New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-12
SHARP WORDS LNPREsBYTERY
DR. MAcNAUGHToN ATTACKS THE GEN.
ERAL ASSEMBLY

East Orange April II (speciaD--There was
breeze to-day at the spring meeting OF the Presoy.
terry of Morris and Orange In tho Arlington Avenue
Presbyterian Church. OF East Orange. The Rev.
Asa Wynkoop presented the report OF the standing
Committee Systematic Benencence ana USED
strong language In referring the lack Of interest
and disoyalty to the rulings Of the General As~
sembly regarding benehcence. He said: People
spending hundreds OF dollars for the vain moth"
ings OF the world and only few dollars for Christ.
Instead OF being too weak to give. the churches
are often too weak TO give" He then read
list Of the churches which had contributed and
among them that OF the First Church. o. Morris-
town.
The Rev DIR. John Macnaughton. pastor OF that
church. at interrupted with the statement
that II not true that the First Church had not
contributed. He said: The General Assembly has
alienated some OF the most generous men In New.
York by its action. On the General Assembly
should be laid all the responsibility for the DIM
Guilty regarding financial matters In the Church
to-day. | am a strong Presbyterian. and would
stand up for the Church. bu' when II tries 10 Inn
pose on conditions that not right shall
kick. and have done II before with no fear OF
consequences and | will do 81 again. We have
some constitutional rights. and when these are IN
vaded shall defend them. The amount OF bsnen-
cence that Is going out from our churches IL not
recorded. We ministers are giving dollars that
never find a register. and hundreds are doing tho
the last year and half for benevoence. II Is not
that the church is failing In It's responsioii-
ties and obligations"
The Rev. DR. Henry F. Hickok pastor emeritus
Of Brick Presbyterian Church, Of East Orange.
said that the IDEAS advanced by Or. Macnaughton
were new 10 him He said that the General As
sembly was A representative body that devised Ways
and means for the conduct OF the Church, ana that
the boards OF the Church should be sustained IL
has been said that spend more Tor cigHs.
wines and fast horses than they do Tor missions.
but that II not true so far as II relates 70 me
great body OF Christians. As TO the doctrine OF
loyalty 10 the Church and It's institutions, nave
no question II I had would get out:
Mr. Wynkoop defended the report by reading
paragraph from II in which II was said that seit
sacrifice the cross Of Christ and the real OF ms
Christian might be found in individuals but 10 the
Church at large no." He added: This report GOES
not refer TO the selfsa ,rhcing people Of whom se
that kick; 1t is usually the churches wnicn py
their wealth or membership consider tnemseNes
larger than the Church as whole ana srea a,sr
than the General Assembly which think they owl
some position in the Church. The criticism appnsr
10 the strong churches. which think py mer
Wealth they can control the Church, but which
should be put out OF the Church and leaNe mo
benehcences to Tire saints tina have oeeh mem
toned" a., =, -.,-~ ,h., ,c
many families II would be Impossible 20 give % ~
a year the per capita given In the Presoytev'