Evening journal., 1913-12-10
CHURCH HOME
FOR ELSMERE
IS ASSURED
PreSbytery Votes $500 Main
tenanCe and Pastoral Sup
port for Congregation
TO TAKE OVER
CITY POLISH MISSION

Presbyery Of New Castle at a
special meeting in West Church yes
terday afternoon discussed at length
the situation in Elsmere Presbyterian
Church and decided to continue it as
q separate church, aud asked the cont
mittec on sustentation Of Presbytery
10 add S4OO a year 10 $500 pledged
by the members of Elsmere Church
toward maintenance and pastoral sup
port
The subject was opened when a
commission appointed BY the recent
Presbytery at Salisbury, Md, to in
Quire into the troubles in Elsmere
Church made its report. The Rev. DR..
I Franklin Smiley, pastor of West
Church. is moderator of the Elsmere
session and also was member or
the Commission. The report Of the
Commission set forth in detail the re-
suit of its inquiries and of its meet
ings with the officials and congrega-
tion of Elsmere Church. The com
mission concluded with a recommen-
dation that tho Elsmere Church be
dissolved The report corrected an
erroneous impression held by some
persons that the Elsmere Church is
q mission of Hanover Church Els
mere is really a separate Presbyter-
ian church organization. il was set
forth. and is not a branch of Han
over.
After the Commissions report was
~esd. it was discussed at length. many
of the ministers asking questions to
clear up the situation in their own
minds. The situation took an unex-
pccted turn when tue Rev DR.. Smiley
announced that delegation OF mem
berE Of lElsmere Church had called
on him on Monday evening and stated
their desire that 1t be continued as
church. They presented a formal
written proposition, setting forth
that fifty members Of the church had
pledged themselves TO contribute S400
year toward the support Of the
church and pastor. provided Presby-
terry would contribute s400 for thai
purDOse.
When this proposal WAS considered IL
won the favor Of Presbytcry. and the
commission Withdrew its report and rec
ommendation that the Elsmere church
lic dissolved Tho proposal then was
fefofird to The comuiittcc On siistenta-
fion ~ provide Cor Presbyterys share to.
wand lie support Of fhc Elsmerc con
rrcaation The solution was regarded a.
fhc happicst that could some of the sit
nation. aud i mclns that Elsnere
presbytcrans win continue to have their
own church.
Dr. Smiley resigned as moderator Of
fhe Elsmcrs session. he feeling that ne
shcud not continue as moderator when
he ai.o is member of the commission
considering that chweh's affairs. The
Rev. C. L. Candee. Of Westminster Pres
hvterian Church. was appointed modef-
etor OF the Elsmere session.
Tho Rev W j. Rowan, Of Newark, re-
signed Us a member OF the hlSmers
Church commission because OF pastoral
duties and his professorship IN Delaware
College occupying most Of his time. The
Roy J. T. Rushbridee. Of Delaware City
was appointed on the commission ir- ms
stead.
Another subject discussed was that
OF the Presbytery taking over as q
church the mission now being con-
ducted by the Rev. John Zjanckow-
ski. in what once was st. Michaefs
Episcopal Church at Chestnut and
Adams streets. The congregation Is
nduf uD Ol IOllbu ItSluthlo MhO itt
merly were associated with the Pol
fsh Independent Church, from whicl
they withdrew when differences witt
q head of that church arose. AT th'
meeting of Presbytery several months
aro. the NRev. Zjanckowski was ad
mitted to APresbytery under instruc
fion and since then he has been con
Quoting services for the Polish con
grcgation at the church The com
mitteo having the subject in charg
at The meeting yesterday Afternoon
reported IN favor Of taking over tn
church. provided 1t could be financed
Ii>eost $4,000. on which $1,000 ha
been Daid and $1,000 is outstanding. ]
was decided to ask the Home Mis-
sion Board of the General Assembl
OF the Presbyterian Church to provid
for the $1,000 outstanding in order [
clear the way for Presbytery to tax
over the church and its congregation
Another subject considered was tina
looking to the conversion of the Ital
ian Presbyterian Mission now con
Quoted under the auspices of Yves
Presbyterian Church into a separat
Presbyterian Church This was r.
ferred to the sustentation and hom
mission committees with power I
act,