The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-11-07
REV. S. S. COX MAY GO
Rumors That the Taber-
naele's Assistant Pastor
Has Received a Call.
His DESTINATION BROOKLYN
Third Great Loss to the
Church Within a Year--Up-
town and Downtown
Congregations.
His DESTINATION BROOKLYN


Considerable excitement was caused
yesterday In the First Congregational
Church by the rumor that the Rev.
Sydney s. Cox, assistant pastor OF that
church, had resigned and accepted call
in Brooklyn. The rumor. while backed
perhaps by circumstantial evidence, is
slightly previous, though not unlikely to
prove true. The fact of the case is
simply this:-Mr. Cox is a good man, on
a low salary. and good men in that po-
sition are always in demand. The ma-
jority of these demands, however, havs
not been sufficient to tempt Mr.. Cox, un--
til one came from Brooklyn. Mr.. Cox re-
sponded and his call thereto is now
pending meeting of the Brooklyn trus-
tees. Doubtless if the assistant pastor
receives the call he will accept. and the
position it was just one year ago, with
not sufficient force to look after the
down town interests.
Mr.. Cox, in case he resigns, viii be
the third good man, or better, good
worker, the Tabernacle has lost within
year, when it could ill-afford to lose one.
The first and greatest loss was the death
of the Rev j. Lester Wells, one year
ago last summer. His place can never
be filed. nor has the Tabernacle pros
pered as well since. Mr.. Wells whole
heart and soul was in the work of the
church, especially the Tabernacle and
Peoples Palace, aside from which he
was just the man for that work, and it
is due to him that the Peoples Palace
Is where it is today.
The second loss sustained by the church
was the loss of Deacon w. J. Hunt, who
has moved to Montclair. Forty years OF
practical business financiering had taught
Deacon Hunt to discern the end from the
beginning of money investment and not
only the Finance Committee. but the en-
tire church looked up to him for advice
and acted thereon in any matter of tinan-
cial adventure. He was the church brok-
er, successful because he never plunged
headlong into any kind of an investment.
but always took due time to practically
consider the step. making figure to stand
against figure.
1t is just about one year now since the
present assistant pastor was called. not
without due consideration and much de-
oating, to assist Mr.. Scudder and Mr.
Wells, Many men were tried and foand
wanting, but Mr. Cox was unanimously
called Since then he has grown on the
congregation, and not only will his loss
be greatly felt, but there will be va
cancy in the pulpit difficult TO fill-
Very nearly two years have passed
since the Tabernacle bought the First
Congregational Church. on the Hill,
then known as the South Bergen Re-
formed The story of how the Reformed
people were losing their property, and ap-
piled to DR.. Scudder's church to help them
out is too well known. DR.. Scudder for
many years had longed for a church on
the Hill, whittier his congregation were
fast slipping away. Here was the chance
not only for church with a congrega-
ton ready made, for the agreement was
that DR.. Grants congregation. as it was
then. should combine with the Taber-
naclers the whole becoming the First
Congregational Church, the down town
being the main or governing body, and
the uptown being the branch. There was
to be no division and all was to run
smoothly. That was very we'll. 1t was
DR. Scudders law, but not the law OF
nature. The churches combined and
jealousy commenced. If the Tabernacle
did not feel slighted the Boyd avenue
church did, and from present appearances
it looks as though the uptown had bought
the downtown church, the latter Delns
the branch. Much more money is appro-
priated for improvements on the Boyd
avenue church than for repairs on the
Tabernacle, and the downtown people
don't like it.
Early in the fall there was trouble over
the heating apparatus in the Tabernacle,
which was out of order. After the usual
debating. that was remedied and now it IS
the organ. Some Of the pipes are com-
pietely worn out. while the freaks per-
formed by that organ, such as stopping
in the middle of a note and refusing to
go on. etc, are simply awful. The or
gan in the uptown church has been PUT
in thorough repair, and now the down.
town people are resolved that the sams
shall be done in the Tabernacle a
meeting was held last night, the Board Of
Finance has been applied to, and it IS
quite probable that in the very near fu-
ture the long needed repairs will be
made and better music the result.