New-York tribune., 1909-07-14
HOPE CHAPEL BEREFT
ITS PASTOR REHOTED BY
FOURTH AYE. CHURCH.
PmiShiOuers Meet Under Guard to
SGy FarezccH to the ReU.
Hr. BruChlOs.

Another chapter in the attempt Of the Fourth
Avenue Presbyterian Church to close the his
toric Hope Chapel. at No. $50 East 4th street.
was ended last night. when. at a stormy meeting
in the chapel. the Rev. Albert BruchIos. who
has been it's pastor for the last ten years. bid
goodby to his parshioners 1t was learned that
Mr. Bruchlos. who is greatly beloved on the
East Side. had been forced out
Several members Of the board Of descons %
the Fourth avenue church were present ana
overawed the meeting. The doors we're closed TO
the newspaper men. and every one that at
tempted To enter was closely scrUtinized- one
particularly venturesOme reporter was threat
ened with bodily harm and the police if he did
not get off the stoop Of the chapel while one %
the parishioners. who championed the cause OF
the reporters. was also threat tened with dire
vengeance
Since the death Of George Z. sterry the
wholesale druggist. who was shot and killed in
his office by his son wear ago. the officers OF the
Fourth avenue church have been trying 70 close
the chapel. which Mr.. Sterry had helped 50
largely TO maintain At the time Of Mr. Sterry's
death the Rev Dr. Walter Duncan Buchanan.
pastor Of the church. advocated the change. Mr..
BruchIos at that time had wordy passage Cf
arms with DR.. Buchanan and George P. Lud-
lam, who acted as secretary, in which Charles
y. TaintOr, president Of the board of trustees.
took part There was much bitter feeling be-
tween Mr.. Bruchos and the others. the former
saying that in his term as pastor Or. Buchanan
had not once visited him in fellowship
The i'll feeling increased. until two weeks ago
the board of sessions of the church asked for
the resignation of Mr.. Bruchlos He refused.
and Friday he received letter removing
him. although the letter said that there were no
charges against him. The parishioners rebelled
against the decision, but their appeals were
not listened to- Arrangements we're made for
of the members Of the church gathered about
the front door of the chapel To their surprise
they were not admitted. although Mr.. Bruchlos
lived on the upper floors
Finally Chris vogeI. one OF the dea-ons OF the
church and treasurer Of the chapel arrived and
they were allowed to enter after being closely
scrutinized- Several who we're not known we're
not admitted. Then. one reporter attempted
TO enter VogeI rushed up and exclaimed.
You can't come in here! This is OF no inter-
est TO the public. and if anything appears in
the papers every one on the inside viii lose his
head
What he meant by this he would not say. A
member Of the church became just as excited
as VOgeI and demanded that the reporters be
allowed to enter For time it looked as though
the men would come TO blows but that danger
was averted. Then the doors we're Ioeked sad,
LQe meeting was neIQ-
After the services the congregation fled out.
most OF them in tears They refused for the
most part TO answer any inquiries. saying that
Mr.. BrUchos had asked that they refrain from
bringing any notoriety on the chapel
One man. who had been inside risksd his
head. however. and said
1t is a shame the way they rave treated Mr.
Bruchlos- They have forced him from the
chapel with hardly any notice He received a
salary Of $500 a year. while it cost about s2.70o
10 run the institution There is a mortgage OF
$500 on the property. which is worth probably
about $4,000. The Fourth avenue church IS
worth s650.000. with mortgage of $4,000 Put
two and two together Mr. Bruchlos will have
until the first Of the month 70 get out. He was
partly educated by Mr. Sterry. and IL vas
always thought that the chapel would be re-
men7b bered in the viii but IL has never been
probated. I am through with both the church
and the chapel if that is the way they are doing
business"
While Mr.. BruChlos would say nothing yestsr-
dav. il was fntirated that Mrs Bruchlos would
issue a statement in a short time and that
some civil action would be taken against
several who. it is said, have been circulating
stories bout Mr. BruchIos which have absolute