The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-11
THE TABERNACLE REBELS.
JERSEY CRY CONGR EG iTIOS CAN'T
CIR ms INDEPEk DfNCE

JERSEY CRY CONGREGiT IoS CAN'T
CIR ms IyDEPEk DiNCE
Trustees Of the Rev. DIR. John l.. Scuider's
Church ben ,unc.d for Proposing to Run
III. Tnberpacl" ~ n Dependency In
,ld.nts OF an lnharmonious MreIing.
About four years ago tho First Cungrcga.
,ional Church, known as the Tabernacle. In the
lower pant of jersey CITY. and the Reformed
Church at Bergen aud Boyd avenues on the hll
united ani adopted the name u the First Com
grrga'lonal Church The hill chu rch. which Is
In fashionable part Of the city. had not been
having expenses. 1t was chiefly through the
effort, ~ the Rev. DR.. John l.. Scuiier. pastor
Of tho Tabernacle. that the churches were
am~llgqmated. Dr. Scrtder was made pastor.
At frat he divided his attention M partially be-
tween the two churches. preaching In each on
alternate sundays. In tirc, however, he
moved to the hill and took up his residence IN
the rHrOchial house adjoining the church. The
Tabernacle was left 10 the care OF an assistant
pastor. The last assistant pastor accepted a
call to another church. ind since then the
Tabernacle has been practically without a pas
tor. Tho hill ,eop'r got To calling It a branch
Of their church. and it is now recognized as
such.
Inc IlhtfHl'le neOpIe nave rPSen''1 WllJ
they regard as the neglect with which they
have boon 'reated and have made several nm
successful efforts to establish an Independent
church. They say that the failure OF their ei-
forts is due u the fact that a majority Of the
trustees Of the First Congregational Church
are attendants at the hill church and have
their interests centred there. The Tabernacle
people first asked for the free use OF the
Talprn lpIa AMI ayraaI m saaura THAR avn
pastor and pay their own expenses. This was
refused by the tru stess. A week or two ago
the building WAS so cold that a prayer meeting
could not ba held. The sexton was
asked why there was no fire and he
replied that there was no coal. He
had received iustru' ons from the trustees
not to order any coal without authority from
than. The tabernacle people began TO think
itlooksd like a fre"zH.Out. but they resolved 10
make one more effort to get the use 81 the
Tabernacle. The trustees consented to lease
It 10 them for ono year. They agreed TO this
PROV led the .eas" should contain n clause CIV
ing them 'ho privilege Of q renewal at the end
of the year. This was denied and the follow
ing unicatIon was sent 10 the Provisional
Board Of Trustees oi the Tabernacle:
"nENrIE>E lourlettaro Feb. ~, 1900. re-
colvrd. whoa y'1r comm ,ttee was teiorc ~
Nv 'NAiTN q =Hlh
rr, 4. and II Wa, at that time or conclusion
that tao such clause should be inserted, and We
See no argument, ara, now advanced IN iayor
II such "A clause. and We see no reasons 'pr
changing our m mis- on this question. Tho
mem"taLdum submitted to you at our meet
.nE OF Feb. - expressed our ultimaturl, and,
uaSuuc a. those whom you REPRESENT Will
not accept the same we cnnclu ie that all n"go-
'iatons which have for their object the iurm-
NIX OF an independent church are at au end.
We shall. therefore, put into effect the pans
Cor The cuntinuunce NJ the tabernacle work
which We have been enleavoring to tormq! to
,ur some tune. and as : )On as possible advise
the tabernacle people OF the same. Very truly
yours, Board OF TRUSTEES FIRST Cos
CREGATICNAL CHLKCH SOCIETY,".
FRANK II. Hall, Secretary
The 1aterrHcle reorle heard no more about
tie natter officially until Friday night. when
the Loard Of Trustees dropped IN unexpectedly
alter tie PRAYER mcetiug and djvulgrd their
plan. A hot lime followed their appearance.
tho Tabernacis people. men and women,
the trustees what they thought OF The action.
The, trustees present were Ncssr|. .Ger~on.
ron,inuince Of the Tabsrnacle wors.
It provides that Deacon, Myr"n ne!1ey ana II.
L. iirlswo'd. Trustees F.. l. Sherry ani Sydaey
loud ami Treasurer James :. Whilple shl
constitute a committee to condnct The a1aIrs
1.-THE lahernaei". The romm,tter viii provide
the church with u pastor. d"'ray all expense Ot
the 1aber"acl AMI assume charge OF the,
church affairs generally. All moneys received
lbNItnNl lT'W rentals g IlF lUl'siIk. 'Ou-
tritutions. pew rents ana an other sources VIII
tie USED exclusive ) for the over branch. The
Treasurer WI! attend TO the paying Of all bills
out ot this ind- pendent treasury.
That is an Infamous PROPOSITION" shouted
one OF the lahornacle members when Mr.
Bake had finished reading. There were cries
of"Nr thairmau" nnl "Mr. President"
There Is no chairman or. President said
1lr. Blake.
woman. Il move that Mr.. Gould take the
chair
- cond tho notion" said another young
woman.
."Thele is no need Of chairman explained
Mr.. Blake. a" not to vote on mis- matter.
We simply came here t. submit this plan 10
you AMI see il II l. satisfactory. 1t has been
adopted ~. m" Board Of Trustees. and will
govern the Tabernacle in the future
Trustee Sperry "a i in part: The Board OF
Trustees Is in. control; let that be distinctly
understood. The pastor who will preach hero
will be Of your own selection The Treasurer
~ one Of your own members. None o. the
money real 2-d here will 20 to the hill. see
no reason why YOU should not work with us
and got clear ~ all this wl1ngle."
The discussion showed hat the Tabernacle
was not likely 70 be reconciled 10 the new
scheme.