The sun., 1908-12-23
STRIFE.iNsG CHURCH CLUB
ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S MEN MAY
GIVE UP THEIR QUARTERS.

GIVE UP THEIR QUARTERS.
Al Least They're Coins 70 Debate the
Question Monday--ROw Not Due to
RellSi6ds Differences All Agree-The
Last Election Not All Harmonious.
DisseuGions have arisen In the Mems
Club Of ST. Bartholomew Church, and
% result meeting has been called
for next Monday evening 10 discuss the
question, 70 the announcement reads.
why the Mems Club Should Not Be
Discontinued
At a recent meeting Of tho house COM
mittee .of the club DR.. Leighton Parks.
the rector Of st. Bartholomew and
president OK ofiicio Of the club, laid down
the law pretty severely to some Of the
members OF the committee and virtually
lntmated that the club would be dis
continued unless there was q better
spirit tr,of cooperation with the rector
and the church members on the part Of
those who belong TO the club merely for
Its social advantages.
The Mems Club Of st. Bartholomew e
Is nonsectarian, and for ten years has
been one Of the principal features Of the
Institutional work for which st. Bar
tholomew's has been noted. The club
was founded by Bishop Greer and its
membership has included jew and gentle,
Catholic and Protestant. The club has
fine rooms in the big ten story parish
house on Forty-second street and for the
80 year members pay they get one
OF the best gymnasiums and plunges in
the city, running track, pool and billiard
rooms and club rooms where card games
are allowed.
Despite the fact that for the money
the club offers more advantages than any
other organization in the city, its mem-
bership has been declining lately. While
at one time 1t had more than 700 mem-
bers and a waiting list OF more than 200.
It was said yesterday that its member
ship is not above 200 and only about
seventy-five of these are active members.
II vas denied, however, that the dis
sensions had anything to do with this or
that they arose through the religious
differences Of the members, as was the
report. According to one story. told
Yesterday, some of the non.chnrch t,a
which eliminated a week ago in an at
tempt to ,oust the Rev. Sidney Ussher as
seer etary Of the club. II was then that
DR.. Parks stepped in.
There are fourteen governors OF the
club, seven of whom are supposed to
represent st. Bartholomew Church and
seven elected by the club. which is made
up Of very few Episcopal!ans, the majority
Il is said. being Roman Catholics
DR.. Parks has deciding vote.
According to one version Of the trouble.
some Of the members not connected with
the church formulated charges against
the church. and brought these before
meeting Of the house committee. These
charges were apparently of a trivial sort
and accused Mr.. Usshe- of failing to post
proper bulletins and neglectlng his duties.
The charges were laid before the gov
ernors and then DR.. Parks came out end
had the house committee called together
again and "lectured" them. according to
some OF the members. declaring that the
charges had been put through without
quorum being present.
"Dr Parks said J. j. Deignan. who as
vice-nresident has called the meeting for
next Monday night. -said that the club
had not been cooperating with him for
the last six years and insisted that there
must be a change. None of us under
stood very well what he meant and we
hops TO ihterFogate him before the
meeting. have no idea what the result
will be, The trouble has been stirred up
by only few, and it was DR.. Parks who
ask ed me to call the meeting and put the
question 70 the club whether 1t would be
discontinued or not
Mr.. Deignan denied the report that
the action was at all the result Of the
different religious faith OF most. Of the
members
your years AGO." he said 'the club
did give a parade and minstrel show at
the summer home on City Island and
turned the proceeds over to the Catholic
Church there, but there was no di5satis-
faction expressed over this by any of the
church people There has been a decline
in the membership. but this is because the
club has had the marriage bee badly.
"It is true" said DIR. Parks, that there
has been some trouble, and the members
Of the club are 20 meet and decide whether
II shall be discontinued or not. The club
is strictly nonsectarian and the matter
Of religion has nothing 10 do with ii. or
course the church in a. way controls, but
this matter has been left TO the members
to talk oyer and decide. may have
something more to say later
II was intimated by one Of the members
that the governors elected by the mem
bers at the last election and who will
take Office January I were not altogether
to the liking OF DR., Parks and those
in the club from the. church
point Of view and that some folks at least
would not feel sorry "a. see the present
u. n a HI -