Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-25
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Trenton. n. J., Congregation Sticks
Fast To Its Own Choice.
BISHOPS APPOINTMENT IS OEFIED
Sexton Appointed Policeman to Stand
Guard over DOORWAY secede
from conference.-the Because Min.
lister is Southern Methodist.

TRENTON, N j.. March 2i-Givon
! the fun power OF a special policeman.
Davidd Trout, sexton of the First
Methodist Episcopal Church, stands
guard over the ediflce ready 10 thwart
any plans made by Rev. DIR. William
a. Frye, named by Bishop Luther y.
Wilson as presiding officer of the New
Jersey Conference to be pastor 20
take hold of his charge. The sexton
policeman says he will arrest DR.. Frye
If 1t l@comes necessary. MS The con-
gresation has refused to accept him
as its pastor in place Of Rev. DR..
Charles 0. Jones. the Georgia preach
or whom Bishop Wilson and the con-
ference refused TO recognize.
! Unless compromise IL effected
within 4 few days First Church may
become independent of the confer.
ence. Tho members have already not
flied Dr. Frye that they do not desire
! his services. AT the service yestcr.
day morning the congregation was the
largest in the history of the edificc.
Persons of all denominations heard
the eloquent Southcrner, and after
the service DR.. Jones was surrounded
by hundreds who pledged their sup
port to aid him in keeping his con
! tract TO serve rs pastor for one year.
Sexton Trout had been made an on.
! Ger of the law at the instance Of tho
trustees and sworn in by Mayor Mad.
, den.
"ITe was sworn In to prevent gen.
eral disorder about the church." said
, the mayor.
IT IS declared that the only COM
promise possible is that Bishop VIII.
son name the Southern preacher "a
supply pastor until his contract ox-
pires and appoint Dr. Frye to a
( charge in the Central Pennsylvania
Conference. II is believed by many
that Bishop Wilson will come Ia
Trenton. personally take charge oi
First Church and later install DR..
Frye as pastor. In this event, it il
said. the bishop might be privileged TO
enter the church, but the church
members say the bishop would have
TO preach 10 empty pews. On tho
other hand. il Bishop Wilson SHOULD
assign DR.. Jones as supply pastor,
ii is declared this would cause much
Indignation among oIncr Trenton pas
; tors. who say he IS n member of the
Methodist Church South and OF an
other conference as well, not having
been properly transferred
| DIR. Jones is as resolute in his stand
as the members of his congregation
I When asked concerning rumor that
{ Bishop Ward. of the North Georgian
conference. would recall him, he mazda
this statement:
Il do not think Bishop Ward VIII
recall me. My bishop knew of the
contract | made with First Church.
and he approved It. Now, even Bish-
op Ward cannot break this agreement
) by recalling ME, because feel In duty
lound to keep the contract l could
not leave First Church even if Bishop
Ward recalled me. and cannot breai,
my promise and submit TO the will o.
Bishop Wilson.
am placed in n peculiar position,
and. of course it is embarrassing. Int
II is my duty to stand behind the
trustees of First Church. and I intend
to do so. unless the law declares my
stand is not proper"
One Of the most prominent MON.
hers of the church said:
IF DIR. Jones leaves / will cease
10 he Methodist and would not per.
NIT my family to attend n Methodist
church. II would he impossible for
DR.. Frye TO become pastor. because
the trustees could vote him the nom
inal salary of / cent a year IL tho
courts decided that the property OF
FIRST Church belonged TO the confer
ence. The trustees alone decide upon
the pastors salary. and DR.. Frye
would lind no coal or other necessary
supplies ut the parsonage If he forced
himself on the congregation"
a, DIR. Jones came to Trenton last De.
cember from Rome. Ga When Rev.
~. Morgan Read was made a presid-
ing elder First Church was left with
out pastor and was told it wouli
nave to do the best II could in secur.
ing minister until the conference
met Dr. tones was called and nc.
cepted. The other Methodist minis a..
ters OF Trenton would not attend his
reception. They declared he had no
more right TO fill the pulpit than n
Presbyterian or Baptist because OF
the division between the Methodist
Church South and North.
DR.. Jones has held charges in Vir-
ginia, Georgia and other states. He
Is on the editorial staff of the Wesley.
an Christian Advocate, published In
Atlanta. and was for years religious
editor OF representative Southern pa.
pers. Since the trouble arose over
his passionate he has teen offered \
larger salary TO return TO the South
but has declined.