New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-26
TOO IA IT..

The Presbyterian Church has our profound
sympathy. The young person who runs the
Great American Exterminator after abollshins
the Union League and Manhattan clubs. the
secular press and religious press and 10000
Republican voters whom he declared guilty OF
conspiracy and treason in not obeying the or
ders OF Plat and Qulgg last November, sud
denly turned his extngushinG apparatus last
Saturday morning upon the Presbyterian
Church 1t was so sudden that the whole
Church was taken by surprise. The clergy and
lalty OF that denomination had long been aware
that in commol with all other religious or
ganIzatlons. their Church had long rested I'M
der the dlsapproval OF that censor Of morals
and champion Of its own vcracity, THE New
York Sun" but It probably did not occur to
them thar It had provoked special hostility TO
such a degree as To make its sudden and com
ple.e determination imminent Everything ap-
peared to be going along much as usual in the
Church: its hundreds Of thousands Of cOmmuni-
cants were enjoying It's ministratons and par
ticlpatlng in its many and varied charitable,
philanthropic and religious enterprises with
earnestness and zeal, when, like lightning out
Of a clear sky, came the ban Of THE Sun"
THE Sun" not being generally read by Pres
byterians. the edct did not become known in
time to discontinue the services advertised for
the following day. HabItual readers Of THE
Sun" were no doubt surprised to the Pres
byterian churches in this city open as usual last
Sunday 1t IS explained by the fact that the
news had not got round" II will doubtless be
different next Sunday. If It is not, the young
person who runs the Extermlnator will know
the reason why As yet there has been no gen
,ho ~
one. apparently. has been received at The Sun"
office New-Jersey Presbyterian writes TO
that paper that he does not think the Church
ought to be discontinued. In order 10 molllfy
the editor no doubt, he does not shrink from
saying that he admires the paper very much.
But II Is to no purpose II is too late. In an
editorial article Of great severity the editor
takes the Jerseyman to task. and gives him to
understand that the Church is past saving and
must 60, and quotes Scripture to sustain his
position When Paul the Major quotes Paul
the Apostle the argument is closed That ends
the whole business.
single ray OF hope however. remains.
Without making any specific promise to that
effect, the article intimates that II the Pres
byterian Church. being dissolved ne a religious
organization under the edict Of determination,
desires to reorganlZe as CLUB II Will not he
objected to by Paul the Major or Paul the
Apostle. Plat and Qugg remain 10 be heard
from. The process Of changing the Church into
a club will. Of course. require time. and It may
be that several weeks will elapse before final
action Is taken. Meantime venture 10 ex-
press the hope that the EXtermnator will not
enforce the edict summarly. it would leave
several hundred thousand people without stated
preaching. Better give them time TO settle up
their affairs as a Church and take a fresh start
as club. 1t is all very sad. but we do not see
how It can he helped now. Was It Emerson
who said: Beware when the Almighty let's
loose thinker on the planet. Then all things
ARE at risk We suspect that the stockhold-
ers Of THE Sun" corporation will presently he
grooming II over with one letter less in think
err" They will find that they put all things at
risk when they let loose tinker on '"rhe Sun"