Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-12
FAIRVILLE GHAPELS.
STATEMENTS by the Rev. II. A. Hunter an
j. NJ. Shaffner.

l
Local News concerning the chanel
controversy at Fairyille, Pa, and writes
| that the Rev. r. A. Hunter, pastor of
the Kenneth Presbyterian Church, has
been appointed by Chester Preshytery
10 take charge Of the work at Hamor-
ton, which includes the chapel at Fair
| vile station. The statements, az printed
10 the West Chester Local News, are as
follows:
LETTER FROM MR.. HUNTER.
| Kenneth Square, Pa. "a rrIl 2, l0O0.-
Editor News: | have just read an
| article on the first page of the Daily
Local News of Saturday, March 3lst,
under the title Of fractional Warfare
Over M ission. " very much dislike
to enter into newspaper controversy,
for it generally does more harm than
good. But on your informant, whoever
he or she is, rests the blame for this
breach of propriety. The article re-
ferred to is go bold faced, one side and
false that it needs correction.
Your informant has evidently drawn
| upon his imagination for his facts, for
there are very few true statements Of
fact in the article. 1t is very much 10,
he regretted that there is much wrong
feeling in the neighborhood a. a result
OF the chapel agitation. AT meeting
| OF the two factions for conference it
wasiagreed to disagree, and build two
chapels. This was done for the sake of
| peace, but ever since the decision to
| build two chapels the Fairville Village
| people have tried 10 make trouble Of
| various kinds. Had they minded their
own business in the spirit of charity,
the feeling in the community would be
much better today. The Hickory Hill
| Sunday school was one time run as q
mission of the Lower Brandywine Pres
byterian Church, but in later years
both the pastors Of that church and the
people belonging there have ceased to
show interest in the Sunday school.
This was back about the time of Mr..
ThomEson's leaving. Chester Presby.
terry, through its Home Mission colu-
mittee, looked over the field and aided
in the organization OF Ealryille PreSby-
terrain Chapel Association. Mr.. !.
M. Shaffner was duly elected treasurer
of that ASSOCIATION, and has continued
the very efficient treasurer ever SINCE
The money which Mr.. Thompson turned
over tic Mr.. Shatfner did not belong to
any organization, but to the COM
munity, for the purpose of building a
chapel somewhere in the neighborhood.
When the community organized as the
Fairvills Presbyterian Chapel Associa-
tion they, of course. held the money for
the purpose for which it was given, and
have so used 1t.
Your informant would indicate that
Hickory Hill Sunday school stole "a
march on the sleeping villagers, but
this is not true. The Hickory Hill
Sunday school met week ago, and
recognized for the year, as their Gus.
tom always has been. Because the
directors of the Hickory Hill public
school decided not to allow any meet
ings to be held in their building, and
because there was new chapel at Fair
vile station, the Hickory Hill Sunday
school decided to remove their property
from the school house to Bethany Pres
byterian chapel. Those who removed
the property did so on the order of the
Sunday school, and they showed their
order to be one in charge of the school
property. They have tried to do every
thing in straightforward, honest and
legal way, and they believe they have
done so. The work Of Bethany Pres
byterian Chapel. at Fairville station, is
prospecting, and is one Ct the promising
points, Placed by the Plesbytery of
Chester under the pastor of the Presby-
terian Church of Kenneth Square.
Yours truly, r. A. Hunter.
p. ST. should state that all the
work on the Pennsylvania side legiti.
mately belongs to the Presbytery of
Chester, according to Synodicai and
Presby terial lines.
|, In reference to the foregoing, Mr..
| Shaifner, who was in West Chester to-
day, made the following statement:
The statement contained in your
issue of March 3lst, 1900, with refer
ence to the chapel at Fairville and
Mendenhall, does gross injustice to Mr..
j. M. Shaffner. The facts, as far as he
| is concerned, with reference to the
| transaction, are these:
When Mr.. George N. Thompson re-
moved from Fnirville. he placed in the
| hands of Mr.. Shaffner certain moneys,
which had been collected in the Sab
| bath school, held at school house
about half way between Mendenhall
and Fairville, known as Hickory Hill
! Sunday school.
| About five years ago a regular
organization was formed in connection
with said school, with a constitution
and bylaws and officers, having In view
| the maintenance of Sunday school
and the raising OF funds for the erection
| of a chaEel for its accommodation, and
| for the accommodation of the people OF
| the neighborhood. This organi cation
has boon kept up ever since that time
and moneys have been collected and
paid over to Mr. Shalfner, to be held
| for the same purposes. Within year
| the question of undertaking the erection
of n chapel and its location was
brought before this assoclation and it
was almost unanimously, If not entirely
| so. determined by said association to
erect the chapel at Mendenhall, and
steps were taken to carry the project
| into execution, and soon thereafter a
| lot was purchased and this association,
| by resolution, authorized and directed
| Mr.. Shaffner to pay the money in his
| hands over to the purchasing committee
OF this lot, which he did. About that
time, the people IN the immediate
| vicinity of Fairville started project
| and formed AN organization to have q
| chapel erected at Fairville. Nearly all
of those who took part in this latter
organization had not beeh members OF
or connected with the former organiza-
ton, which had collected the moneys
\ and bad no interest in the funds that
had thus been collected, and no right
to control their disposition.
This latter organization began the
erection of chapel, which has neen
maintained and carried on by parties
almost entirely different from those in
terested in the first organization. From