Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-14
X-SCIE
CHURCH IN
A MIDDLE
FaCtiOnal DiSCOrd Now
Threatens TO Disrupt
Organization.
FIRST READER DISMISSED
BY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Members Refuse to Discuss
Character of Charges
Lodged Against Man. {

Conduct unbecoming to man In his
position as first reader of the First
Church of Christ, Scientist, at 16 Hili
street, Is the charge brought against
Frederick w LIE Porin. of 1f32 Broad
street and which resulted IN his dis
missal from the office recently. Seven
of the nine trustees OF the church voted
for the dismissal This statement was
made By a prominent practitioner to-
day.
Just what the unseemly conduct con-
sisted OF could not be learned, but there
was a well-def1ned rumor that u prac-
titioner of the church had been mixed
in actiins with Mr.. LIE Porin that were
Objectionable to the governing body
OF the church.
II is also declared that the dismissal
of Mr.. lie Porin dlsqualitles him from
becoming a reader of a second church,
which he proposed to establish in New
ark. The establishment of branch
churches is under the direct jurisdiction
of the mother church at Boston, and
the fact that the first reader
here was dismissed by the action of his
own board OF trustees is said to prevent
any further move toward the estab-
lishment of a second church in Newark.
The dismissal of First Reader lie Po-
rim brought the dissatisfaction that has
existed in the First Church for several
years to head, and matters in the
congregation are now at a boiling point
and threatening to overflow every min
ute. 1t has already caused the seees-
sion of twenty-five members out of the
1870 that comprise the church member
ship, who, however, it is declared, are
f1ax- xrr4f
reader e
II Is further declared that had not
the twenty-five members voluntarily
resigned they would have been asked
to do so by the board of trustees, the
governing body Of the local church. Ac-
cording to a member Of the present
board of trustees, the twenty-five
members who have recently resigned
seeded from the First Church about
four years ago and later asked TO he
taken back.
They were taken back, but with the
understanding that in the future they
would abide by the rules of the church
as laid down by the Mother Church III
Boston. This. it Is claimed they did
not do, and as g. result, expulsion was
in sight when the reealcitrant members
resigned Of their own ,volition.
While but few of the members OF the
church who could be reached this
morning are willing to discuss the. fric-
tion it developed that Mr. lie Peroa
had been asked by the board Of trus-
tees to resign as first reader. 1t is
said that this action was taken after
complaints had been made that Mr.
lie Peron had attempted to assume too
much personal power in the congrega-
tion
More ResignatiOns Expected.
Those members who are still stick
ing to the church insisted this morning
that the total membership of the body
was 1870 members, and that of this
number but 90 had resigned UP to date.
That more designations are expected is
admitted by both factions.
As soon as the members of the
church, no matter which side of the
factional fight they were on, found out
this morning that the internal affairs
had become public property they re-
fused to discuss the mix-up in any
way.
Charles A Tongue. president of the
congregation who is connected with
the Mehloncls Saddle Company. of New
ark and New York city, was reached
on the telephone in his Manhattan
office.
mot one word OF discussion on that
subject" emphatically declared Mt.
Tongue over the phone. II have abso-
lutely nothing TO say at the present
time"
Refuses to Disclose Officers.
Neither would Mr.. Tongue give a list
of the officers Of the church or volun-
teer information Of any kind.
~ of az
who has been appointed acting first
reader of the trustees was likewise
silent He is also a member. of the
board of trustees of the church. the
other members consisting of Clerk Rob
ertson Treasurer Sanford. Mrs Lillian
Smith, Mrs. Elizabeth Garfield and
Mrs Emma De Prose-. Mrs. Alice
Zeigler, of 30 North Broad street,
member of the board of trustees, re-
signed at the same time that the resiS-
nation of Mr. Leporin was requested.
Tho minority, 1t is siad. by the ma
jority of the members who still remain
loyal to the First Church of Newark
had complained for several years Of
lack of proper representation on the
governing board. The minority claimed
they were being Disseminated against
because they were not socially or finan
cially prominent.
The majority alleges that 1t is ridlcu-
lous to suppose that the governing
board would enforce rules that are
Objectionable to the members of the
congregation. The rules of the branch
churches SSe the same as those pro-
mulgated by Mrs. Eddy and in force
In the mother church in Boston. Every
branch church of the United States Is
member OF the mother church and
governed by the same rules.
The grievance of the minority mem
bers Is BY no means religious gTiek