New-York tribune., 1900-10-18
OLD CHURCH STANDS FIRM.
SPRING STREET PRESBYTERIAN CON
GREGATION DECIDES TO RE-
MAIN INDEPENDENT.

Spring Street Presbyterian Church decided
last night not TO join the uptown movement or
TO analgarnate with any other congregation, but
to continue as an independent church to carry
on the good work the old site where it hos
stood since 1911. Spring Street Church was once
surrounded by a fashionable neighborhood; but
time has changed ali that, and as the former
members of the congregation died or moved
away the congregation has dwindled. The de-
crease has been more marked since the Rev.
DR.. Halsey, its pastor for seventeen years be-
came one of the secretaries of the Presbyterian
Board OF Foreign Missions. That was about a
year and a half ago, and one has yet taken
his place Without a head the body has
shrunken till now the membership is only about
25O, it is said, and the advisablity Of consodat-
ing with some more prosperous church has been
advocated by part Of the congregation.
But at meeting of the entire congregation,
held last night in the Sunday school room of
the church. at No. 246 spring-st.. near Varick,
this project found few supporters. and by
almost unanimous vote a call was extended to
the Rev. Roswell Bates to become the pastor
CT the church at a salary OF $500 year. The
Rev. DR.. HaIsey received 2.j00 but the church
does not feel able to pay that much at present.
Mr.. Bates has been acting as assistant pastor of
the Presbyterian Church Of the Sea and Land, at
No. 81 Henry-st.. of which the Rev. John H.
Denison is pastor. He has achieved marked sue
cess IN mission work it is said and is about
thirty years old. The Spring-st. congregation
expects him 10 introduce modern methods in his
new field and has lively hopes of seeing the
membership roll increased to it's old figure. The
spirit in which Mr.. Bates Will approach this
worl1-for, although he has not formally ac-
cepted the call yet, there little doubt that
he willis shown in the following extract from
a letter which he wrote to one OF the members
with permission TO make it public
II / come l am not to be regarded as taking
s. s.Ccs WIN cs any party or faction believe Spring
put after trying the work awhile it may seem
testing what we can do Independently I should
IND we were not fulfilling the task God assigns
consolidation would regret to have the church
Sc necessarV But tb one tb1 Us, necassa, e VIII h1o o
Win souls for Christ T that 9e we g Mist So e ~ = u1 TO
one Ge9dd the e o yG g street ed 4hess ih ever
hold OF the immediate neighborhood" as the para
mount issue, and is willing TO leave methods
ands This wish the CHURCH S &c to Know. that
should be called to serve you.
The Rev DR. Robert Russell Booth acted as
Moderator. About two hundred persons were
present c. E Seitzinger moved the call of Mr..
Bates. William Howgil. Charles Schmidt and
one or two others supported the motion in short
speeches Thomas McCIfntock an elder of the
church, while stating clearly that he had no
personal objection to Mr.. Bates, argued that It
would be unwise for the church to call any
pastor as it had reached a point where def
icit Of funds would stare the trustees in
the face Mr.. McClntock did not propose any
other course last night, but it is said that he
favors the amalgamarion OF the Spring-st
church with the University Place church, OF
which the Rev. DR.. Alexander is pastor. The
church maintains a mission chapel IN Blocker
st, and the Spring-st. edifice would furnish an
excellent home for the mission work it is
thought.
The debate, which was conducted in a digni-
fed manner, was soon over, and a standing vote
on the motion being called for, all present save
about a dozen rose TO vote in the affirmative.
When the noes were demanded the dozen re-
fused to vote in the negative either, but when
q resolution to make the call OF the Rev. Mr.
Bates unanimous was moved, Mr.. McCLintock
objected behalf Of the dozen, and asked that
their names, including his own, be recorded as
not voting against the Rev. Mr. Bates, but as
object1ng TO a call being extended to any one.
This was done. and the meeting adjourned It
is said that the site and building OF the SPRING
St church are worth about $4,000, and are not
numbered by debt.