New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-20
HILLS, IN PULPIT,
1EILsOFFAILURE
o,,mes Panic and War,
and Hints He Was Be
trayed by Advisers
NAY SELL HIS HOUSE
TO WIPE OUT DEBTS

o,,ishioners Weep as Pastor
Corfesses Love of Power and
Position Which Misled Him.
r.- -. pulpit made famous by
- Ward Reecher the Rev. Or.
v.r.1 Dwight Hills Yesterday told the
~ his financial troubles 70 q
-. w and e1rectant congregation at
g-~,,,b Church, Brooklyn, Of which
10 is pastor. ~
Announcing that he was following
IL, r,t.~ he had, without advice OF
SCI or friends. vith bowed head
I've. but always in the rich, clear
-. which has made him famous as
.,,e,eher and lecturer DR.. Hills vir-
-, ,orfesset his weakness for spec
-..,o, and the utte- failure Of invest
1t. for himself and his friends. The
-,,..sion made on the members Of
4, soek By his statement was S-o-
.,s,i.
Tie setting for this remarkable in
..-. ,r The history o. old Plymouth
=, dramatic. SO ono in the large
..,-4est.on which filed the spacious
-...i,g place. except perhaps one or
-, Of the pastors most intimate
.-.-s, knew that he intended to tell
t.- his story. Yet because Of the
-rr- storm .1 the church centring
,,,ya6 pr. HlHs's known predicament.
tsv had al come expecting 3 dis
,.,gre" /. was the first time the
,s,.or had faced his congregation since
,Esrs reached crisis, during his alb
,.,cs IN the summer months.
There was hardly a dry eye among
d. old parishioners. both men and
women, when he had finished his per-
sns remarks. They rushed 10 the
,,or: Of the church as soon as the
service was over to give him their
,ynpsthy and consolation. No one was
.,s- TO Jag behind
Has Betrayed NG Trust
Calling Frederick ". HinrichA his
psns1sl counsel, from the congTega-
an Just before he took his place in the
pulpit, be probably told him for the
Frs time what he intended 20 do. Al
lor Immediately afterward the pastor
i.i bis assistant. the Rev. Roland Stat
.''i Dawson, Drsk.y mounted the plat
!,r-. Az Dr.. H.lis's appearance sew
rsl o. the parlsh.oners IN the front Of
re church started 20 applaud and then
.osght better of il. The service pro-
;ssisd IN the ordinary course until the
l-sriory had been taken and Il hymn
IRON the old Plymouth hymnal entitled
.Irssi and Confidence" had been sung.
litn the minister calmly began his
GoIy.
During the last few months I have
issn the centre Of storm, with alternat-
1g blame and praise" he began. Il
vh 70 meet this storm with face 10
-e front, and ] owe a public statement
ny friends in and out Of Plymouth
.iufeh. Let me say at the outset that
al statement .s not intended as an
li'ogy, for ! am not conscious Of hav-
u a. any time betrayed the trust that
Q people have reposed in me-"
~ Hills made no concrete promises
y % his ability 20 meet his pressing
Dlgailons, except 10 say:
I & rn|n shot I Hora annnoh m
~ Oh the last Of my indebtedness, 40
iai hope soon 70 begin life again,
H,hout property, indeed, but also with
GO. debt
Blames Self for Ventures.
He censured himself for devoting so
-'eh time 20 matters outside Of his
aa''h and declared that he had be-
one convinced that a minister had no
,ga' 70 NEEDLE with business. He
ainea the panic Of 1907 as the first
-aia blow against his business vent
its and the breaking out of the Eu-
.'psan way as the last damaging stroke
" Us hope of recovering himself.
me ministers present Indebtedness
a. estimated yesterday by one who IS
,uaiuar with his affairs at about
"tp90.' NT. Hlnrichs, his counsel,
~s mat that tgure was not far from
,,,,tect Il was said that he owned a
..'yVg-acre tract Of timber land IN AL
.ua, Canada, the sale Of which would
..fpy sufficient funds 10 cover his in
totdness. L was pointed out, how
'u' mat u would be diffic1lt 20 dis
''se o. the property during the war.
" Mills In no way referred 20 the
i'een' $4,000 libel suit brought against
~ oy his nephew, Percy d. Hills, OF
ltooaver B. c. Mr. Hinrichs declared
=. 'ae real nature Of the suit had not
~ disclosed, so far as his client was
.-otrned, as merely summons had
u served upon him. He intimated
-. 1e whole twenty days allowed for
answer by the defendant might be
..h advantage Of There was re-
~ mat an arrangement already had
" made FOR a withdrawal OF the suit
s..L hinrichs would not affirm or
%'y the report.
Tried TO Block Libel Suit.
~. ~ vas learned from other sources
A. he minister's counsel had made
sIott 10 forestall the suit several
0r ctVie lhe summons was served
september 8 Mr.. Hinrichs sent q
san 70 Percy Hills, at Rocky
.5ss: 'N" "as' III pAII' as iO'
ma nave just returned to the city
5,,l. feso your letters 70 cousin anC
n,;,,, ana certainly you are acting OF
i,,,.-.otinauon. Advise strongly con
Va, ,'e here New York; 20 Safeguard
bnw .sstsnaer's interests in company
essr,,' ivy ior initial expenses. II yor
s,r. s,'. .e come East wire your father e
49,. -. on Immediately TO see that his in.
to'' ' az least is safeguarded. Who ar,
ps,. ss''ofneys? Answer at my ex
'isd back: answer 'ne HepneN
con, SanSt ~ afford TO give up my Job e
opt 80 e. New York, and would not ac
/, -ef Of expense money. My fathel
~ way COpcaruad 4, 80 oct ~