The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-09
DR.. JOHN HALL RESIGNS.
WILL ANNoUNoE IT IN HIS FIFrH
AVENUE 0HURCH TO-DAY


Rts HEAD Nero Than Thirty vearu-Net Vet
90 v .arS Olga Surprise rOr His People.
The Rev. Dr.. John Hail will announce at this
mornings service his resignation as pastor Of
the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. He has
contemplated taking this step for some time
and has spoken Of II TO some Of his friends.
Tho announcement, however. will surprise
nearly all Of DR.. Halls parishionors. ex-
cept those who road " In THE SUE before
church. Although the subject has been dis
cussed among the church officers and q few Of
DR.. Halls friends, any intimation Of IL has been
kept from the general congregation. and 70 the
Presbyterian Church at large 1t will DO news.
The only formality connected with the resig-
nation In the church this morning win DO DR..
Halls reading OF a letter which was presented
to the Session Mt last Thursdays meeting. The
letter 10 very short, and in 1t the pastor
simply says that, after fifty years Of service to
the general Church and thirty years Of service
to the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. he
feels that It 10 for the best interest of the church
and for his own best interest that he DO allowed
to retire. Ho' will, therefore. ask that his
resignation DO accepted, to take effect on the
| selection Of his successor.
At q church meeting on Jan. 10 the resigna-
ton will be acted upon and undoubtedly ac-
copied.
There will be . disposition in some quarters
among tho public 70 ascribe the doctors resolu-
ton TO give mp his pastorato to his experiences
with the converted" Jew, Herman Warsza-
WAX, and the fact that the New York Presby-
terry and DR.. Halls own church. or the session
Of the church, OVERRIDE the doctors most siren
| nous efforts in Warszawiak's behalf and put
| the missionary out Of the church's pale
after an extraordinarily prolonged combat. It
10 assorted, however, that DR.. Hall reached his
determination to resign as long az y year ago,
and based his action on the fact that he had
then been nearly thirty years In the pastorate
Of the Fifth Avenue Church and had attended
continuously to arduous duties, and that he
believed that AZ the end of the thirty years .
suitable time would have arrived for him to
| cease active church work. Tho thirty-year
term would be up In November. 1897. and he
expressed himself 40 intending to resign whom
that time should arrive.
Every one to whom he told his purpose remon-
atrated. The matter. however. took shape
| during the year and committees of the session
and of the Board of Trustees of tho church have
waited on the pastor and conferred with him to
hnd out what his desires might be. There was
| no definite issue from these conferences or con-
versation.
For the last two months some of his friends
and the officers of the church have talked the
l Guetb WV AbANAs ~ /. sNN~e-o 49,
pastors determination. which he carried out at
the last meeting of the session. held last Thurs.
day, when no submitted his resignation. Ac-
cording to the church practice the pastor hands
his resignation to the session. and announces
the fact at the principal. or morning. service on
the following Sunday. In the meantime 1t was
intended that the matter should be kept quiet.
Thu members OF tho sessiou fnstrueted'them
| selves to keep silent concerning II.
l IN - T-- GrV~- III
tho usual difficulty in an effort to see Dr.. Hall
ON Saturday evening. sent q note to him telling
him that THE SUN was informed that he had
resigned his passionate or would do 30 this morn.
ing, and asking whether It was true, the Doctor
sent word back that an announcement would be
made to-day, and that DR.. Hall had nothing fur.
Their to say last night.
Robert Bonner, who has been q friend of DR..
Hall for nearly forty years. and liked him 80
we'll that he gave 100000 to help build the
present church twenty-five years ako. said last
also told JONI Sloane In January or Febrnary Of
last year that when bis thirty years as pastor
'H a1 10 tol az him rSp that I didn't believe the oongrssa.
SaGa T SSs he i, appea re a % tR REoe0 that 50 q long aRA q
term OF service as thirty years gave him g
course at the head. really. Of. the Presby:
terrain Church In America and, as Is well
n nnESP e be oi, eHas T is 3if S 3 f piass. n otiSn ssa St
Cling at night, and having. besides, all his pas
toraI work to do. Thirty years Is a long time to
too al ' snpp sas p pS! Hsil fT i1t sss%dn 70 fln sds soms.
thing else to give give attention e, but don't knew now
81 believe 10 may have thought. as did Dr..
sny harm in printing that ~now.1when he
wanted to resign the presidency Of the uhiver.
s Sss.s snr or , Sssrfh he 'S %Snia NJ feel d'q se sS; sn' e. II give i've
up his, official post before there was any
R %s. 6rl M Hs %sG'f id.a falling nna it ~ 1ss Sis wish Ihs st
bgt his Intention. Several persons talked e
v hours, urging him 4, not e do n
weaken in the least. What ! told him at last
Sftsr the the Place sst's and Would b likely to get It Il
he left II was a man he didn't want to have 1t,
aRd Ss y, w9 r. s h4es to sRs fo @n hssriy ib ane y eSp.
longer, Tn q. 2 e. st ,ss nS,.sy man. DR.. Patton
pr Dsi very f FOR astion. and and t there 10 must 8 Z Be- sn a
pdetlhg Of his ,sSonErsFSllon before his re;
,sh0hS be- dissolved H1 Il has Seea taeitlg
agreed among the church officers that DR.. Han
Is aecepted. as in the usual course il would be.
What he will have to say Of this programme re;
mains to DO heard. IL 10 the Wish anu pli II OF
it's promoters to have him remain with the
church, preaching when he wishes to preach
but FREQ of the cares of pastoral work.
The selection of q successor TO- him ms pastor
has not been preached except to bring home to
those on whom the matter WIN in part deyolye
the fact that the task of get ting a man to take his
place will be an exceedingly difficult and a pro.
the pulpit, the place Or. Hall occupies In the
and such that they will not In q minute feel like
giving to another. The position of the Fifth
avennr church. M IL has been under DIR. Hall.
relative TO the body OF Presbyterians. here AMI
abroad, Is another factor that Is hound to enter
into the consideration OF the question. DIR. Hall
IS as we'll known to the Presbyterians OF Great
Britain, whom he has visited ouch year. as to
those OF the United States.
John Hall was born In Armagh. Ireland. on
Scotch, but they had lived in Armagh since
1900. DIR. Hall was educated at Belfast College,
which he entered when he was Is years old.
lie was q proficient scholar and q prize
winner he o WAS h Licensed uot e preach min In
sionary in the west o. Ireland. He re.
cnlled 10 the First Presbl terlan Church Of Ar.