The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-19
lnChurcbC
sOlidatiOn.
SCHEME ISOPPOSEO
Summer Street Unwilling
to Unite With Belmont,

Another phase has developed in the
proposed Belmont-Summer Street Con-
gregational Church consolidation.
During the past few days the lead
ing members of the Belmont Street
Church have been perfecting arrange
ments with G. Henry Whitcomb, who
some time ago bought the church prop
erty, by which the society is to have
the use OF the edifice for an extended
term. The Belmont street people are
to occupy the building for at least six
n onths, and may possibly for longer
period.
When Mr.. Whitcomb bought the prop
erty, it was with the understanding
that the premises were to be vacated
by Jan. 1. However, now it is within
a few days of the new year, and the
much discussed union of the Summer
street ard Belmont Street churches is
as far from realization as before, and
the peace commissioners in the way of
the committee from the City Mission
airy Society haVa utterly failed to
change the situation.
In fact, the two societies are as far
from coming to an agreement as ever,
and While one church is willing to unite
with the other, provided a church site
be selected in the former jurisdiction,
1 the other church is not And the City
Missionary Society dare not force the
two different elements into one society,
so thai this peaceful solution will not.
be reached except by the own free VIII
of the parties concerned and they pre-
fer to keep apart
The move Of the Belmont Street peo-
pie in deciding to continue their pres
ent site for six months, as soon as the
concluding arrangements can be made
shows the tenor Of it's mind.
The City Missionary Society is to
hold a meeting tonight at the " NJ c.
A., at which the report of the commit
| tee comprising DR.. Mix, Fl. G. Otis and
/ Rev. Edward NJ. Chapman, appointed
to carry out the plan for consolidation
| will be made. From talk with mem
| berS of the committee, the report favors
consolidation. as before stated, with the
recommendation for site of the united
| bodies on the lots either at the corner
of Belmont and Edward streets, or at
the corner of Orchard and Belmont
streets. These. are the sites which met
with the approal of the committee and
the recommendation to the church will
be made upon this basis.
However. the Summer Street Church
- ret ODEOSGQ IGtIl anu soul TO the
plan for a consolidation, and the effort
to make the central site on Belmont
street manifestly within the precincts
of the Belmont Society proper does not
make the prospect any more inviting
70 them.
A prominent member of the church
said last evening that internally the
society was yet opposed to any scheme
for union of the two bodies, and that
while the attitude Of the Summer Street
Church has not recently appeared
forcefully to the surface, it will break
out the moment the City Missionary
Society attempts to force matters.
To select the new site of the pro-
posed united church on Belmont street,
there will have to be an appeal to the
courts to determine whether, if such a
change is made, the united body would
be entitled to the income of the fund
left by the late Ichabod Washburn for
the benefit of the Summer street mis-
Sion and which income it has enjoyed
for so long time.
When action is taken to this end. and
a petition is filed in the courts for the
construction of the Washburn will to
the end that tie fund may be en-
Dloyed for the execution Of the new
plan, the petition will be strongly OBJ
posed by the members of the Summer
Street Church.
While they have not been saying
MUCK in regard to the matter during
the past few weeks, they have been
quietly awaiting developments and the
action the City Missionary Society
might take in the matter. and when
this period of waiting has reached its
natural end, as it will with the meeting
of the City Missionary Society tonight
the Summer Street Church will restate
its position with emphasis. Unless a
ii 70
Summer Street Church be selected. the
society will remain unalterable in it's
attitude, and continue to enjoy the mu-
nificence of the Washburn fund.
Henry M. BrownelI, clerk of the Bel
mont Street Church, has issued a call
for a meeting Of the society to take
place at the church Friday evening, the
sd There are five articles in the
warrant-two or three apply to the
regular business of the church as pro-
vided for at a regular annual meet
ing, and the other two articles of the
warrant depend entirely upon the con
solidation question. One refers to the
effect that the action the church will
take in regard To the sale of the church
property, and the other in regard to
the dissolution of the church corpora
sion.
The church property was sold ac-
Cording to announcement of several
months ago, AMI naturally as the City
Missionary Society has taken charge
eff the parish since the resignation of
the former pastor, the Rev. w. y. OLE
SON who is now settled in Warren, the
matter of the proposed dissolution of
the church corporation, by which il
is entitled to hold and own property.
comes before the members OF the
church. As the Missionary Society is
in charge. the members of the parish
look upon the dissolution of the cor
poration as an easy conclusion
In fact. the Belmont Society and tina
City Missionary Society have worked
harmoniously since the latter stepped
in and directed the formers affairs. but
the Summer Street Church has pre-
terred to retain its Independent ca
reer