New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-13
DEACONS OPPOSE
COMMUNION FOR
REVIVAL SERVICE
Officials of Madison Ave.
Baptist Church Halt Rev.
DR.. EatOn'S Plan.
200 MINISTER'S MEET
TO URGE MOVEMENT
Volunteers Asked to Pray That
Religious Fervor May Spread
Throughout the City.

On invitation Of the pastor, the Rev
Dr. Charles A. Eaton, more than two
hundred Protestant clergymen and
Church officials of all denominations
met in the Madison Avenue Baptist
Church yesterday afternoon to cele-
brate a union communion service and
pray for a revival in New York.
Much to the surprise Of the minis
ters who are planning the revival, no
communion service was held Several
deacons in DR.. Eaton's church had sug
gested to him Sunday evening that it
would not be the part of wisdom to
have clergymen and laymen of other
denominations psrtake of the sacra-
ment in Baptist house of worship.
DR.. Eaton therefore notified the Rev.
Charles ". Welch, chairman Of the re-
vival committee, yesterday morning
that the communion service would ha ye
to be abandoned. 1t was impossible,
however. TO notify all seven members
of the committee.
Pray for Revival.
Under DR.. Welch's leadership the
congregation joined in revival hym !,
and there was a general response to
the call for volunteer prayer that a
wave of religious fervor should stir the
population of the city.
At the close of the meeting announce
ment was made that DR.. Eaton had in
vited all those interested in a revival
to meet in his church again next Mon
day afternoon at o'clock. Or. Welch
said last night that the difference Of
opinion between DR.. Eaton and some
Of his deacons had no effect whatever
on the meeting.
1--WE are going 10 continue the Mon
day afternoon meetings and we are
going TO invite men and women from
every Protestant church on this ISL
and" he said. "If the interest increases
in the next month in the same proper
tion as II has in the last four weeks,
New York will be long way towsT
a genuine revival"
DR.. Eaton left for his home in Plain
field, ~ j., Immediately after the ser
vice. Some Of his friends said that he
was embarrassed more than he cared to
confess by the admonition from his
deacons, which destroyed his vision Of
an undenominational communion SER
vice.
From a member Of DR.. Welch's com
mittee il was learned that the Madison
Avenue Baptist deacons did not meet
to take formal action on DR.. Eaton's
invitation to the other churches. After
the Sunday evening service, this min
lister was informed, four of the deacons
engaged in conversation with DR.. Eaton
about yesterdays meeting. Two OF
them were in favor of the union com
munion service and two were opposed.
Pastor Disappointed
After discussing the UNCONVENTIONAL
precedents involved, one of the deacons
told DR.. Eaton that il would not be the
part of wisdom to celebrate the sacra-
ment. While the pastor was dlsap-
pointed deeply, there was no show Of
feeling and no heated argument on
either side.
Local clergymen recalled last night
tndt Ine 1SN. y. W llDul Nhd hdIlAoiif AN'
byterian evangelist, had conducted
summer services in the Madison Ave
nue. Baptist Church, and they asserted
that he had administered communion
to his congregations.
Presbyterian ministers who attended
the Presbytery of New York's session
Yesterday denied that the Baptist dea-
cons veto on a union communion ser
vice had anything to do with the fail
ure of the Presbytery 70 attend the re
vival service in body. They pointed
out that items Of business prolonged
the session and made the luncheon so
late that they could not have arrived
at DR.. Eaton's church by 4 o'clock
Since the initial meeting of few
ministers in the Park Avenue Presby-
terian Church, four weeks ago yester-
day afternoon, DR.. Eaton has been one
of the moving spirits Of the revival
proje He made the most stirring ad-
dress at the third meeting, week ago.
When called upon TO speak yesterday
he was brief and to the point. 81 want,
first of all, TO express my Joy in having
YOU meet in our house of worship" he
said. We want you to come again next
week.
"Let us forget that we are this or we
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