New-York tribune., 1900-12-02
"KOSCIAL NICZALEZNY. "
THE INDEPENDENT OR NEW POLISH
CHURCH IN AMERICA AND HOW
1T CAME INTO BEING.

Church and since then many questions have
been asked as to who and what the Polish
Catholics are. One Roman Catholic priest. in
commenting on the subject. said: "a Polish
Catholic is Roman Catholic. His church cere-
moniaIs are the same as those OF Roman Catho-
lies in other countries. possibly trife more
elaborate. but that is all. He is true follower
of the Church. and it is wrong to eonfound him
with the class to which this Bishop belongs.
because it is composed Of renegades and seees-
siOnists who are not recognized by the Church"
The Polish Catholics have been prominently
before the public for several years. in cOnse-
Quence Of their wrangles and church quarrels.
and Fight in Polish Church" has become a
familiar headline in the news columns OF papers
in nearly all parts of the country. These fights
are the outgrowth Of dissatisfaction in the vari-
Gus churches because of the management OF the
church finances and real estate, and because OF
it's ritual About seven years ago men arose in
the councils OF the Polish Church and raised the
question: Shall the priests control US or shall
we control the priests?' The chief agitator vas
Alphonse Chrestowski. who is also known as
Count Chrestowskt He started newspaper
which was circulated among the Poles in which
he told them that the priests were ensIavine
them; that they were collecting money 10 enrich
themselves and that they kept their parishioners
in ignorance and compelled them 10 be obedient
to a foreign pontiff He called upon the layren
to assert their independence. and the men and
women who responded to his call formed the
nucleus of the new Polish Church in America.
Mr.. Chrestowskf IaboFed hard and succeeded
in planting the seeds Of discord in many parts
OF the country that when the first conven-
ton of the "Independent Church" was held in
Cleveland in 1893 there were about twenty con-
gregations represented. The first church was
established in Cleveland in 1893 A year later
churches were established in Omaha FreeIand
Penn Buffalo and Chicago A second c1nven-
ton took place in Cleveland in 1895. and then
the head Of the organization, the Count" came
to New York. Since that time the Independents
have received their inspiration from this city.
In 1886 convention was held in Buffalo. IN
speaking Of that convention. Mr.. Chrestowsh
said:
There were delegates present at Buffalo from
all over the country. from places where We
had churches and where We had not yet sue
ceeded in establishing them. and we were greatly
encouraged and saw that the people were COM
ing to cur way of thinking Our first priest,
Father KOlaszewski, was a regularly ordained
priest with a charge at Syracuse. He went to
Cleveland and began work in the new church
Later Father Stephen Kaminsli, Of Buffalo, and
Father a. Kozlowsk were made bishops ka-
minski had been organist in a church. but
he a good and careful man, ana nad MN
made a bishop"
In speaking of the tenets of the Church, Mr..
Chrestowski said: They are in perfect accord
with the spirit of America In the first place.
we believe that the title to church property
should belong to those whose hands earned the
dollars with which the church was constructed,
instead of being handed over, as it is usually.
to some Corrigan, Ireland or Gibbons, who never
contributed a cent toward It's construction. IN
the second place, We send our children to Amer
lean public schools where they can be enlght-
ened and civilized instead Of being stupefed. as
they are in the Roman Catholic schools conduct
ed by nuns In the third place, deny the in
faIibiity Of the Pope, for believe that
mortal can be infallible. and that the doctrine
Of infaIlibility is incompatible with the spirit
of the times"
AS TO the number Of Poles who deserted the
Church of Rome to join the Independents
der ChrestoWski there is some doubt. Toward
the end of the last Presidential campaign he
said in his paper: The Polish Independen.
Catholic Church of America consists at present
of twenty-one congregations all over the United
States. with the active membership of nearly
three hundred thousand people. of whom at least
eighty thousand are voters" The membership
of ST. Stanislauss Church. in Stanton-st, the
local Polish Roman Catholic Church. has not de-
creased since the Independent movement began,
and of Father Strzleckis PaTishioneTs said