The herald., 1898-05-11
|u|lITrS new TRUSTEES
x1nCTxD Bx THE coNoREaATIoN
LAST MIGHT
a New ERA is PROMISED
xhs 1stiring Trustees Say They VIII
Start . New Congregation With
Dr. Thomson a. Pastor

The schism which has existed in Unity
church for the last six months should be
now converted into a memory. The
board OF trustees resigned with sardonic
cheerfulness and there was no effort to re-
tain them. About fifty people. members
Of the congregation. were in the audito-
rium OF the church when the meeting
opened. President Humphreys Of the
board OF trustees Of the church in calling
the meeting to order explained the pur-
pose Of the call-to pass upon the rendered
resignation Of the board. To prepare them
for this, the secretary read his report Of
the preceding meeting, after which the
treasurer took the floor for about Ave min
utes.
There was cause for gasps at what he
told them. He said the receipts Of the cor
poration from January 16. 1888, to date
were @1l6l. and the expenditures $14609S.
leaving just exactly So cents in ready cash
In the treasury to balance an indebtedness
aGgresating 1880 or 80. This wasn't cheer
full news. SO they approved the report
quickly and passed on to other matters.
Mr.. Humphreys then took the paper in
hand from the outgoing board of trustees
ana read ~ 1olloWo:
- LOS ANGELES. May 10, 1898.
To the Members Of the Church of the
Unity, at Los Angeles, CAL: We hereby
+ tender our resignations as members OF
the board Of trustees Of this church.
to take effect from this date. 1t is our
opinion that when we were elected as
trustees we represented at least 80 per
cent Of the congregation, who filled the
church and its aisles to overflowing;
but q very small minority. with its ILL
advised pastor, have so seriously dis
turbed the successful workings Of the
church that most Of Its members and
attendants have ceased to attend or
give It their financial aid, hence the said
small minority have become the ma
jority, resulting in the large monthly
increase of indebtedness, and natur-
ally creating a lack of harmony between
the present board and remaining mem-
bership; and for these good reasons we
hope you will at least agree with u
once and accept our designations.
J. F. HUMPHREYS.
E. X. GREENE.
DIR. J. H. BARNWELI.
o. C. THOMPSON.
J. M. SCHNEIDER.
J. L. PAvKOvICH.
N. M. GILLESPIE.
w. e. BAXTER.
d. F. HALL.
Some one moved the acceptance Of the
designations. There was an immediate Sec
ond, and the matter was ended with not a
dozen words spoken one way or the other.
Judge Works was then elected tempora.
~ president. 1--WE have just accepted the
resignation OF the old board OF trustees
Of this church as a unit" he said, land it
ID now In order to elect their successors
We cannot believe or take for granted all
they have said, but we will choose others in
their stead, and suppose things will go
ON as heretofore. presume it is neces-
sary to have temporary secretary also.
and will some one therefore kindly suggest
q name for that position"
r. Heimann was selected. The following
gentlemen were then elected as members Of
the board Of trustees, without opposition
and In conjunction: 8. A. Butler, F.. A.
Gibson. n. Heimann, H. Jevne, w. G.
Kerckhon. N. Mathews, T. Pascoe. N.
Pease, j. d. Works. Printed slips bearing
these names were distributed.
The meeting then adjourned, again to
elected trustees went into private session.
It will be recalled that last August the
Rev. J. 8. Thomson, then pastor of Unity
church, resigned, and the circumstances
preceding his resignation and subsequent
dissensions have caused a lamentable d.
vision in the congregation. Mr.. Pease of
the new board, who has previously served,
Is of the opinion that the church will get
t. NyN--
board, it is claimed, was elected from
among the men who took no part in ths
unfortunate squabble. They fully realize
the indebtedness, but all Of them express
confidence in making the church ledger bal
Ance on the right side soon.
The Seceders
The retiring board Is out Of Unity church
altogether now, and with them their fol-
lowers. They say they will start another
church. with DR.. Thomson as pastor. The
latter is now in Chicago, but. 1t is said, will
resign his pastorate at the end Of the pres
ent month to take trip to Europe. He
wrote Mr.. Humphreys that he would be
willing to come back to this city II guar
antee Of 5000 annually for two years could
be raised. Over $4,000 Of this sum is said to
be already subscribed, with not all the
friends of DIR. Thomson yet seen. They say
they will open their new church in Septem-
ber, at which time DR.. Thomson will have
returned from his European trip.
The Thomsonites claim that the op-
positionists were hindrance to them,
and were SO persistently objecting to
what they did that they eventually had to
decline to do anything. fearing repudia-
tion. The adherents of the new board deny
this. and say that with the complainants
away they will be able to do we'll