The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-22
NEW HAVEN MINISTER ON TRIAL
ACCUSED or BORROWING OTHER
MEMS SERMONS
And JustlTylnG u by BrlnGlng the same
Charge Against the ReV. Dr. Newman
Bmyth and the Rev. Frank 70. Luckoy
-AllewMtlOns Also Of UntruthRmlneas.

-~AMeIMtpOnD Also OF Onaruthhmhmess.
NEw HAVEN, Dec. 2l.-The most sensR-
tional trial OF a Congregational minister
In Connections in the asst quarter
century is being conducted in this city
by the general council Of the ConRrega-
tional churches Of this vicinity. who nave
before them the Rev. Thomas Mckay.
former pastor Of the Taylor Congregational
Church in this city. charged with wrecking
the church. plagiarism and untruth-
Rulness.
Mr.. Mckay gave up his pastOrate last
January when some Of the leaders in the
church informed him that IL he tried to
stay any longer he would be dismissed.
He has recently applied for papers to be
allowed 60 preach In other churches and the
trial is the result Of opposition by leading
members Of his former congregation TO
granting him these papers.
In the testimony that has already been
brought out in the two days that the trial
has been in progress Mr.. Mckay is charged
with accusing the Rev. Frank r. Luckey.
pastor Of the Humphrey Street Congre-
g~ational Church. one of the wealthiest and
most fashionable churches In the city.
Of stealing Othor peoples ermons and
also declaring hat the Rev. DIR. Newman
Smyth, pastor Of Center Church, the cad
ing Congregational church Of Connecticut.
and member Of the Yaie Corporation, used
other peoples brains TO write his sermons
The allegations against the leaders Of
Congregationalism in Connecticut came
out in the testimony of John Crapp. a con-
tractor. who said:
mir. Mckay preached pretty good ser.
mons when he first came here and | thought
something was wrong. One day | bought
a book and found that the sermons he was
working of on us were DIR. Talmage's
MIR. Mckay didn't treat me very well. 80 I
wrote to Pennsylvania and found that no
had wrecked a church there.
Il then withdrew from the Taylor church
and Mr.. Mckay wouldn't give me a lette'
Of dismissal"
Mrs. Thomas Waite. the leading woman
worker of the church. was on her feet in an
instant continuing:
when Mr.. Mckay was charged with de-
livering other peoples sermons he came to
me with a little book. | had odd him that
the Rev. Frank Il. Luckey of New Haven
was my favOrite preacher and he opened
the book and said: Il will show you that /
am not the only preacher who breaches
other peoples sermons. Here is the one
Mr.. Luckey preached The book was d.
Macarthur s sermons.
This created a storm among the pastors
and the Rev. ARENAS J. Haynes. pastor
OF the United Church. whose congregation
is composed of Yale professors. asked
quickly:
Did you read the sermon?"
-Yes," replied Mrs. Waice.
This was TOO much for DR.. Snyth and he
interrupted the testimony saying:
do | hear correctly? Does his lady say
that Mr.. Mckay accused one of our body
of delivering other peoples sermons
Yes" responded Mrs. Waite, that's
what he said. | read the sermon through.
The idea was the same in the main, but 1t
was not the same sermon
George Davis. a teamster. testified as fol-
lows:
Mr.. Mckay told me that the Rev. New
man Smyth uaed abstracts Of other people,
sermons to make his own out of. and thar
he admitted il. MIR. Mckay didn't tell mo
the truth about the financial CONDITION ct
the church.
OWED for the organ and the %ianitor. lie
said that DR.. Smyth would pay for 'he
organ, but DR.. Smyth didn't"
The Rev. Mr.. Mckay has said hat some
Of the members Of the Ladies' Aid Society
were GOWN On. mn anu lldG tIley dt'ANtA
him Of trying TO break up their organi1a-
ton.
The trouble started over a piano rattle
The women insisted that when the piano
was drawn the pastor refused TO give out
the name OF the holder of the lucky number
and that the piano in consequence was
stored in the cellar Of the oh Irch for some
months.
Mrs. HYDE. who was president of the
Ladies Aid Society at the time. testified
that she had found her pastor untruthful
She said he told her son. when the boy
caught him buying cigars. that he didn't
smoke. but that he bought them TO treat
the other Congregational ministers when
they came to call on him. Later the boy
said that he met the minister smoking a
pipe. Then Mrs. Hyde and her son left
the church.
One Of the great grievances against the
former pastor was his u-nceTemonious de-
mand Of his preaching papers. According
TO Deacon Bradley OF the church, MIR. Mckay
tried 10 break up the services during the
preaching Of his successor al one OF the
church meetings. When the ministers asked
him TO tell of this incident he said:
After Mr.. Mckay left the church last
January he did not come 20 any service
until November, when with thirty-srven
members of his faction ne walked in, RAISED
a disturbance and demanded his tickle of
Dismissal just as Mr.. Harris was preaching
about Gideon and his band
"Mr. Mckay said he wasn't afraid OF Mr.
Harris. even II he was three inches taller.
When Mckay was down in Pennsylvania he
busted UP a church there"
SO many versions of this incident were
given by those who we're present when
former Pastor Mckay and present Pastor
Harris got into a fight that Milton r. hit
ter of the Vale divinity school. superin-
tendent of the Sunday school, was called
on to tell what really happened.
HO said that MIR. Mckay with his friends
came into the service just as Mr.. Harris
was preaching OF Gideon. The girls in
Pastor McKay's party began to laugh.
whereupon Pastor Harris said that their
laugh waa idiotic. The meeting broke up
with considerable disturbance.
The trial will be continued on Monday. at
which time the Rev. Mr.. Mckay will have
a chance to explain things.