New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-05
CONDITION OF DR. JOHN HALLS CHURCH
A PROMINENT MEMBER OF THE CONGREGATION
SAYS THAT IT Is PRosPERoUs-HE DOES
NOT EXPECT ANY GENERAL RTSsIG-
NATION OF ELDERS.

.-rner. te entire serenity In cur church now
said a prominent member OF the Rev. Dr' JON"
Halls church yesterday. 'and II seems hkeiy ~ We
long undisturbed The whole trouble was s"lreu
up by two or three men who acted upon CO.
others who were lukewarm. In a great church IKE
ours "a certain proportion of the members arc M
auenced by private aims or business interests bu'
It 1. not the fact that the Fifth Avenue Churcn nus
shown a falling off in any respect Tho meuipei
shin in which are included those who have uhi'eu
with the church through It's MISSIONS mas III
orea sed from 24Oo TO G6oO in year. It's receipts
las, year were S0sO Next 20 II In the isl came
n, van DYKES church with $6.co-not much more
than one-half-and then Dr. Parkhursts win N.Y.
oa Suppose one two rich men nave eit our
church-what Of ~ Their departure VIII not De
fatal blow. by any means II Is no idui' I" 70
charged AGAINST DIT Hall that the church may no'
have so many very wealthy members as az some
nrev,ous periods IN It's history Mrs Stuart for ex-
annie was lifelong parishoner OF DR. Han ana
constant gIver 10 the charities OF lis churci' al"
her noble benehcences 10 the various boards OF the
PRESBYTERIAN Church must be credited 10 him. But
81 must be borne in mind that II was tho prnclpal
that she bequeathed. and not tho income OF prop
erty, so that, In Il sense there gro no longer Sly
gifts received from her.
NO don't think thai there VIII De any general
resignation from the Session TWO memoirs hA'e
died within the last yesr-WilliaIn L. skdinore ana
James Fraser. George Hunter Brown llVes III Soh-
pecticut ana John sinclair mas been III Lu'Opo AN'
some time and neither has taken any part IN 'he
Sessions action upon the case Of Dr. Han; ana the
same is true, I believe, Of John Sloane. Oh the
other elders ! have heard that SIX have onered
their resiguat TONS but IL is said that some OF theSe
resignations had a string 10 them and VIII not DE
presented now one or two members Of the SEES
sion may persist in resgning. and mat may oe ioF
The best I fully with my fellow member OF
the church quoted in tO-day's Tribune VINO rolhtfu
out that the Session not superior 10 or cO-oIui
nate in authority 70 the whole BODY or the chuicn
Ipernbership but the inferior and creature OF tat
BODY b. which II had been elected ana from WhlCH
II derived all its powers, and that It's tuncuon was
~ advise It's SUGGESTIONS having no Dindlng force
upon the church. The Presbyterian Church mas a
thoroughly republican form OF church government
Each church society elects It's officers ana controls
the choice Of its pastor Our elders are IN once LOT
life If they find that they 90 not represent ths
eentinent Of the church membership when electtSi
them and II they unwilling or unable 10 acqul-
eeoo cheerfully In the overriding Of their ADVICE ny
the church which voted them into o1co, the best
thing they can do is 10 resign The Session IS un-
Hka The direct ny Of lay corporation I'm that us
members are chosen for life. But, as sac Pc
fore few II any Of the elders are likely 10 insist
upon resignng. The people wanted Dr. Han 10 re-
main their pastor-not for any fixed period. ike
two years as suggested in one paper, out on
the same indeterminate tenure on when ne orIs-
fnally was settled over the church-ann they e4-
pressed their choice by unanimous vote mere
was not a single adequate reason for MS reure-
nent ana Il Is significant that not single reason
was put forth at the meeting on January III ny the
opponents OF DR.. Hall"