The Washington herald., 1907-07-27
CHURCH LOSES OUT
Pastor Resigns and Promise
of $4,000 Withdrawn.
FACTIONS CAUSE OF TROUBLE
Members Abandon Plan 10 Build In
stitutiOnaI House of Worship in
Congregation Lead Rev. W. J.
FrizEeH TO Seek New Pastures.

The Institutional Church which It was
expected would be built in East Wash
ington, in connection with the Congrega-
tional Church OF the Pilgrims, has been
abandoned.
A letter was received this week from
Rev ". j. Frizzell. who is recovering
from illness in Wisconsin 1t contaired
his resignation from the pasterate OF the
Church Of the Pilgrims. and stated that
Mr.. Ingram. the Eau Claire millionaire
iumberman. had decided 70 withdraw his
gift Of $4,000, offered last April. and erect
the proposed church elsewhere.
The resignation OF Dr. Frizzell was
acted upon Thursday night at a meeting
OF the Church Of the Pilgrims, being ac-
cepted. and the church determined TO give
Up the house In which services had been
held and 20 hold no meetings during the
balance Of the summer.
II is understood that the withdrawal Of
the gift by Mr. Ingram from the Church
Of the Pilgrims was due to certain dis
sensions in that body which handicapped
Mr Frlzzell and made II impossible for
the flock to work harmoaiously together
The congregation is made UP Of persons
who composed part Of the membership
Of the old fifth Congregational Church.
which form eriy worshiped at Eighth
and I streets northeast.
Sold the Old Church.
The Fifth Church. under the leadership
Of the Rev David Montgomery, sold the
Eighth street church over a year ago to
the Centennial Baptist Church and bought
lot on which to build new edifoe, at
Eighth street a2d Massachusetts ave
nue. northeast
During the time intervening between
the sale Of the old church and the resig-
nation Of Rev. Montgomery, the congre-
cation gave up the name Of the Fifth
Church and adopted the name Of the
Church OF the Pilgrims.
The congregation fourished, It is said.
and a line Of cleavage soon developed
between the old members Of the Fifth
Church and those who joined the new
Church Of the Pilgrims. This was the
state Of affairs when DR.. Frizzeil was
called to the pastorate, which was done
by unanimous call of the congregation,
before IL was known that he was to bring
with him the gift Of $40o00, with which
&c erect the new church II was thought
at the time of calling Or. Frizzell that
the congregation had fairly united. buried
its differences, and entered upon a new
lease OF life and usefulness.
Reports To U0nOr.
Many Efforts were made to salve over
the old wound. but they were not sue
cessful. and a month or so ago DR.. Friz-
zell went 10 Wisconsin 10 report upon the
conditions here and allow Mr. Ingram
to decide whether he would bestow his
gift upon that portion of the church
which was willing to affiliate itself with
DR.. Frizzell, or withdraw it altogether.
Dr. Frizzen was taken i'll on his way to
Wisconsin, and matters were delayed
until this week, with the result stated.
Il was said last night by member of
the Church Of the Pilgrims that the con-
gregation is hOpelessly divided, and he
was OF the opinion that the cleavage be-
tween the factions had now become So
marked that there was little hope of their
ever coming together. Il was the opinion
OF this member that the withdrawal of the
gift was the direct result of disunion in
the congregation. which made it impossi-
BILE for the two factions TO meet and wor-
ship in a spirit of harmony. This member
was unwilling to place the blame for the
conditions upon one faction or the other.
Beth Sides ClamOrOus.
He said both sides were clamOrous for
various things they represented, and the
conditions were the result, first. Of misun-
derstandings and then OF recriminations.
which, he thought, could not now be
healed. The opinion expressed was that
most OF the new members of the Church
Of the Pilgrims would probably withdraw
to other bodies. though 1t had been sug-
gested that as many as could unite upon
common ground should do so, and place
themselves under the home mission society
Of the denomination. as a mission. until
such time as il might be possible 70 erect
a church upon the property owned, and
go forward as a regularly constituted
church.