The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-11-05
TABERNACLE SOLD
The Old Church Becomes the
Property Of the
Elks.
FLAW IN THE TITLE RUHORRD.
Manual Says Trustees Cam OF
Sell $500 Worth of Prop
erty Without Consent
of the Society.
FLAW IN THE TITLE RUHORRD.


| The old Tabernacle at the corner of
York and Henderson streets has been cold
whether legally or Illegally ts now the
question among the downtown members.
1t has been purchased by the Jersey City
Lodge, No. I'll, Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, and will be used as hall.
The purchase was negotiated Tuesday
evening and closed Wednesday morning
when the deed was drawn up by Coun-
sellor Frank H. Hall. The price paid was
$780,
Although the church proper has been
closed and no religious services held in it
since last spring, when satisfactory terms
between the uptown and the downtown
factions could not be arranged, the down.
town people did not withdraw from mem
bership. They have been conducting
prayer meeting and Christian Endeavor
services in the lecture room. A commit
tee from the trustees visited the down
town church at the Sunday school and
Christian Endeavor servies yesterday and
read message from the pastor, the Rev.
John L. Scudder, stating that owing to
the accumulating debt on the Tabernacle
the property had been sold, but that the
gymnasium of the Peoples Palace would
be fitted UP with steam heat, chairs and
pulpit, that the downtown people might
still continue religious services.
In the church manual there is a clausa
which reads
The trustees shall hold and faith
1ully preserve in trust for the society
and for the use and purposes for
Whlch The same shall be appropriated
by the society, and for no other, all the
real and personal property belonging
TO the same; receiving all income, lega-
cles or donations according thereto
ana dlsburse or invest the same as
tney shall deem expedient or the So
clety shall direct, and in all necessary
ana lawful ways act as it's legal rep
resentative; provided, they shall not
nave power to make any purchase, sale
or contract involving an amount ex-
ceeding five hundred dollars, or remove
the place of worship or cause the
same to be closed; or in any way to
after or add to or dispose of any
buildings. rooms or other property of
the society unless authorized to do so
py majority of the members present
and voting at a. regular meeting of the
Tor the purpose as hereinafter pro-
vided:-
According to a Tabernacle member, seen
by News" representative, this morn
ing, when the notice of sale was read the
trustees, Messrs. Griswald, Blake and
Sperry, were asked if the society had
voted on the sale. They replied that it
had.
When?' was next asked.
AT the last quarterly meeting of the
society," came the answer. This meet
ing was held in October.
The down town members were not noti-
fed thoupb tha 11pfour r,,a,,,l,ore 1.yare
according TO the trustees. The three
three trustees when asked how many
were present at the October meeting re-
piled that they did not know as they were
not present at the time
Mr.. Frank Hall when seen this morning
said that no society meeting had been
called on the subject and that none was
to be called. The purchase, he said, was
negotiated in hurry. The Elks wanted
to rent the Tabernacle property, and the
trustees suggested that the society buy it.
The suggestion was acted upon. That
was last Tuesday night, and on Wednes-
day morning the deed was drawn and the
sale completed.
When asked about the clause in the
manual, above quoted, Mr.. Hall said that
the purchasers were perfectly satisfied
that the trustees could give a perfectly
clear title, and that he, Mr. Hall was
satisfied the title was clear. He, however,
seems to think that the downtown people
will fight, as he said he supposed that
would come up in the suit, adding .if
there is one.'
Mrs. p. J. Powers and James f.
| OMelia, of the Elks, said this morning
that their organization had purchased the
Tabernacle property on condition that
there should be no law suit
Mr.. Hall stated that the Elks wished the
purchase kept quiet
The Tabernacle people are discouraged
They are scattered and in the minority
They fel they have been wronged, but
they are not inclined to go to law,
though as yet they have not had a chance
to get together for consideration They,
however, feel confident they have case
The REV. John l.. Scudder was not at
| home this morning when 1.-THE News
representative called.
| The Elks will set to work at once. as
soon as they know their title is clear, to
| 1t up their new possessions. The prop
erty has a frontage of 120 feet on Hender-
son street and, 125 feet on York street.
The auditorium has seating capacity of
| 1920 The old church proper will be
! transformed into a hall, and the lecture
room, % by 100 feet, into club room.
with the floor above it for lodge room.
The story of the strife in the First
Congregational Church, first told in .tThe
News is familiar to everybody.
About three years ago the Taberna Gle
purchased the property. Boyd and Bergen
avenues as an uptown branch then ~ a