The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-08-23
DR. WATSON FACES
GROWING SPLIT IN
HIS CONGREGATION
On Return Will Find Many
Empty Pews IN st. Stephens
Episcopal Church.
OPEN OPPOSITION TO
HIS FEARLESS WORDS
OutspOken Rector Says He
Would Welcome Threatened
Heresy Trial.

rector of st. Stephens Episcopal
Church, at Clinton and Elizabeth ave-
nues, returns home from his vacation
trip, which he is spending in Virginia,
he will find several brands of dis
s cord. Many empty pews, formerly
occupied by some of the most promi-
nent families in his congregation. will
greet him, 1t is said
DIR. WATSON has thrown down the
gauntlet, not only to the wealthy high
1 church conservatives in his flock, but
has openly defied DIR. Magiu, of Ho-
boken, to bring him to trial for heresy.
When Vestryman Charles p. Baldwin,
who Is also the board clerk, was seen
at his office, As Clinton street, today, he
said:
Now, l do not care to say much
on the church question, because l think
that DR.. WATSON has been somewhat
misunderstood He is, no doubt, the
most liberal-minded and deepest an
alytical t~heologian that this city pos
sesses today.
Il do not say that all the members
of his church." continued Mr.. Baldwin,
ARE heartily in accord with all his
views. for a fearless clergyman, who
speaks as he thinks, is bound to create
alittle animosity among those who disa-
gree with him. There is no class distinc-
ton with him, and what won me over
to his support was the fact that he was
not a pulpit figure-head, but a scholar,
who dressed his language in such a
new, broad minded way, that 1 could
not help but admire him. He believes
In divorce when necessary to protect
the morals of society, and he advo-
Gates a non-deceptive Sunday excise
system that will not cause a saloon
patron to break the Sabbath and
trample on the laws by stealing in by
the side-door, as is don today"
The president of a prominent local
manufacturing plant, who is also a
yestryman of the church, but who did
not want his name used, said:
II am heartily in accord with the
liberal religious policy that DR.. WATSON
has for the past year been advocating.
1t was his fearless, square-faced way
of putting things that won me over to
becoming an Episcopalian. L know that
one prominent member, who is con-
nected with the banking house of ].
Pierpont Morgan in Manhattan, has
dropped out, and that one of our
vestrymen and several wealthy mem
bers Of the church, whom / will not
NAME, are not attending services. Still
it cannot be said that their action will
make any difference to DR.. WATSON or
alter his religious policy"
"Dr. WATSON is the most liberal
minded minister that l la ever met,
and he is endeavoring to bring religion
lup to a modern standard, in line with
THE times, and out of the rut where 1t
has been for ages.
THE fact shat he is determined to
s%eXround his views in the face of the
deposition of many of his influential
members, who hold different religious
Views, is, of course, making some talk
among them, but St. Stephens as a
church will support DIR. WATSON and let
the dissenting members drop out, If
they choose to. When you remember
lbatzDr. Masscn lectured in the Temple
B'nai Jeshurun, Rabbi solomon Fos-
ter's O. on Washington street,
and that the latter has spoken from the
pulpit of ST. Stephens Church, you can
see what an extremely liberal Eplsco-
palian DR.. Wasson is
Vestryman William II. Fader. of 2S9
Fifteenth avenue, who is also the Sab
bath. school secretary, failed to ste why
DIR. Wasson's views should create such
a furore in church circles. He is of He
brew origin and has become an Epis-
copalian under the teachings of st.
Stephens curate.
j, Lewis Hay, of the board, who is
said to be warmly opposed to DR.. Was
sons policy, is staying at Belmar and
could not be reached today.
y In face of all this it is said that DR..
WATSON will adhere to the stand chat
divorce is a remedy for the social dis
ease, and is an accompaniment of mod
ern civilization. "-
This view is opposed by the Rev. DR..
Magill, of Hoboken; the Rev. DR..
Houghton, of the Little Church Around
the Corner, in Manhattan; many
Aiergymen in this city and a large
fraction of DR.. Wasson's flock.
"All you have to do SAYS DR.. Was
= rs to read the gospel and inspect
eiety in its constitution and working
~ ste lilaL u Sotitty 10 lle hlIlu THAT
! Jesus came to destroy and would have
pronounced a work of the devil.
81 realize that no clergyman can get
along far in his profession if he an
t~agonizes the men who represent big
business interests. They expect the
same Difference in church that they re-
celve out of church, and as they dorni-
nate six days of the week they do not
See why they should@not dominate the
seventh"
las regards the threatened heresy
charge, DIR. WATSON says:
= Il invite Mr.. Magill to prefer charges
against me for the denial of the doc
trine. Ours is a high church diocese
III the high churchmen ought to have
the courage of their convictions.
would welcome such a here sy trial"
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