The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-01-17
TABERNACLE END.
Nothing Has Yet Been Done
Regarding the Continu-
alton Of Services. !.
is Mr.. DoUGHERTY RESPONSIBLE ?
Some Members Says He With
held a Communication
Asking for a Con-
ference.

rHSl congregational Church. held one
year ago in the Tabernacle, resolutions
We're passed, First, that preaching SER
vices in the Tabernacle be continued';
second. that it have an assistant pas
tor" and, Third, that there pc one
treasurer, and that all monies raised IN
the Tabernacle be expended on that
church" These resolutions were to hold
in force for one year to decide If the
Tabernacle contingent was able to carry
on services. At the end of the year twas
to be decided whether or not the services
would be continued. The year was UP at
the meeting of the society last Thursday
night At that meeting no mention of the
continuance or discontinuance of the Tab
ernacle work was made So far as can be
learned no provision for the continuance
Of the work has yet been made. It is
stated that this matter will De decided
within a week or two.
Various reasons are set forth explaining
why the downtown work was not .attenn-
ed to prior to the beginning of the year.
but the real reason, several members
claim, is because the secretary of the pro-
visional board of trustees of the down
town branch did not make known the in
tertions of the Hill. trustees, as explained
in a communication, dated in November.
Mr.. Louis -Dougherty is the secretary,
and he has been one of the strongest adj
vocates of complete separation. No rea-
sons are given for the Withholding of the
letter. 1t is stated that the Tabernacle
finances would have long since been at
tended to and plans laid for the carrying
on of the work this year, if the letter had
been presented to the downtown people.
This communication was only made
known a few days ago. 1t asks for a
committee to confer with the Hill branch
regarding the future of the Tabernacle
work. The question of a separation was
not to be considered at the proposed con-
ference. The separation has fallen
through because of the stand taken
against the question by the Hill people.
The uptown branch considers the de-
mands made in the petition out Of the
question. The Hill people are perfectly
willing to allow the work to go on. but
not in the manner in which it was run
during 1899.
Plans are probably in hand for the
continuance of the Tabernacle work.
These are not public property. and none
of those interested in the matter will
talk upon the subject Until the future
of the down town work is decided the
Tabernacle will go on as it has during
the past year. AS 'aThe News stated,
not one cent has been received for pew
rents or contributions. Some of those who
formerly subscribed have requested the
assistant treasurer to keep their names
off the list this year.
Assistant Treasurer James Whipple,
who has occupied that position for year,
intends to resign in few days. He has
refused to accept a second term. The
down town branch usually recommends
a candidate for the position" said he,
shut it won't be I. Regarding plans for
the work in the lower part of the city,
1 know very little. I have no doubt that
there are plans under consideration,
for the work cannot go on much longer
as it is at present.
"It was only a few days ago that the
Tabernacle people were aware that the
Hill people had sent a communication to
them speaking of the question of carry
ing on the work. Our people are of the
opinion that Mr.. Dougherty had some OBJ
ject in Withholding the letter. What it is
I know not. 1 feel though, that the
IaDerndcle WOulu nave pSll piOfiuCd AoA
long ago if the communication had been
made known.
ST really do not know how the work
will go on. Several times efforts were
made, those in charge of the matter said,
to induce pastors to take hold of the
work permanently. All attempts have
proved frtitless Pastors will not come to
the church under the existing conditions,
the Supply Committee, says. Most pas
tors prefer to have full power to run
their charges as they see fit, and not be
subjected to the rulings of another.
.'Mr. Scudder is of course, the recognized
pastor of the two churches. It is
physical impossibility for him to attend
to all of these institutions, and naturally
something has to suffer. An assistant
pastor is restricted and has to obey the
head pastor This is where the real
kick come in. The downtown people want
a permanent pastor who will be given full
swing and need not accept the ruling or
Mr.. Scudder. Mr.. Scudder insists upon
officiating at communion services, which
causes much feeling among the Taber-
nacle people Many are opposed to MIN.
81 think that the separation project has
dropped out of sight forever Nothing
more has been heard of 1t. Those formerly
most interested in the plan, have assumed
an attitude of indifference and have al
lowed it to fizzle out do not think that
the question will ever be considered
again.
Tabernacle will be decided in a few days,
or at least week. Something has to be
done, or the church can never go on as