The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-30
BRETON CHURCH AFFAIR.
How Two vestries We're Elected, and
the Status Of the Case.

v11G 1sPselal Risp9tsh to The Times,
action Of the Episcopal Council In Nor
folk in declaring both B.-1ton vestries
elected last Easter illegal, and in adopt
ing a. canon under which a new cleo
ton may be held, is regarded here as a
complete victory for the anti-Roberts
people, who. of course. were forced to
claim legality for their vestry in order
to raise the question of the legality Of
the opposition vestry. The contention of
those opposed to Mr.. Roberts on all ques-
tons of canon law and the interpreta-
ton thereof was nphela by the Elec-
tons Committee unanimously and ap1
proved by the Council. When the new
election held, the question OF qualifca-
ton for church suffrage having been so
definitely settled there can be no ques-
ton of the result.
But the interesting question arises, does
Mr.. Roberts resignation hold now. that
the body to whom he resigned and who
accepted the resignation has been de-
clared to have no standing in the eyes
of the church law?
Rev W. T. Roberts was called to Bru-
ton Parish in 1893, and took charge In
March Of that year
The first note OF trouble was about
year later when the incumbent Junior
warden failed of reelection and a more
Intimate friend of the rector's took his
place. Later there was a disa greement
between the rector and the superinten-
dent of the Sunday-school, who was also
vestryman, resulting in that gentle
mans resignation of both positions. Soon
after this twenty-one of the congrega-
ton signed a pa per asking the Bishop to
dissolve the relations between the rector
and the congregation. The Bishop adj
vised that this paper be sent to the yes
try. which was done. The petitioners,
receiving no answer. supposed that it had
been pigeonholed, and one by one, or in
groups. they ceased to attend services at
Bruton Church.
The register of The vestry had been
instructed to answer the petition in a
conciiatory manner, but he forgot to do
SO. On the vestrE at this time were
the two gentlemen who to-day went to
Norfolk in opposition to Mr.. Roberts.
After the petition-lnatter the discon-
tent did not disappear, but was made
manifest only by Withdrawals, wholly or
in part. from participation in church
affairs Oh the part of individuals No
organized opposition to the rector showed
itself until the appearance OF the rectors
open letter to the Constitutional Conven-
ton last fall. Then the opposition
counted noses and thinking themselves
in the large majority organized to elect
a TeStrS Al Easter pleQSeu 10 ask INr.
| Roberts to resign.
| How this election resulted in two sets
| of men claiming to be vestres is recent
| history and need not be recounted.
Twenty-eight voted for Mr.. Roberts
/ supporters and fifty-tive for his oppo-
| nents but as two of the judges took a
| view of the qualification of voters that
abridged the electorate considerably. COM
| municants being barred unless they Were
| contributors also. the result as announced
by the majority of the judges was III
| favor of those receiving twenty-eght
votes, and this decision the rector and
the bishop supported.
| The rector.s side claims that the sue
| cessive Withdrawals. apparent OF real
| on the part of parishioners lisfranchised
| them. ard of the more than hundred
communicates reported TO the council In
May, 1901 only twenty-eight remained as
real voters, and OF these several were
| qualified to vote by virtue of promises
given on or about March l. 1902. to con-
| tribute to the church during the coming
| year.
The ether side claims that commune
| carts could vote whether contributors or
not, that, conceding the disqualification
| OF many. enough remained to double the
| tEenty-eight votes cast for Mr.. Roberts
vestry. and that contribution during the
| year past and not a promise to do so
during the year TO come constituted the
basis of determining n voters status as
| contributor.
Their effort will be to have the election
i2of Easter Monday declared void and a
new election ordered by the council OF