The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-07
Resignation of the Trustees An
nOunced, and "a Meeting Called to
Elect Their Successors.
SECEDERS ARE INFLUENTIAL
AND OTHER WEALTHY MEMBERS
MAY FOLLOW THEIR ACTION.
Mass of the Congregation, However
Seems in sympathy with the Pas
tOr-Cause of the Trouble.

NEW YORK, Feb. 6-The trustees of the
Fifth-avenue Presbyterian Church have re-
signed. Announcement to that effect was
made from the pulpit by the Rev. DR.. John
Hall this morning, and the members OF
the congregation were notified to meet at
the church Monday afternoon, Feb. IA, and
choose new trustees
The church was crowded and prior to the
giving out of the text of his sermon DR..
Hall made the announcement. DR.. Hall read
the notice in a sad tone of voice, but he
made no comment on the matter, though it
attracted attention among the pewhoders,
who began whispering one to another, but
desisted when he began his sermon.
After the morning services DIR. Hall held
a short session with many of his warm sup
porters in the congregation, and afterward
there were many conferences in the vestry
room and the pastors private room. The
congregation is bound to stand by DR.. Hall,
no matter what may be done by the ses-
sion next Thursday evening, and to-day
they were giving him the warmest assur-
ances of their support and assistance Ihe
members of the congregation were loath TO
discuss the significance of the trustees ac-
tion, but it was admitted by Robert Bon
ner. j. ii. Work and many others that it
was the Q1reCC outcome OIL the ullleISIlCSS
of the factions in the church.
The trustees are the financial governors
of the church. They are also the financial
hackers of the church. They not only repre-
sent in themselves financial support, but
also represent the McCooks, the Maitlands
and Sloans, who are supposed to
be opposed to the continuance of
DR.. Hall in the pastorate. The res
A. foil oil alxy
the stand taken by the congregation last
Wednesday night, is expected to be fol-
lowed next Thursday night by the with
drawal from the session of many influential
and wealthy members.
Robert Bonner, a warm advocate OF DR..
Hall, said to-day that the resignation of DR..
Hall had not been prompted by the finan-
cial condition of the church. Mr.. Bonner
asserted that the dissatisfaction with DIR.
Hall by members of the session commenced
with the Warzawiak incident last summer.
Had that not occurred there would never
have been, Mr.. Bonner believes the slight
est opposition to DIR. Hall. Herman Warza--
wiak had charge of one of the missions
of the church. Charges of misconduct were
made against him and he was found guilty
by the session and dismissed from the
church CDR. Halls sympathies were with
WarZawiak, and he stood by him q little
too long," continued Mr.. Bonner. "At the
time l said that either Warzawiak was
guilty and should be dismissed from the
church. or John e. Parsons was guilty of
a great libel on him" This incident Mr..
Bonner thought, tended to make breach
between those who thought Warzawiak
should be dismissed and DR.. Hall. The
dramatic incident in the Fifth-avenue Pres
byterian Church last summer, when DIR.
Hall announced the decision of the session
in the case of Warzawiak, helped to widen
the breach so far as DR.. Hall s position was
concerned. The congregation, however, as a
whole, not affected by the incident
the manifestation of sympathy by DIR. Hall
only serving to endear him the more to
them. Mr.. Bonner said, however, that prior
to the WarZawiak incident, and long be-
fore the charges were preferred against the
man, DR.. Hall announced to him that it was
his intention to resign the pastorate of the
church at the completion of the thirty
years of labor. DIR. Hall made no refer
ence in his sermon to the affairs Of the
church.