The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-26
TRIBULATIONS OF A RECTOR.
SHIFTING GARRISONS CAUSE
SOME OF DIR. EVANS,S ILLS.
He Receives $3.50. Out Of which lie Pays
His House Rent-says He Cannot
Sustain His Position on That salary
-lntimates That He VIII Resign soon.

Down in the bleak reaches of Fort Hamil-
ton yesterday morning the little congrega-
ton of St. Johns Protestant Episcopal
Church received as their holiday surprise
the announcement OF the impending resig-
nation of their rector. the Rev. DIR. f. T.
Evans. DR.. Evans told them at the Christ
mas services that his sermon next Sun
day would probably be the last he would
preach As their rector.
Although the announcement was unex-
pected, it was not alto gether unantcpat
for there had been mention of the pos
sibilty Of the rector taking this action
on Christmas some days beforehand.
Neither DIR. Evans's path nor that Of his con-
gregation has been altogether a bed Of
roses since he first began his spiritual pill
grimags in the Fort Hamilton section in
March.
DIR. Evans came from central New York
to this suburban community of the metropo-
lis with the idea, he said yesterday, that the
cost of living here was less than it has
proved to be. Even since his advent the
cost OF life's necessaries has advanced, the
price of coal not being the only additional
tax he has had to bear And he found, he
said, that his salary of $3.50 as rector would
not sustain his position. So he had been
considering what TO do, and while he had
not definitely determined to resign, he felt
that he should probably take that course
and had accordingly made the announce
ment to his people yesterday morning.
Il had supposed" ne said. that rectory
would he built soon after my coming here,
but the small church cannot put up a rec
tory and have to rent house out of my
salary. There is no chance to build up the
church a. | had thought. Many of the
people Of the vicinity are poor, and If it
were not for the officers of the Fort Hamil.
ton garrison the rector of St. Johns would
have hard time Of it indeed.
i have wife and Ave children, and be-
sides must support the position in which the
Church to-day expects it's rectors to appear,
and / cannot do this on the salary But
do not know absolutely yet that shall re-
sign. In any event my wife and children
will continue to reside here for some time
and ! shall continue to be parishioner of
st. Johns and loyal supporter Of the
church"
Maybe If they increase his salary he
will not resign said Mrs. Evans.
But an increase of salary is not likely to
be offered DIR. Evans, according to DR.. Ii. s.
".
did not go TO church yesterday morning
He was too busy, he said. But he said that
the church was unable to pay the salary
that DR.. Evans wanted.
1T is a mission church.. said DR.. Thorne.
@and is unable to get along as il is without
aid from the archdeaconry. Ii was es-
tablished about seventy years ago, largely
on account Of the fort here, but il cannot
flourish at all times.
When there are large number Of the
officers and men of the fort in sympathy
with our church we have a good conRreQa
ton at st. Johns. That was the case
with the last regiment at Fort Hamilton.
But when that regiment was ordered away
and the present one came, few mont hs ago,
II made serious difference with the con-
gregation Of our little church, which some
times has only about forty parishioners in
attendance at its services. So il always
has been with this church. whose material
fortunes vary with the Episcopalians in the
changing garrison
DIR. Evans Is an eloquent preacher, At
for a larger parish. and think that he has
in view another place, but do not know.
He has not yet sent his resignation to the
vestry, but we have told him that we can
not pay the salary. He was engaged for
one year only, a. We are unable to en-
gage a rector for a longer period on ac-
count of the varying character of our
church support
differences between DR.. Evans and his
parishioners. beyond the condition to be
found in every church. small or large,
where there were bound to be some persons
who were not always satisfied with their
minister. DR.. Evans. he said, was a Welsh
man who had been educated at a school in
Wales which il part Of Oxford University
and retained some native peculiarities.
but had taken up American habits as
thoroughly as one educated in another
country could do.
DIR. Thorne was not the only vestryman
absent from yesterdays services, but Or.
Evans said that the Fort Hamilton officers
and their wives who attended expressed
their regret at his announcement OF his
contemplated resignation. The rector said
that the military people were most kind to
him and his family and had sent Christmas
presents to his children, and he asked II
any one had said aught in any way rejecting
upon him.
Dr. Evans used to live in tooth street, but
has moved to Ninety-second street He
has a letter Of commentator from the
Right Rev, Frederic d. Huntington, in
whose diocese he served in central New
York. When he was rector of st. James's
Church at Teresa, N. Y, he had sixty-four