The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-06-11
BERGEN BAPTIST TROUBLE
Faction Tries to Freeze Out
Mr.. Prior and He
Won't Be Frozen.

There are some serious factional differ
ences in the official Board of the Bergen
Baptist Church. at Clinton and Madison
avenues. They developed last week at
one of the business meetings and at the
annual election of the Board of Trustees
and Deacons, held a few days prior to the
session of the board of the church. There
appears to be strong objection to the scat
Trustees, to which he was recently and
overwhelmingly elected for the third time
for a term of three years.
The real trouble came to light Wednes-
day night at church meeting, when the
bylaws and rules were under revision.
The law allows the members of the Board
of Trustees to be present, whether mem
bers of the church or not. There was
serious objection to the presence of Trus-
tee Prior, and Mr.. Ge rge Sykes moved
that the rule allowing non-members of the
church to attend business meetings be
abolished
This is the rule on business meetings.
Rule g. Sec. Sat all business meet
ings of the church, whether regular or
special, none but members of the
church shall be entitled to be present,
provided always that this rule shall not
De construed or maze 10 Apply 10 any
member of the Board of Trustees,
though such trustee be not also
member of the church.; but this shall
not carry with 1t or mean the privilege
of voting.
This rule was created several years ago,
simply for the purpose of allowing Mr..
Prior to participate in all business meet
ings. The motion of Mr.. Sykes was voted
on, but killed. The rule was allowed to
stand as created some time ago.
This action brought out some severe
criticisms from the thinking members Of
the Church. One stated that Mr.. Priors
presence was wanted, and that those
same persons who would exclude him
from the business meetings, took two
teachers into the Sunday school some time
ago, who were of other denominations.
still they were allowed voice in the pro-
ceedings of the Sunday school meeting.
Mr.. Priors friends stuck to him through
it all.
At the annual election, Mr.. Priors sec
ond term having run out, he decided to
withdraw from the Board of Trustees. He
was informed that there was move to
beat him out for the place if he ran
again, and he was indorsed to run. Su
perintendent John B. Applegate of the
Sunday school was pitted against Mr..
Prior. The latter won easily.
There has been much objection to Mr..
Prior being a member of the Board of
Trustees, said prominent member of
the church "Yet we have a law that
covers the question regarding persons who
are not members of the church. Here is
the section containing the disputed point
THE church may elect any number Of
persons, not less than three nor more than
seven, being members of the church or of
the congregation meeting Herewith for
public worship, to be Board of Trustees
of the said church; at such meeting the
pastor or any member of the said church
may preside.
"This clearly covers the question in dis
pute and allows the non-member of the
church the privilege of being at the busi-
ness meetings, even though he shall not
vote. Mr. Prior, while not a church
member, has been one of the hardest
working members of the Board of Trus-
tees for six years past, and his efforts
have tended to help build up the Church"
Mr. Prior said he did not care to talk
about the matter, and appeared surprised
when he heard that the action of some
of the members had leaked out. He ad-
mitted that there was no attempt to force
him out, but further than that he would
say nothing.