The herald., 1898-01-25
THE DISC0RD IN UNITY
Is RESTORED AFTER
FOUR HOURS LABOR
Eli Fay's Earnest Counsel to His For
mer Congregation-Bylaws Re-
vised-Pastor Endorsed

church was called to order: at ten min
utes before midnight the same meeting
adjourned. Judge w. A. Harris was
called to the chair and Thomas Pascoe
| acted as secretary.
A committee on proxies, consisting of
Messrs. Butler. Seamans and Jevne. re-
tired to struggle with the same, and the
audience, which numbered several hum
dred. sat and sat and waited. At tho
end of one hour the Rev. Ell Fay rose
and said that on account of some rumors
he had heard he had prepared paper
in which he had given chapter from the
history of the Church of the Unity with
which a good many present were prob
ably not familiar.
Mr. Fay opened his remarks with q
reference to the conditions under which
he first came to Los Angeles, fourteen
years ago, from Sheffield. England, as
missionary and agent of the Unitarian
association of Boston. He spoke Of the
organization and gradual growth of the
| church as the Church of the Unity to be
in fellowship with the Unitarian body.
He stated that the only compensation
for his services as minister was a re-
mittance from the denominational
treasury in Boston. The church had
cause he did not ask them for one. On
the contrary he told them in so many
words that in due time he should expect
them to build a church and that the
money they would pay as salary he
desired should be laid away for that
purpose. Years passed and specifcal-
ly and Internationally. under the Uni
tartan name and in the Unitarian fellow
ship the congregation grew apace.
Then followed a detailed account Of
the building of the church which was
dedicated as the Unitarian Church of
Los Angeles" for which church the
speaker stated he had given the lot, and
as showing beyond all question what
was his object and also his understand.
ing with his people, clause was in
serted in the deed to the effect that when
the lot was sold one-third of the money
realized from the sale should be used
toward establishing a second Unitarian
church in the city.
Briefly, the speaker explained how,
after the first church was burned, his
express stipulation was waived, as the
whole proceeds from the sale of the lot
were needed to purchase the present
property. But" said he, "you there
fore clearly see that this is Unitarian
church and that this is Unitarian prop
erty. He then spoke of the Importance
and power Of the Unitarian faith, and
in closing he adjured the members of
the church powerfully and impressively
of the necessity for their overcoming the
differences that had obtained in the
church and which had grown to be a
scandal.
Let US understand the case" said he,
land from this hour rule out the evil
spirit. If we cannot come together and
in an open, fair and manly way do our
business and live in peace we are hardly
worthy the name of a church. We shall
not deserve public confidence nor shall
we enjoy it,
At $3.50 the committee came back and
everybody Immediately assumed an ex-
pectant look. Mr.. Butler, as chairman,
stated that the committee failed to
agree on about twenty proxies, which
represented persons who had not as yet,
according to some members of the COM
mittee, become members of the church.
Mr.. Seamans arose and said some
complimentary things about the old
board of trustees and the way they had
conducted business. The bylaws were
then read. Members of the congrega-
might be, the case in point as regarded
the admission of members, and 1t was
finally decided by vote that all members
who had Joined the church since the
last meeting of the trustees should not
have a voice in the business of the eve-
ming.
Amendments to some Of the bylaws
were then read and on motion of Mr..
n ho
ton for debate. Then Judge Works
arose and asked that he might read
revision of the bylaws and offer 1t as
a substitute. The revision was read.
Judge Works made a motion that 1t be
adopted, the motion was seconded and
then things grew animated. Motions
were made and seconded, rulings of the
chair were appealed from and a number
of men and women lifted up their voices
in discussion pro and con.
When things were approaching that
state of Christian fortitude and brother
ly love which has marked a number Of
the recent meetings of the Unity church
Judge Harris took the bit
in his teeth and the roll was called for
a. vote after the question had been re-
peated until 1t was thoroughly UNDER
stood.
The result was a majority of almost
so in favor of adopting Judge Works re-
vision of the bylaws, which were re-
ferred to and favorably passed upon by
the last board of trustees.
Mr.. Pascoe offered the following mos
ton, which was carried:
Resolved, That every person upon
becoming member of this church shall
pay the secretary the sum of 81 and shall
pay not less than 81 per annum church
Dues
Judge Works then read resolution,
which was also carried by acclamation:
Resolved, That the Church of the
Unity having secured the services of
pastor so able and distinguished as the
Rev. C. w. Wendte, who has done so
much with his voice and by his untiring
to maintain and build up the
liberal Christian faith in this country,
and who has been so eminently success
full as pastor of every church to. which
he has been called, we hereby pledge to
him our united and earnest support in
his efforts in this new field of labor, and
that we will work with him to make this
church an earnest, progressive Chris
tian body worthy Of the Unitarian cause
and of this growing and prosperous
city,"