The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-05-17
]. C. ARCHDEACON
Rev. W. R. Jenvey Reads
His Report at the
P. E. Convention
at Orange.
DISCUSSION OYER CHURCH LANDS
Missionary and Special Fund
Reports Election of Stand
ing Committees.
DISCUSSION OYER CHURCH LANDS

and New Jersey appointed joint COM
mittee to draft a supplement to the Re-
hgious Societies act {Revision of 1879 and
present it for discussion at the Diocesan
conventions this year for presentation to
the Legislature of 1900. The committees
were as follows:-
New Jersey diocese-Rev. ]. McAlpine
Harding, H H. Oberly, Charles NJ. Per-
kins, B. F. Haywood Shreve and James
Parker.
Newark diocese-Revs. Edward A.
White, George S. Bennitt, John Keller
and George c. Frelinghuysen.
The raison d'etre for the appointment
was to straighten out conflicting amend
ments pertaining to the Protestant Epis-
copal Church of New Jersey.
The joint committee on investigation
found that the various sections of the
act of 1875, together with different amend
ments affecting the Church, numbered
over 100 So confusing and conflicting
were these amendments that a clear in
depreciation was we'll nigh impossible
Indeed. one construction was put in New
ark diocese and an entirely opposite
meaning prevailed in New Jersey diocese
After patient work the joint committee
drafted supplement, and yesterday al
ternoon in Grace Church the clergy and
laity of the diocese of Newark, proceeded
to analyze and criticize the report. As
1.-THE News exclusively said yesterday,
the charges suggested were in many IN
stances very drastic and particularly
those affecting the qualifications of war
dens and vestrymen and the manner OF
holding the VeStry meetings.
Rev. Edwin White, after luncheon yes
terday, then proceeded to explain the
scope of the new supplement, and it was
taken up and by action discussed and
passed upon. The sections relating to
the organization of the Church and minor
points went through, but when it came
to discussing the title of the act, Mr.
Edwin A. S. Lewis, lay delegate from
Hoboken, objected to tack;ng on the cap
ton, protestant Episcopal Church in the
State" because it was violation OF the
Constitution OF the State, which prevents
Especial legislation" Another snag was
struck when Section of the act came up.
That regulated the power of the church
corporation to hold lands. One clause
set out that the corporation could lease
and dispose of any real estate"
At object to that" said the Rev. DR..
w. w. Holley of Christ Church, Hacken-
sack, sit gives too much power.
IF the reverend gentleman replied
the Rev. E. White, who was answering
the questions, Twill get better glasses he
will see that there is a restriction.
81 may need better glasses" was Dr.
Holley's retort, "but I can read English
through them, and recommend that the
committee get a new grammar" CRoars
of laughter.)
..what do you object top asked Rector
White.
s'To allowing corporation to do just as
it pleases." (Renewed laughter)
Going on with the same section, another
hitch occurred at the line which said,
provided that no lease for longer term
than three years shall be made by such
corporation without the consent of the
Bishop and of the Standing Committee.
Several clergymen were of opinion that
the term of three years was too binding,
but Mr.. White explained that the new
act differed not bit SO far as the leases
were concerned as in the old act.
s'Does this affect houses belonging to
the church?" asked the Rev. A. Elmen-
dorf of Holy Cross, who has special in>
terest in the matter of leasing church
property, because his church had several
houses to rent, left to it by the Rev. 8.
Battin.
Mr.. White replied that it did to the
extent that vestry could make a verbal
lease for three years and that lease re-
newed and so ad infinitum.
81 move as amendment" said the
Rev. DR.. Holley, "that no lease shall be
made without the consent etc, and drop
the three years lease as at present"
Mr.. Alfred Mills, a lawyer of Norris
town, agreed that the three years lease
was not good, because the vestries could
renew and renew at the end of the three
years up to 80 years, when it would be-
come a special fee.'
An inouisitive layman wondered, he
said. how this would affect property on
which a rector had lien for his unpaid
salary and could that renewal of leases
stop rector from proceeding by law
to sell the property to recover his sal
ary. When he was informed that 1t
wouldn't affect the rights of the rector
sigh of relief went up from every one OF
the clergy.
Rev. William R. Richmond of All
Saints. Orange, r0DJect6u u ally CPS Ill III
resolution preventing parishes from leas-
ing their houses not used for religious
purposes. The rector or vestry should be
permitted to lease such property without
having to wait long time for the con-
sent of the Bishop or Standing Commit
tee Mr.. Richmond complained the words
of the new section were ambiguous.
ssIf this lease matter stands" interrupts
ed Rev. A. Elmerdorf, of Holy Cross,
Jersey CITY, sit will give us a great deal
of difficulty in having to ask for pernis-
sion every time to rent our property
Amendments and motions followed until
finally the convention voted to strike out
leases and 1t was lost, the vote was ~
to GA. Thus for longer terms than three
years no church can lease its property
unless it gets permission from the bishop
and Standing Committee. Then another
snarl was encountered when Rev w. r.
Richmond insisted that the leasing power
only related to real estate and sfor the
nurpose of the worship of Almighty God,
as the section said How could houses
decided to a church and rented for out
side purposes be included in the words
used? Many parishes. like Holy Cross