New-York tribune., 1909-01-09
DENIESTRINITY'S RIGHT
UNTRUE TO TRUST, SAYS
DIR. JOHN p. PETERS.
Has No MoroI Right to Ererc'se
ErcIusiUe Control OCer Queen
4nue Grant.

Lhae4 IS PROTESTANT Ep-SSckai O-A--o--' -
and Amsterdam avenue in a statement 10 The
Tribune says that. Trinity Church, except as a
trustee fer all Episoopalians in this city. has no
moral right 10 exercise exclusive control over the
land which has made that corporation a power TO
be reckoned with in Manhattan for the last two
hundred years
Quoting records TO prove this statement Dr.
Peters shows how Trinity has gradually dTifted
away from tire original purpose Of the queen
Anne grant Of 1857 and. after building independent
churches for groups Of Episcopaians' di-
verted its efforts TO a system Of establishing 1e-
pendent chapels, deprivtng other members Of the
Church in New York of their right TO joint
ownership with Trinity Corporation
D-fFeters asserts that all members of the Prot
estant Episcopal Church in this city, outside as
well as inside Trinity Parish. have a moral rlght
20 prevent the closing Of ST. Johns Chapel IN
Tarick street. and that they have lost their lesa!
ability 10 do So only through unjust act passed
by the New York Legislature in 1874 He says mat
efter that date Trinity issued pubic accounting
Of funds until recently
DR.. Peters. in a sermon preached on ST Johh ;
Day IL his Annals OF ST. Michaels. and on ms
statements 10 The Tribune says Trinity has been
untrue her trust He says that 1t has been lril-
ity's persistent policy withdraw aid from poor
and struggling missions and churches 10 oulio cosuS
chapeis for its wealthy members
He recalls the indignation OF all Church people
in New York outside Trinity Parish over the erec-
don Of Trinity Chapel in 1852 at cost of $2Seooa
and St Agnes Chapel in 1870. also at great expense
while being al the same time unable to assist dying
churches and missions fer whose maintenance The
terms OF the land grant. he says, made Trinity re-
sponsible-
REST OF CHURCH CIT OFF
It is pointed out that only morally legitimate
courses lay open TO Trinity in handling the land
grant Of Queen Anne, both of which were as
MID GaH-a
only parish in New York City of the Protestant
Episcopal Church: in the other it would have gwen
away all the land the building and maintenance
Of churches except only such as was needed for
fits own church building and parish houses.
Instead Of this, il is said. 10y act of Legs-
iature. il has segregated immense portion Of The
grant 10 its own exclusive use and cut on the rest
of The Church in Manhattan from any particpa-
ticn IN its original rights. issuing an &C
counting its finances till the publicity given TO
the closing Of Johns followed by the state
nent of 1905
1.-The closing of St. Johns Chapel'is only one of
many shaTnes in the history of Trinity policies
said Dr. Peters yesterday. When the city was
growing to such extent that thousands were
without any churches 10 attend the Church DECIDED
in 1881 10 undertake movement for free chapels,
ana the City Mission Society was organized Tim
ttv made grant to this work Of from $500 to S6oG
& year until lS47. In 1852 lack Of support OF Zion
Mission Church. in Mott street. made il necessary
step the work there and advertise the church for
sale.
"A meeting of the clergy of New York held
in 81. Johns Chapel what steps could be
taken TO obtain the church as centre of mission
work in that part of the city A committee COM
posed Of Drs Wainwright, Hawks, Haight and
vinton. the Rev. T NJ. Peters and J. H Swift was
appointed to act. An appeal was made TO Trinity
Church for assistance but the corporation was
engaged in the erection of Trinity Chapel at eX-
pense Of s2S0000 and had n.Cney tc spare The
land ana building were sold. and the Church had 10
abandon for time its missionary enterprise in the
Sums of New York.
To some who were concerned in this effort
save Zion Mission Church il bitter experience,
mich aroused their Indignation Dr. Muhlenberg.
Robert B. Minturn and others made the failure of
Trinity &c render assistance this occasion one OF
the counts in the indictment which they presented
IN tie second attack upon that corporation in the
Legislature in 1878. Trinity using what was
trust for the whole Church, they said, TO build
magnificent chapel for few rlch pewholders, 50
that il could afford nothing for the many poor TO
whom the money belonged much as TO the 9th
ers"
TRINITYS PAST POLICIES.
In his Annals nf ST MichaeIs' Dr.. Peters ex-
plained Trinity's past policies He said:
BY as original charter Of 1857 Trinity was made
C1ty. the famous land grant of Queen Anne
was mace 10 the rector, tosethe. with ali the in
win the Protestant Church of England Alter
read: --1ne kecIor ano Inhabitants OF CIJy OF
oopal church in the state OF New YORK. TRINITY
was therefore after the revolution, as before, the
IN the Colonial period, when there had seemed to
provide for the increasing popuiation. it had
erected cnapeis ol ease, ST Georges IN Bseknlan
Caurch II iass was. therefore. naturally regardeG
as schlsm. But gradually as result. apparently,
OF this schis-n, conception OF Its legal rights
and moral obIsations began TO develop IN Trinity
IN Isss. when the new St Marks Church was
instead OF chapel; separate church, provided
of such action Vas referred 10 Richard Harrison
and AlexandeP Hamilt9n l They reported favor
uztted into union with the convention in 1902. AT
me same time Trinity withdrew its opposition TO
From that time onward for many years it was
the policy OF the corporation TO foster the growth
Of separate and Independent churches. The cor
po-aton appeared 10 regard itself trustee of
oagrySh pr proPIerty Ger n9{ for one parish Of Trinity
of right when L new church was founded, some
portion Of its endowment turned over TO that
e1eh HE osns ma eafter @ Of te ehuyc would seem
oe the Tsatoa Of Trn to the e chuncS
n Ne nork Cts at ,aTge provided % t separate
BY This time there were some nine parishes
in New York besides Trinity. In 1872 some mem
vote a. al the Tlny ciections. and were REUSED
To prevent such claims in the future and validate
rste parishes Trinity applied 70 the Legislature
ehurchmen OF New York entered protest against
as sun s' and one Ss Sc Mak ora
tnsorssd Trinitys position.
CORPORATE TITLE CHANGED
b. tie vote III council the chancellor deciding.
Trlniry's request granted in 1914 and the cor
Tariens ana SestTymen in the City of %ew YoTk
the grants made TO separate parishes and the
ssidsfea ard 1ne risE: 20 Vote at Trinity elections
chareIs