New-York tribune., 1902-01-13
CHURCH STANDS BY TVISKER.
MEMBERS OF CONGREGATION TO WHICH
HE BELONGS DISCUSS HIS CASE
AFTER SERVICE.

John NJ Wisker. the engineer of the Harlem train
which teescoped the last of the New-Haven
train in the Park-ave tunnel did not attend the
Mott Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, of which
he is a member. yesterday The pew usually
pied by Wisker and his wife empty. Both
devout communicates. aud had missed q Sun
day previously for over a wear There n
usually large congregation the service. and
much disappointment was expressed at Mir. Wis
kers absence. The congrega ton is loyal to him
and is anxious to express its sympathy for him
personally. Mr.. Wisker left his home No. sec East
One-hundred- and fifty seventh-st., early in the
morning, and had returned at a late hour Mrs
Wisker. according to the housekeeper. has been
absent for several days. 1t said that Mr..
Wisker had gone to Union Hill to visit his mother.
who is suffering from paralytic stroke.
Only slight references made the tunnel
disaster at the morning service. In the invocation
preceding the sermon the Rev DR.. Burch. pastor
of the church, delivered eloquent appeal TO the
Almighty in behalf of Mr.. Wisker. Dr. Burch
said that he had been unable to prepare a sermon
for the service, and that the Rev. DR.. ]. D Bush
would occupy the pulpit.
Il have been under very great nervous strain"
said DR.. Burch My sympathies and my feelings
have been taxed to the One of our men,
bers Is in trouble, and to him all hearts go
out I have been unable to prepare myself 10
preach to you this morning, and have asked the
Rev Dr. Bush 10 occupy the pulpit in my stead"
DR.. Bush made only reference to the tunnel
catastrophe. He was speaking of the influence of
the church. and said;
AT the end OF the services the members OF the
congregation gathered in the aisles OF the church
and discussed the situation. The theme OF
conversation was the wreck and the predicament
in which one OF their members had been placed.
The Rev. j. z. Lovejoy occupied the pulpit last
evening. As in the morning. Wisker not in
the church. it being generally supposed that he
was at his mothers house, In Union Hill. y. J.
The Rev Mr.. Lovejoy's topic Inequality of
Human Justice While he did not mention Wsker
by name, he made references to the engineer that
could not be misunderstood. Mr.. Lovejoy said in
part:
In In our everyday Life we are on every side con-
on almost every hand. 1t is easy to convict poor
sibie TO prosecute the rich man who with hauehty
insolence jnges his dollars in his pockets and pulls
now from another. Money can bribe witnesses: il
is crying shame that such conditions can obtain
in this land of ours where the peoples will should
be the only law.
The most direct reference the Rev. Mr.. Lovejoy
made TO Wisker in closing, when he said:
For all that the prosecuted poor man is often
more happy in this world than his rich perse-
example. l refer to brother who. steadfast In
his faith in God and conscious Of his innocence,
though sorely tried, has borne up with courage.
In the opening prayer Mr.. Lovejoy prayed that
the Almighty should sustain ''our brother" that
every vestige Of guilt or sps@Pieon pic might be re-
might be stirred to place the guilt where it rightly
belongs.
OF the congregation did furnish Wisker's bond.
Bondsmen had been obtained by the members OF
the congregation who were able to give bail in
much larger amount than required.
DR. Burch after the services, and
pressed his warm sympathy for Wisker. He said:
~ admire Mr.. Wisker. both as a man and Chris.
tian. II would have been impossible for a of
his character to do wrong. He will not lie. and
whatever he has to in this tunnel matter will
be the truth. Myself and my congregation
will sacrifice anything 10 help out fellow mem
Der in his trouble and we believe implicitly that
he will come Of II all right He has been
member of this church for year, and he is
thoroughly loved by all of u.s.