The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
DR.. JOHN HALL WILL STAY.
,osIT1vE STATEMENTS MADE TO
THAT EFFECE

A.. n ne Dses stay the R~esirsstiens o. q
y,mber or Member Or the Session win
ne Announced, Presabiy at IN Cessro-
.,,,oual meeting su wednesday RventnE.
The Rev. DR.. John Hall preached in the Fifth
Avenue Presbyterian Church yesterday morn
,np. He made no reference 10 his recent resig-
nation as pastor of the church or to his moro
recent recall of that resignation, at the request
Al the congregation. voiced by q unanimous
yo,o Of a congregational meeting held on Jan. 10.
This rcticcnce was probably something Of
disappointment to the majority Of the large con-
,reeetion that attended the church. 1t may not
he quite correct to say that thoy expected the
venerable pastor to refer to the matter. because
there was really no necessity for 1t. He had in
formally told the congregation that he would
.continue, God willing. the work Of the pastor
,te while strength 10 given from above" Tothe
committee appointed at the meeting Of the con-
rteeation on Jan. 10 to ask him to recall his
resignation he had sent . formal answer. in
which be expressed tho same discrimination.
That ended the matter. 30 far 40 DR.. Hall 10 con-
earned. The committee, Of which Robert Bon
nr is Chairman. win report DR.. Halle answer
At an adjourned meeting Of the congregation to
BE- held next Wednesday evening. But certain
things transpired last week which led friends Of
DR.. Hall In tho congregation 10 feel apprehen-
slon lest he might, after all, hold TO his original
decision to resign, and they hoped to hear some
thing from the pulpit yesterday morning which
would allay those approximations
II has now come 10 be understood that the
meeting next Wednesday night may not b a.
harmonious as 1t was expected to be. The SEES
nion IN tho storm centre IL there 10 any. The
session, or o majority Of them, TO DO absolutely
correct had arranged with Dr.. Hall that he
should resign and become pastor emeritus on .
liberal pension. Then came the congregational
meeting Of Jan. 10, at which the resolution In
troduced BY the clerk Of the session, recommend
ing that the resignation be accepted. was not
even seconded. After that, tho congregation
concluded to run things TO suit themselves and.
mid much enthusiasm. carried q resolution
asking Dr.. Hall to reconsider his resignation.
Then the pastor had his inning. What ho said
In private, II he said anything, nobody who
knows will tell. In public he simply said'
IF 1t DO the wish Of my people that ] should
remain a. their pastor. I must throw aside all
Sersonal considerations and continue. God will.
ing. the work Of the pastorate while strength II
given from above"
This was the last thing those members Of tho
session who wanted . now pastor had expected.
Dr.. Halls decision fairly took their breath
AWAY. They did not intend to give mp without
o struggle, however. After looking at tho CUES
ton on ell aides they decided upon Q plan. Said
O member of the congregation who 10 perhaps
the most intimate frisnd DR.. Hall has in the
They sent Q sort Of informal committee to
DR.. Hall to- az they said, lay certain facts before
him. They told him that the action of the con
gregetional mesting q Jan. 70 DE not voice the
, vote, ssssn &c on ,. the sa s'n 70 Of so spoSItansInES i :
resienation, was q stsa voee. vote. and, rather
session had .rNesssinsd -frsm yotips: THIS being
s ssSs. that II E e. Rpssion re & tss .i9 9SSifh g soa dlS' IL s' no
s.snss . soH,idsred una1imoIs and thsy hoped
OF The church and stick to bis resignation. ~.
What Dr., Halle reply was I amnot at lib
se VIZ IF s stisf BY Sps th \ can obu asirre E ySS q q g Se so. .sIn g.
more members Of the session had voted 'Nayr
At ths eopsrssati9nsl meeting; what difference sssr onn.
soientiousiy disregardsd the wiahes Of Q vast
majority q The oopgregstion out Of eePs,asTc;
: ssy n lSt . H. isT i. RsI ssss i II ie e :' %sn,. Ha ' would
esssa d tSss htHs .s sssSa y lin SiS. G sSSSu q shieS and
.:ss, g s s. $S So s a. ss's Z - i s:is TIE. !sa 81 ~. @ @:,,.
HAs I am not . member Of tho session ] am
unable 10 say whether that 10 20 or not. know
this, however, that the resiGnations Of certain
week. p y sse et' they isSsi sre s CIV s1Rif e So@ sa. x any
day. think ! may say that the designations OF
T iiSnsd ih n t tSls sM %o mi%Ssr' s % sn are ss' sIps %sd.
after thsSS rsS!Gnssions are h hen e IN and e;
70 81 Gu sSs Ein alSSG s 81 sSd isS business OF id
Dr; Seth 3. Robin.on Of ne Meaison avenue
4 he knew " 1G rsoS en- so ovsrtafss maze BY w1 the e' ses.
Sion to DR., Hail. and II he believed tie antaG.
en- ,s, t. the s,i dSster on the part Fo e 2 majority To- ? Isn p
answer,
Ing Of tho resolution gsssssd py the CONGREGATION
b blind indeed e. they do not yet, sec
sssir 'e desire SsnE e ssse f B.. "A farn ns%.i m
asvs trisd e suppress al public aritisisS@ q ths
prevent some members OF tie congregation from
expressing themselves next Wednesday even.
nc 4 ssSss g sPssq, &; e t M, 's e tSs e:fs!ss Il
supporters to be- present next Wednesday even.
" and see that their previous vote 10 made
silas B. Brownell. stated clerk of the session.
Snsr SsSsd 5y q reporter Of TIE suE yesterday
bbers Of the session had been sent to him. Mr..
brownell was not at liberty to say, -, -,
.,,i cannot discuss the matter At ali" he said.
I've are making history very fast these days,
however. and tho expected or the unexpected
may happen at any time"
FROM another source II was learned that oer-
IAN envelopes, containing certain oommunica-
Ions' haye been put In the hands Of tho stated
S,efk s. u certain things happen at the meeting
On Wednesday night, the c0ntenta OF these
ENVELOPES Will be made known TO the conRro-
Esatlon Of the church. II certain things don't
hsPpen. the seals OF the envelopes will not DO
That is a statement made By ono Of the session
=. me church. When asked to translate 1t no
1T seems to mo that he who runs may read.
tutsou should interpret the statement to mean
maj II Ut. Hall concludes to stick by his resig:
tHhnuon, the envelopes will not be opened. and
s sna II he does not. they will be. and that then
CSYpihie vacancies in the session will have TO DO
way" "'a'N
when a member of the session friendly TO DR..
. heard the above he said:
non, nudge! That's q blun at present. It
10y ! or may not be made good. They want TO
Ha tIsnch stotements into the papers, 90 that Dr.
haze aha controversy, and they think. that. II
IN MS continuing as pastor 10 liable to stir
TX aissension in the church, he will get out.