The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-02-26
FROZEN OUT.
Board of Trustees Refused
to Admit Coal to the
Tabernacle.
SERVICES HELD IN LECTURE ROOM
Mr.. Hall Says There Is No
Money Conditions of
Lease to Separa-
tionists.


the main room. Those who gathered for
the morning service discussed the matter
thoroughly. 1t was stated that the Board
of Trustees of the Society was to blame
for the condition of affairs. 1t leaked out
that the janitor, Thomas Whitaker, Jr.,
had been notified by the Board of Trus-
tees not to receive any coal unless by
order of the trustees The Board of
Trustees attends to the purchases, paying
for them from monies received from the
down town branch.
1t was learned that the Provisional
Board was willing to purchase coal, but
an order from the trustees restraining the
janitor from receiving any supply pre-
venting them from purchasing the neces-
sary material. This order was sent to the
janitor after he had notified the Board OF
Trustees that the coal supply was run
ming short The letter is dated February
/, and reads as follows:-
Thomas Whitaker, Jr.:-
'gMy dear Mr.. Whittaker-Your notice
about coal in the Tabernacle received
shall see the treasurer tonight and II ne
has money enough to pay for coal Tor
Tabernacle I shall order some II, how
ever, he has no money for the Tabernacle
branch, we shall not purchase any coal
| it, The action taken by the Tabernacle
people last Friday night compelS us TO
refuse to spend any money Tor tnat
branch until we receive some from them
81 am also instructed by the trustees
to notify you that no one except our
Board has any authority to purchase coal
or other supplies for the Tabernacle ana
| therefore you will see that no coal IS
put in or other materials furnished to
| the Tabernacle unless you have an order
to admit the same, signed by member
| of the Board. These members are Will
| lam Rowland, Sidney Gould, E. B. Sperry,
! Frank E. Blake, Frank M. Gerow, George
| NJ Craig and myself We shall expect
you to observe the above instructions ana
| refuse to allow anyone to deliver coal or
| other materials in the Tabernacle under
| orders from anyone else.
| FRANK H. HALL,
Secretary Board Trustees.
! A second letter was sent on February
1 II to the janitor, stating that an investl-
/ CATION into the Tabernacle's finances
would be made, and If there was money
enough coal would be purchased. If not,
| the janitor, for his own protection, was
! to receive no supplies without an order
4 from the trustees AT the morning SER
vice the Rev. S. v. Robinson, who is hired
to preach at the morning and evening
services at the Tabernacle until some de-
/ cision is made denounced the action OF
| the Board of Trustees. He said
| at is outrageous that we have to meer
! in this room There is no reason for It.
There should have been coal
| When the collection was taken, Mr..
Robert Noonan suggested that it be used
! to buy coal. Mr.. Theodore Parker rose
and said
.swhat's the use? The trustees won't
| let US put it in
Secretary Frank H Hall, of the Board
! Of Trustees was interviewed this morn
ing on the coal question and asked If the
Trustees had any motive in refusing to
allow the Tabernacle people to receive
! coal. He stated that there was no money
on hand credited to the Tabernacle branch
| and in view of this, the Trustees could
! go to no expense. He supposed, he said,
that the Tabernacle people had made up
| their minds not to send any money to the
i treasurer and if such was the case, ne
thought the Trustees were justified in re-
fusing to supply them with coal.
| At the conclusion of Friday night 5
PRAYER meeting, communication from
! the Board of Trustees was read. This
| contained several clauses regarding the
| f,,trre OF the Tabernacle. All We're ac-
| ceptable with the exception of that reia-
] tive to the lease. The communication
was the result of conference between
! The Trustees and the Tabernacle Pro-
! visional Trustees. 1t stated that the Tab
ernacle people could have the church for
! one wear but not with the option of re-
newal Action on the communication was
deferred until last night. A meeting was
held after last nights church service
/ and the communication was then read
again. 1t follows:-
Should you a small minority of the
meTnbership of our society persist in
| Withdrawing therefrOm and organize a
4 new church, when the First Congre-
| gational Church has declined to sane
tion such a proceeding and repeatedly
urged YOU to remain and work united
/ ly in common cause, you must
| recognize the fact that you VII no
CONGREGATIONAL Society," and that you
1 will thereby relinquish all rights
/ which you may have in any OF It's
property
| few of our members determined to
| secede from the Mother church and
i organize a new society at Whatever
cost, we cannot feel thato those VINO ny
| such aclion openly say that they VIII
not live with us in peace and harmony
have any right to expect any material
favors from our hands.
Yet inaSmuch as we possess two
church buildings, in one of which you
| have been accustomed to worship for
| some years, we are willing to grant
/ YOU the free use of the Tabernacle
| building for religious purposes for a
/ term of one year, although in SO doing
we must postpone the accomplishment
| Of any plans we may have formed for
| the continuance of our downtown
work Our agreement to SO grant you
| the use of the Tabernacle is based up
on your acceptance of the following
| conditions:-C) That you pay The un-
| paid bills now outstanding against the
Tabernacle and assume the present
| Tabernacle contract for music or pro-
/ cure the release of the First Congre-
gational Society from the same.
i (2) That you pay the water rent for
the year 1900.
| (3) That in case any taxes or ASSESS
| ments are levied on the property be-
/ cause of this agreement you will pay
/ the same.
Ia That you will pay for all repairs
| made during the term of the agree
raent, provided that no repairs involv-
4 ing expenditure of more than $50 shall
| be made without the consent of this
! Board.
/ Mr. Parker stated that the clause In the
/ communication for religious purposes, =
prevented the down town people from re-
csiving rent for the Tabernacle from con-