "
reverse the approval Of the previous AS'e
the purchase of the property ior INC p'0ro 49,,
hr,,dinc. Il also contained history OF the 'hee'
,nps of the committee and letter iio" .h.
w Norder of New-York, the chairman Oh the
which he showed that the credlt paldii.0 Wv" &c.
rasant rental of the building in ADDITION 10 iee
geo Tor the boards of the Church in New 1orA'
s-o7 Cor last year. and that when the ou','''e -
he fully rented the net income above al eNp
and interest on the mortgage VIII DC '''', ,d
7, view OF these facts the eeH'''''''
| these resolutions: 49,, ,,o nroner,ies
FirstThat the disposition OF the Two ~ -, Home
fMs.u,in ShoIi now be left TO the Boards Oh Lio'e
AZ roreign Missions, as agents OF our Shy
Secondhand the General Of the aborious
nrcsses its cordial appreciation Oh ' nc veil the
Services the sacrifices OF time anu, ohers Of the
Contributions of money mace oS conduct OF these
boards and DINERS "i'o 10
1s9 That the General Assembly appf scbarses the
action of the committee anu "S
Committee of Eleven. 1911. .,o s,,,o
Mr.. McDougal! began his report Win VI.
mont that the report OF his associates om''t'u VIVA
in his opinion necessary Information. esse".a
% Intelligent action by the Assembly. he o'iie'eu
~ ., ,ha course 10 be pursued with regard 10
49,. ,n,o nronerties In Fifth-ave-the Lenox nome
.n.d a, Twefth-st and the new Stuart properly a'
| Twentieth-st. ,,, o.. .
The committee had decided to confne Itself 10
| conference with the Boards OF Home ana foieb"
u,issjons but Mr. McDougan thought that II was
rroner 70 consider the history OF the acquisition py
| the Boards of the two properties ,and also Mrs;
| Robert l. Stuart's legaces. AS the committee hau
failed 70 bring these questions before the Assembly
or even 10 consider them. he felt that IT was MS
duty 10 do so. His conclusion was tha' me Two
| Roards should return to the Lenox homestead as
their home and that the great store and once nuia-
Two shouId be sold at the proper time and under
| wise MANAGEMENT. and that Mrs. Stuarts legacies
., s,s5 600 now invested In the new building should
| he anplied to the work OF home and foreign mis-
| sions Mr. McDougall published letters from John
| 6 Kennedy and DR.. W. s. Hubbard. IN which MI
Kennedy offered to take the Presbyterian Buiioihs
off the hands OF the Boards on the basis OF lis COST
/ aI ata nf O.
cent per annum. that the Boards could leave the
building without either gain or loss of single dol
lar This offer was made in September 1885, but the
| majority OF the Committee OF Eleven reported that
| there IS now pending offer from any one to buy
.be nronerty nor has there been since the first meet
| ing OF the Committee Of Eleven last July Miss
Rachel L. Kennedys protest against the sale OF the
enox property and also her offer TO place the build
ing In condition adapt TO the present needs and
| uees NJ the Boards were also included In the minor
| Ivy report.
GENERAL HARRISON's ADVICE
| General Harrison said that the question of the
| New-York building could be disposed OF in short
| time II the commissioners would look at Its prac-
| teal aspect. Leaving himself out OF the numper'
he wished to call the attention OF the members 10
| the names OF the men on the majority report, who
were not exceeded in intelligence, legal ability
business ability or conservation In the Presbyterian
| church Ten of the eleven men said to the Church
LET things alone: do not disapprove the action oi
| ,ho uoords The speaker would not say that con-
dtions might not arise in the business world or ~
| he religious world which would change inc attl
tndo of the Church toward the building in CUES
lion but ''in the words of another ex-Presldent
added the speaker. e A condition and not theor'
II was some time before General Harrison could
nroceed for the commissioners were quick to rec
nqnize the remark OF the other President VINO, j
| not a communicate, is a Presbyterian by Dirth ah'
| marriage. -.,.,o, .ho sna.Ler
| of he
or any other city. The steps leading up 10 tne dp
| nontnent of the Committee OF Eleven were thei
| accounted hastily and the conclusion reached Una
| ,be General Assembly could not hold up the Boards
| Of Home and Foreign Missions TO reproach becaus'
| former Assemblies had approved the action OF ines
| boards first I'm purchasing the property ana thei
in beginning the construction o. the new ou snnr
witch no said was the threshng OF OLD straw
| po,hinr could but binding Dust