The sun., 1908-12-17
FIGHT TO SAVE ST. JOHNS
PROTEST. BY PROMINENT MEN
AGAINST ABANDONMENT.

Roosevelt, Mcclellan and j. Piefpont
Morgan Among the siGneFs Odloial
Statement py the vestry Says the WSrh
Is to he Combined WIN 81. Luke D
A protest against the closing OF St
Johns Chapel, signed by a number Of
prominent men, including President
Roosevelt, Mayor Mcclellan. John Bige-
low. Elihu Root, William Dean Howells.
j. Pierpont Morgan and r. Fulton Cueing,
was made public last night, A statement
by the rector and vestry was also issued.
This said that the work OF st. John's
would be combined with that Of St. Luke's,
but that no decision had been reached as
to what to do with the church building.
The protest follows:
"To N sRectoy. Church Wardens and Yes
trvmeR Of Trinity Church.
GENTLEMEN: The recent announce
ment OF the vestry that on February
next the work at st. Johns Chapel. variok
street, will be abandoned. and the natural
inference which follows. that the church
building will be demolished, come az q
surprise and shock to the community,
saddening the hearts Of those who rever-
ence the apcient monuments OF our city
and believe in the uplifting power OF ven-
cradle traditions and accumulated effort
and the refining and ennobling influence
OF dignifed and beautiful architecture.
Since this action was taken many
questions nave been publicly raised as to
the adequacy Of the reasons for step OF
such grave importance. affecting more
deeply perhaps than had been realized
the feelings OF the community and the
civic pride In building which,hy COM
mon consent, ranks second only to st.
Pauls Chapel, among the very few re-
naming monuments Of our past. These
questions will. we doubt not. receive your
further thoughtful consideration.
"In our country there exists no public
tribunal charged with the care OF our
national. monuments, and upon you
therefore as sole trustee devolves in this
case a double responsibility. a responsi-
bility which We believe you fully appre-
ciate and viii wisely discharge.
Geo. B. Mcclellan. Edward W. Sheldon.
X. Fulton Cutting John Bigelow.
Levi p. Morton. VIM. Dean Howells.
W. Bayard Cutting. G. Grant LaFarge.
Joseph HI. Choate. Theodore Roosevelt.
G. +. Southmayd. George b. Post.
d. o. Mills. Charles +. Mckip.
John Z. Parsons. Edward Patterson.
j. Pierpont Morgan. Gustav H. Schwab.
A1son Phelps Stokes Robert W. de Forest
Charles 8. Brown, Seth Low.
John B. Pine. Elfhu Root.
Thomas Hastings. j. Mayhem Vain
@. l., Rives. wright.
John g. Kennedy.
M. Taylor Pyne. .....
The statement issued by the rector and
vestry said: - ?,
The subject OF the closing Of st. 4ohn's
Chapel and the removal Of the church's
work to o point more advantageous for
II has long been under discussion and con-
sideration. 1t has been recognized for
fully twenty years that this step must
sooner or later be taken.'
: 1t should be kept clearly in mind that
in closing this chapel Trinity parish lie
not, as has been implied in some quar-
teTs, deserting the people Of one9of the
poorer regions Of this city and leaving
them without the ministrations Of the
Church. The very purpose which the
rector and vestry have had before them
during all the years that the matter has
been considered has been to minister
moro effectively to the people of this
region.
1T is the belief OF the vestry, based
upon their long study Of the matter. that
In view of the movement Of the popu-
lation the work OF Trinity parish for
this region must be done from a centre
near 10 the present site OF st. Luke's
Chapel at Hudson and Christopher streets,
and they believe that the work can be
done more strongly and effectively from
this one centre than from two The
work which has been done at st. Johns
can all OF 1t be carried on at Sc. Lnke's,
together with much other work for the
region which under existing conditions
cannot well be done from st. Johns.
mo one ever felt more keenly the close
which the work at st.. Johns
Chapel has had with the life Of this city
than the late revered rector Of Trinity |
parish, and yet after long shrinking
rom it he at last believed the facts to |
be 20 conclusive that he wrote out with |
his own hand and presented to the vestry
the reeolu ton in accordance with which |
the action Of the vestry has been taken.
$50 far are the vesty from any in
tention or thought Of deserting the dis |
triot that II is their hope to build later
Il the progress OF the consolidated work
shall seem TO justify il. as they believe
that it will. a new and substantial group
of church buildings, In which shan be car
ried on the work now being done both at
st. Johns and st. Lukes.
= @The vestry has as vat taken no action |
IN regard 10 the future disposition of the |
church building,
NEW York, December 10, 1908.
WILLIAM T. MANNING. Rector
'-WILIdAM JAY. Clerk