New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-01
TRUSTEES OUT IN A BODY.
WHOLESALE RESERVATIONS IN WEST
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
CLIMAX OF DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN
SAY THEY WILL NOT SERVE AGAIN

! The trustees or the west presbyterian CHuTcn
yesterday resigned in body. The announce
ment was read by E. c. Van Claim the clerk
OF the trustees, at the morning service. The fol-
lowing is copy of the letter Of resignation
which was submitted to the congregation:
To the Congregation of the West Presbyterian
Church:
/ from the pulpit of this church, alleged that his
labors as your minister in Christ were greatly
| hindered by the present financial management
| of the church. and by the influences now az
work essening his usefulness. There are indi-
cations that this opinion Is also shared py cer-
/ tain members OF the congregation.
The trustees unable to understand upon
I what action OF theirs this charge Is based; and
they cannot consent to remain officers or the
church while such lack of confidence exists
The trustees have been unanimous In tneir
I financial management; and the responsibility
I for such management rests equally upon all
! They therefore severally resign the office or
trustee to take effect Immediately after the an
nual election in May.
THE CLIMAX OF DISAGREEMENTS.
The statement was signed by the whole Of the
trustees, nine in number, consisting Of E. H.
Perkins jr. chairman; w. 3. Wheeler. Seth E.
Thomas. Alfred H. Smith. g c. 7. Dodd. Rob
ert Jaffray, jr Henry NJ. Flagler, S. Newton
Smith and Russell Sage. This action on the
part of the trustees is the climax of the troubles
that have disturbed the church in the last few
weeks.
1t may be remembered that in the early part
o. last month the Rev. DR.. Anthony II. Evans.
the pastor Of the church. surprised his con-
gregaton by announcing from the pulpit his In
tention to give up his charge. Then. for the
first time, the gre1. number Of the members
of the church learned that the pastor was an
tagonlzed by the trustees 1t appeared that
DR.. Evans himself had no idea that he was
opposed by the officials Of the church until he
received a letter from President Stryker OF
Hamilton College incloslng another from E. Fl.
Perkins jr. wherein the latter sought Strykers
aid to induce DR.. Evans to resign The reason
given for this course was that DR.. Evanss
Ministry was njurlng the church financially.
In explaining the reasons which led him to
resign DR.. Evans drew attention to the letter
which Mr. Perkins had written to Dr. Stryker.
ut Is unnecessary he said, "for me to speak
Of the suffering which this letter brought. In
due time l consulted with the session. Three
meetings held, and l found that the
pressed intention OF the letter was not their de-
sire, for when l presented my resignation 1t
was their unanimous will that I should with
hold II. Later on came to know that not all
OF the trustees of the same mind. The
conviction took possession OF me that a great
wong had been committed and this feel 10
the depths OF my soul to-day. 1t is a wrong
committed secretly and deliberately--a wrong
not against your pastor only, but against the
Churh, against the good name OF Presbyterian
ism. and more serious than ALL against the
sacred cause OF Christ The financial problem
which confronts the Church is not formidable.
considerate ani generous policy animated by
devotion to spiritual things, would solve it. The
financial problem demands careful attention, but
Ia Incl al 10 tba roai In tubi oh ic
Shall the Church be ruled by the spirit OF
Christ or by the spirit of the world? I believe
with all my heart that spiritual interests are
supreme"
1t quickly learned that the congregation
not in sympathy with the trustees. Peti-
tions urging Dr. Evans to remain In the church
were signed by almost every member OF the
congregation. and at the church meeting called
to take action on the resignation overwhelm-
ing majority voted for the retention Of the pas
tor. So decided was the desire that he should
continue In the pulpit that Dr. Evans withdrew
his resignation.
Until yesterday It vas thought that the trus-
tees were content to abide by the result. II is
now apparent however, that they were con-
sIderaby perturbed by the action of the congre-
cation. Conferences have been held and. al
though It was understood at the time that not
all Of the trustees ndorsed the letter written by
Mr. Perkins to DR.. Stryker. they decided to
resign collectively. This step was entirely unex-
pected by the congregation and many caustic
criticisms were made regarding II after yes
terday mornings sermon. BY some It
serted that II due to piqus, while by others
1t was maintained that the wholesale resgna-
tions were due tO n desire TO embarrass the
pntor.
The designations Will be acted on at the an
nual election. In the second week Of May The
trustees explain their attitude as being a neces
sary development OF the meeting at which the
congregation urged the pastor to withdraw his
resignation. They say that the vote on that oc !
caslon was tantamount to an expression Of want
Of confidence II reelected body the trus- |,
tees will be willing to resume their Offices but
not otherwise. At the coming election should
one Of the nine be superseded the remainder will
refuse TO serve.
The trustees contend. In fact that the only
expression Of a renewal Of confidence which they |
will accept is the reelection Of the whole OF
them They have decided among themselves
that II must be all or none.
Inasmuch as there is considerable feeling in |
the church against Mr.. Perkins and Russell !
Sage. 1t is not improbable that an entirely new /
Board OF Trustees will be chosen at the coming !
meeting. Mr.. Perkins Is one Of the three trus- /
tees who retiye by rotation this year. and It was
said yesterday that 1t was the knowledge that /
neither he nor his two colleagues would be re-
elected that impelled the trustees to resign in a /
body.
Dr. Evans, Mr. Perkins, Russell Sage and |
Robert Jaffray tr., yesterday by !
Tribune reporter. but none OF them would COM
ment In any way on the latest sequel OF the
variance between the pastor and his trustees.