The sun., 1909-02-04
TRINITY CORPORATION
Not subject to Investigation b'
New York Legislature.

To TIE EDiIoB or TIE SUN-Sr. Ihs
bill introduced at Albany by Assepiblyrnap an
Cuvillier to investigate the expendit of
the funds OF Trinity Corporation, Nsv
York, and the appropriation Of $4,000 foy
the inquiry 10 q big legal blunder. Even
! the structure OF the bill shows oonipets
ignorance OF English and American church
law. In the first place the only Legal tl,ls
OF the Trinity Corporation 10, The Rector
Church Wardens and Veetrymen. and NOT
a. indicated In the bill. The rector N
Trinity occupies an old Church OF England
-benehce," and consequently II the cor.
poration made any sale. mortgage or trans.
fer OF property when there was no reeto,
the transaction was illegal. Then the in.
vestigation itself Ia In distinct violation q,
the Constitution Of the United States. IN.
corporation OF Trinity is srnenable only IA
the members OF it's own community and no,
TO the State. II there has been wronv.
doing the matter must be taken into a crinni.
nal court.
Trinity parish came into possession n,
It's property by the thlrty-sixth article of
the Articles Of Confederation OF I777, which
confirmed all grants made by the authority
Of the King Of England prior to October IA
iT75. and not by any definite articles OF IN.
corporation, al do religious societies now or
The error Is very common. even among
What Is called the Protestant Episcopal
privileges Of the mother church OF Eng
land. For instance. the rector OF any on.
Of It's churches cannot be removed unless
because the rectorship Il q lie tenure. iDs,
As Is still In England.
When In i777 the Church of England 4,
%sS wss SO .eprS eS RS 9
spiritual matters that 1t was not a6Ie ~
form any corporate body las more recently
In the case OF the Chproh Of Ireland 70 re.
quently such churches as Trinity. New Yors
Q8o7); st. Peters, West Chester uTsi6
Christ Church, Rye. ti7Ool Trinity, FishEI
ample Trinity Church with It's re rector, Or
church wsrdens and vestrymen decided b
over which Bishop Greer presides they could
do 80. The state canEct interfere but psr-
haps some humble communicate OF the
dime every cry Sunday and has received Gee sSed b.
Holy Communion In the church at lesst
four times In the year could get an injune-
Ga Snd MsGh @fa6 os *. Lead
Trinity Corporation could not exist without
a rector. at least it could not sell or mort
Some years ago when the Trinity corpor.-
step was questioned. for this reason: Ths
Church Of England under mandate from
the King formed a parish ip New YorktOr
land within the city limits, and this was
changed @ the actual members Of Trinity
parish. This Is not q matter fer the
State Legislature, but for a court OF Law.
There IL no power which cen compel the
corporation OF the church to account TO Mr.
Cuvillier's committee OF fifteen, and havs
no doubt Governor Hughes will In due tins
give them the law on the subject for taI-
payers will certainly object TO spending the
sum OF $4,000 for the moral regeneration Of
a religious corporation.
The only and real remedy 10 the election
OF a new vestry at Easter. In presentinRia
ticket for election L will be possible for any
voter to open and discuss the whole matter,
The Easter election Is parish meeting
but II any parishioner wishes TO introduce
any subject at that meeting he must re-
quest the rector TO give the REQUIRED no
tice two Sundays previous. A -parish meet
ing. in Trinity parish would be The resula,
Easter vestry meeting OF the Church ~
England. The whole matter is compli-
Gated, n there is any difficulty about
spending the large income Of this wealthy
community experience shows that Avyers
can soon devise a plan. ID. D., Ii. d.
NEW YORK, February &