The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-07-13
Tries to Compel Church
Of the Holy Trinity
to Complete Its
Purchase.
THAT "NO MUSIC" CLAUSE
Said to Be the Cause of Eric
ton Over Scotch Presby-
terian Property.

Suit was commenced yesterday in the
Court of Chancery at Trenton by the
trustees of the Presbytery of Jersey City
against the Evangelical Luthera@ Church
OF the Holy Trinity of Jersey City. The
action is to compel the defendant to carry
out an agreement to bay church. The
defendant refused TO carry out the agree
ment alleging that the. Presbytery could
not give good title.
The church property in question was
decided to the Scotch Presbyterian Church
of Jersey City on condMion that there be
no Instrumental music in the church.
The Scotch Presbyterian congregation
finding that they were going behind,
decided the property to4 the complainant,
who Instituted the suit fled yesterday.
The complainant says that the defend
ant is congregation of Protestant Chris
tians holding the CaNanistic doctrines,
which, in substance, are the same as
those of the Scotch Presby yterian Church.
The price agreed on was $4,000, of which
5000 was to be paid in cash and $l2,5O0
by mortgage. A payment of $500 has
been made on account of the agreement.
1t is said that the defendants refuse
to carry out their agreement on account
of restrictions in the. deed given to the
Scotch, Presbyterians, in regard to music
and the continuance .of the name of the
church.
The circumstances giving rise to the
litigation are interesting and unique,
dating back to a peculiar bequest made
by George R. Mckenzie, a Scotch Pres
byterian of the rigid type, about fifteen
years ago.
The Scotch Presbyterian Church, at
that time was far from being in pros
porous condition, and numerous outstand-
ing claims, threatened its very existence
Mr. Mckenzie, who was a man of
means, published all these claims, finally
securing clear and complete title which
he presented to the congregafion subject
to certain restrictions. One 04 -hese was
that the name of the church should re-
main unchanged, and the other that no
instrumental music should be permitted
in accordance with the old Scotch Pres
byterian idea that it was not consistent
with the proper worship of God.
The church was decided to the Scotch
Presbyterian organization in 1885, by
George Ross Mckenzie, who sent the
trustees the following letter:
Although for nearly twenty years
have not attended your church. yet have
never forgotten the share 1 had in it's
first organization. So when learned that
the church was at last to be sold did
not feel that could permit such sacri-
flee. and 1 quietly purchased all the va
rious claims against it until 1 secured a
complete and clear title.
sit is with sincere qualification that
am now enabled to present to you this
church freed from all its debts, and in
adding to the gift two conditions l have
been governed by the conviction that
these in the end will supplement and
enhance the gift by securing more re-
liable and temporal prosperity and more
direct and effective religious work.
1.-THE first provision is simply that the
church shall always be known under it's
original title of the Scotch Presbyterian
Church, and my object in this is not to
make it any less an American church,
but simply to draw to it those who come,
as 1 did years ago, from the home of
Presbyterians, and to make them feel less
like strangers in strange land.
1.-THE next and only other condition re-
lates to that use of instrumental music
In churches which today has been car
ried so far that signs of reaction are
now apparent, and you may rely upon it
that the church which has stood out for
the purity of worship against bitter per-
secution will not be the last in this
movement for reform. I feel confident
that in few years (and though it may
be further delayed, yet the time will
surely Gomez you will find yourselves
among the pioneers of those who believe
that church where the people worship
God with their whole minds and hearts,
purely, simply, naturally and without
artificial aid or distraction, and where
that worship, earnestly and inteligently
carried on, is the sole attraction, is the
church nearest to His will and to His
example; and the history of Christianity
Is our warrant that reform to simplicity
and purity of worship is always an indi-
ration of renewed life and greater sue
cess in His church.
.'I had promised myself the pleasure of
meeting you and making this gift in per-
son. but in the exigencies of business I
Fnd that I am compelled to leave for
Europe, and somewhat sooner than had
exnected. / have therefore delegated the
duty to my son, who will deliver the
necessary papers, and have only to ask
that YOU transmit copy of the trust
deed to the Presbytery.
"Sincerely wishing you all success and
every blessing on your work and future
am, most truly yours.
Two years later Mckenzie decided the
church an additional lot on the same
conditions as the. deed for the ehurch
property and with the provision tnat the
same shall be maintained, used and oc-
cupied by tee Presbyterians as manse.
THE church and manse were occupied
mill 1900. when the membership was SO
reduced that it was found difficult to sup
mort a pastor and continue the use of the
nronertv as a Presbyterian church. In
iaoo If was decided to turn the whole