The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-05
WHY JOHN HALL RESIGNED.
oHURoa's RETENUE MAS RUN DOWN
OF LATE EARS

nt IL safe That the Pastor west over the
Books with the seasien and Decided. OF Hrtr
Own Molten, That II was Time Ter Hsiu'
TO Retire The Falling on or Revenue.
At tho meeting called for that purpose last
Wednesday night, the congregation Of the Fifth
Avenue Presbyterian Church became officially
advised that the Rev. DIR. John Hall had deter
mined to withdraw his resignation and continue
rs the pastor Of the church. The report OF the
committee. through whichsthis decision was
officially made known, was unanimously adopt
ed and tho meeting then adjourned, after a ses-
sion Of hardly moro than twenty minutes. In
tho afternoon of that day, a member Of tho Sos.
sion Of the church, in conversation with q re-
porter OF TIE Sun, said:
'The meeting tonight will DO in every way
harmonious. After that meeting, and in their
own good time, the session may sec fit to take
some action. Whether or not tho majority Of
thom will resign 1 cannot say at this time. Be-
tween now and then, however, tho real reason
why DR.. Hall resigned may be made public. II
1t is, 1t will make mighty interesting reading.
when DR.. Hall announced his resignation
from the pulpit three weeks ago, the announce
mont astonished the majority of the congreRa-
ton. Only a very few in church dreamed that
the pastor even contemplated such q step. Then
speculation, in the press and among tho consre-
CATION, was INDUCED in Ms to the reason which
led DIR. Hall to take the step.
The real reason for that resignation has been
kept a secret, by the only persons who knew It.
Thought it unnecessary to 20 into explanations.
There has been much printed in the papers
and about the session being hostile to DR.. Hall.
Now let me tell you something. Instead of the
session asking. or even suggesting that the doc.
tor should resign, the doctor himself suggested
IL TO the session.. This may surprise some per-
sons, but 1t is a fact.
This suggestion on his part was made after no
had held more than one conference with the SEES.
to entertain it. Pastor and session had been
church, Witch Both SIa new mnst ebe be- faesd befo ore
long. Finally. tho do:tor insisted. that the
difticulties which presented themselves could
he felt about it tho session suggested that a
committee be appointed. consisting of certain
he me% eoeTys 81 Inc session sS Iona ana hr certain Eam a msm ta,p s6 os
matter over. Tho. committee and the doctor
met, provision for his future was made and the
determined upon. What has happened since
shen Is well known; Some time the rest OF the
The rest of the story was told yesterday, when
what members of the session say was the actual
reason for the resignation was made public.
IL lies In the fact that the church has been run
behind, financially and In membership.
According. to the story. DR.. Hal. went over the
membership ,n;,m roll and the books of the Treasurer
standing Of tho church. in membership and in
finances, compared with its standing ten years
ago. he, In effect, said:
This means that we are going down hill
The officers Of the church are efficient. Some
thing must be wrong with the pastor. I'm 60
ing to resign"
Some of the figures with which pastor and
session were confronted were the following:
In 1880 the church gave to home missions $780,
600, and this. with church expenses. amount
home missions were $44. 600; in 1890, $33,OOO;
IN 1893. Sis, 900; in 1897, $4,000. In 1883
the church gave to foreign missions $2s, 900,
IN 1880, $4,000: in 1893, $15, 900; in 1897.
$4,000. Ten years ago the church was giving
to the Presbyterian Board Of Education So, 900.
In lS9! it gave 1865.
Another thing that tho pastor and session
was that during the years when the
was giving most to the general church
benevo!ences the church expenses were running
about $4,000 Il year higher than they are now,
and then, after making all donations, there was
an annual surplus. This amounted at one timo
TO 100000, and 1t was with the surplus
that the parsonage adjoining the church on the
north was built. More than this, 1t Is stated
that pews which only a few years ago rented for
$4,000 have recently gone begging at an annual
rental Of SIS.
1t has been told recently in THE Sun that
of the wealthiest members of the congre-
have already left the church.. Members
the session say that, with the designations of
FIVE OF the session in the hands of the pastor
ana the prospect of other designations TO follow,
the problem of keeping the Fifth Avenue Church
In the place 1t has occupied among Presbyte-
rian churches must be figured out without the
help of the Sloauos, the Kennedys. the Matt
lands, the McCooks, and others.