The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-09
BLAMTSPOTTER FOR FAILURE.
RECTOR JOHNSONpS VIEWS OF
his PARISH TROUBLES.

BayU the Church Here II Not Truly EplSs
copd and That Its Conduct IL Driving
Men 20 the Roman FAifh-Witneasi
HIS Predecessor IL Now . Catholic.
The Rev. W. Everett johnson, rector Of
the Church Of tho Redeemer In West iS0th
street, will distribute in his church to-day
letter 70 his congregation, showing his
attitude toward the Episcopal Church
authorities In this diocese. In this letter
Father johnson attacks Bishop Potter and
other authorities Of the diocese for their
administration Of tho diocese.
This IL, IN part, the letter;
I became connected with the Church
OF the RedoVmer IN the fan u Iss3 e. an
asSistantto the Rev. Henry A AdamA who
had then been rector Tor about six months.
There was FIRST mortgage on The property
for tSs, ooO held by tho city, bearing per
cent interest, and q second MOI tgage for
$4,000 at 0 per cent. interest. At this time
the interest on the first mortgage Of $50 q
week, was being paid by the parish, and the
interest on the second, Of 81, 500 year, vas.
being paid by Trinity parish. This debt
Of 900 was due TO ono error, and thar
the attempt to build a large church on Land.
70 which there WA an insecure title. After
nearly so 900 had been expended in build
ing. the church was compelled TO purchase
titleito the land. Had Il not been for thiA
the church would have bsen built without
debt.
AT the end Of three months Father Adama
insisted that / assume the rectorship to
which was elected by the vestFy ON Dec. q
lss7, and be became the assistant. During
the following summer Qsss) Adams par
Verted TO Rome and the effect produced
was most disastrous, nearly every ona
expecting me 70 follow him, and all hope
was Abandoned What little wealth therO
was In the congregation took fright and
went over, not TO home, bun 70 safer
churuhAs-
After most careful ounEdery ton By
the Vestry 81 the vhole situAt, IL was
determined to make an effort 10 raise the
whole amount Of the first mortgage, t65, 900,
and il we failed in that to sell out the church.
nroperty. An appeai was therefore made
TO the congregation on Jan. 1, 1871,
for pledges contingent on the subscribing
OF the whole amount by April 1, 1921. The
conRre cation and those directly Interested
IN tbe church soon subscribed S2S =
very large amount under the circumstances,
vet $4,000 short of that needed. II was
then decided TO sell the church property
which was done just before the end Of
that year, leaving a large and devoted
con RTegation churchless.
Had the parish been really Episcopal
Il would never have been allowed 10 build
a permanent church unless the title to the
land was incontestable; one cannot ina Rtne
the Roman Church making such blum
der, for the Bishop is one Of the trustees
OF each church corporation, and OF course
is Obliged TO maintain a system OF legal
advice thoroughly independent OF casual
parochal ambitions.
principally TO his disgust with the congre-
tiopal and competitive methods OF operation
Of EPISCOPAL parishes II was that that
turned his face IN the direction OF konns
and has turned hundreds OF others In the
Church in the same direction.
Our utterly hapbs zard method Of
church extension and maintenance has
proved an entering wedge LOT the pens
tTRtion Of Roman errors in faith and doc
trino. As a business restitution eyeTy
one Of us admires the Ron an Church IN
this city, and yet a most unnghteous oon-
BorvatiEm prevents us from doing like
wise.
deemer was doing it's best work, and had
attracted the attention OF the press AZ
well as Of church people generally, tho
mother church of the city-Tnnity Church
withdrew it's appropriation for tho
interest on the second mortgage thus
increasing the fixed interest charge from
S5O TO nearly $50 a week TO be paid by the
parish IL must be noted that Trinity /
parish was a party 70 the absurd blunder
~ creating the debt. for without it's aid
the second mortgage would have bean
impossible, and, having made the blundoT.t
vas in honor hound to continue that sid.
sIn our final effort TO subscribe the hrBt
mortgage Of $4,000 there was received
Ia this ne rish snd smong ite friends $751; 900,
oaying SC, 600 az the object Of appeal to
the Church throughout the city. In order
that the appeal might carry some weight
II was necessary TO obtain the Bishop's
Endorsement. This the Bishop refused to
give, for three reasons; INST that the cree
ton OF the debt had been kind OF ecole-
siagtioal gambling; second, that the genius
~ the church was not suited TO its neighbour
hood: third. that the rector belonged 20 a
school whose only use for Bishop was thet
of his ma me for the purpose OF raising money
creating an entirely erroneous impression
In the minds OF those 20 whom the appeal
was made. A a result OF this refusal all
efforts for a general appeal were abe ndoned,
and during that year GseO the church was
i trust that have made plain in this
letter the fact that the Church OF the He
deemer was lost because the Church In this
city il a paroohial and not an Episcopal
church. I do not mean that we have lost
the apostolic order, but that we have lost
the apostolic missions and unity OF Life.
am not blaming any individual man, but
our general loss OF that which We nightly
inhsrit-the unity Of our common work.
Later on intend to show you how the
Church has become weaker and weaker
In this city from the same causes, end what
a travesty IL s that we pose % ardent
workens for a Christian unity which We do
not possess ourselves.
Il love what men call the Episcopal
Church, and feel a right 70 express that
love, because | have had 20 bear 20 long
the active pressure that has drver 30 many
Of my brethren TO desert H.. SO many
times | have listened 10 the plsint 'Doas
you think you are leading men 10 homef-
while ! well know from sad experience That
those below are driving them 10 disloyalty
not 20 the faith only but 10 the order and the
discipline Of our Catholic heritage.
Two Miles OF Dead Fish In Minnesota axe
~. 81 r,s---,-a !