The sun., 1898-02-07
DIR. HALLS TRUSTEES QUIT.
ALI BUT Two OF THEN SEND IN
THEIR hEsIGNATIONs.

Church Finances Up 20 the Mark. and Pro-
fer to Have Somebody Else Try Ht-Dr.
Hall Reads the Notice to the Church.
All but two of the trustees of the Fifth Ave-
nue. Presbyterian Church have resigned. The
announcement OF the designations was made
from the pulpit yesterday morning BY the Rev.
DR. John Hall just before he gave out his text.
When the announcement was made the con.
rreRation exchanged mods and significant
glances. DR.. Hall said in voice much lower
than he is accustomed to use in the pulpit:
According to Presbyterian law must read
the following notice: "A meeting OF the congre-
cation has been called for Monday, Fob IA. 1898,
at o'clock p. NJ, for the purpose Of eecting two
trustees. whose terms will expire on Dec is,
1893, in the places Of Z. Francis Hyde and Rob
ert II. Robertson. resigned; for the purpose of
electing three trustees, whose terms will expire
on Dec. 10, 1892 in the places Of John p. Dun.
can, Horace E. Garth. and George @. wheelock,
resigned. and for tho purpose Of electing two
trustees. whose terms of Office will expire on
Dec. Is. 1900, in the places Of John 8. Kennedy,
resigned. and james Fraser, deceased
The mon who have resigned have been con-
nected with tho church either as officers or
members. for years, and the congregation
seemed to appreciate that only tho strongest
reasons could have induced them to take the
stop they have taken.
After the service no officer of the church who
remained, from the pastor down, could be In
duced to discuss the designations. It was stated
that none of the trustees had seen At to couple
with his resignation any reason therefor. It
was said that the only thing that accompanied
the resignations was the request that they
should take effect Immediately.
The Board of Trustees Of tho Fifth Avenue
Church was made up as follows: e. Francis
Hvda FrapCia Fnrhaa nd
who were elected to serve until Dec. 10. 1898;
John p. Duncan, Horace L. Garth, and DR..
George g. Wheelock, who were elected to servo
until Dec. 10, 1899. and John s. Kennedy. James
o. Sheldon, and James Fraser. who wero elected
to servo until Dec. 15, 1900. The only trustees
who did not resign are Mr.. Sheldon and Mr..
Forbes. Mr.. Fraser died a few months ago. Mr..
virtue Of that fact, member Of the session The
latter Office he resigned several days ago.
o ne Fame f%a
William Sloane. and Samuel g. Auchincloss. It
5 aacons s sS s %sa2 s.
James Fraser 10 dead and Malcolm Graham.
land. and E. Francis Hyde resigned several days
ago: It was said yesterday BY an officer Of the
orator Of the session. OF the seventeen living
jority have resigned and that. before the trouble
in the church Is over, all but three viii resign.
that have % not already been annopnced. he viii
not admit It. The stated clerk of the session,
Ess1fsf''n' have been handed to him. simply
sssson one OF tho
sad D1 Bsore me
meeting Of the session. he hopes. I Ihave reason to
have Sr: Resigned to witRdraW their rosisnstiOns. @
' ah1 S no
iccr 1897: Here Is the way he there speaks Of
eupy = scriptarai po.itlen; To them e com;
is for the people to give them their confidence
and invite their visits, as, for instance. "if any
sssson afsr
be
honoring the Chief Shepherd and Bishop of
Souls II 10 to be remembered that. chosen by
the members the elders are the representatives
Of the congregation. and as such. are to be sus-
tainsd BY those hos s5. Eh1m they represent
than sdsiee; it is almost the Language Of com.
pastor. and even at his first suggestion. recon.
mended q certain course to the coneregation.
an Of the
pastor. He decided with the congregation and
against their elders. Under those circumstances
choose wiser men. And this is just what a
When this elder was asked why so many Of
the trustees rus. % had resigned. he said:
times It's as much as can do to make intelii-
gent statements about the session."
SCN called uDOn of the truateoa who aaid.
"The trustees Of Presbyterian church have
G hs sT, a
World, ssa may e seasasssd. s think, sS have
so the 1GF Firth Avenue Church re
Ss the only r them to 10 rss
and let other and wiser men take hold Of the
financial helm. Now you know all there is to
when did the trustees become convinced
that the finances of the church were in a bad
way r. asked the reporter.
,"Categoricaily speaking, they did not find that
the FINANCES were n a b bad way: What they did
were M mo not wi what they should BE- when the char:
but the Fifth Avenue Church it might be con-
sidered that the financial condition was quite
Ssn 20 b. e
church in the country The trustees wanted to
sSndn al sRsn
They saw no way OF Increasing the revenue and
50 thoy made up their minds to let somebody
else take q turn at It,"
A significant thing was noticed at the close of
the service ye.tsrday morning. II is the custom
sion TO meet the pastor In the space In front of
the pulpit. or the eighteen members Of the ses-
sion only hve-Messrs Barnes. Beges Brownell,
Campbell and Rowland-remained TO greet the
pastor. With them stood Deacons Frame and
Irwin. Three other members of the session
Messrs Hyde. McCook and smith-were In
church, but departed as soon as the service was
over To be sure. Messrs Hyde and Smith have
resigned, but they are still members of the ses-
sion until their designations are acted upon.
In the church calendar for yesterday the an
nouncement was made that a meeting OF the
session will he held In the minister's room In the
church next Thursday evening at O'Clock.
LEFT 1CHIyG ,JAWa REHTNn HIM