New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-20
Pastor Explains Resigna-
ton at Stormy Session
of Calvary Church
CLASHES WITH HEAD
OF TRUSTEES BOARD
Congregation Reinstates
Quartet Dismissed at
His Advice

more. the Rev. DR.. Joseph w. Kemp, ,
pastor of the church, stood last night
to bid his followers defiant farewell.
For two and half hours the mem
bers of the church, meeting as a cor
porate BODY in the Sunday school room,
in West Fifty-seventh Street, had de-
bated heatedly. They had, oy a vote
Of 141 to GO. repudiated the action OF
their board OF trustees in dlsbanding
the paid quartet onthe ground Of econ
omy; they had heckled their church
treasurer. William II. West, and limited
at incompetency; they had tried to pre-
vent one prominent member from CIV
ing money to pay for the church calen-
dar, and they had been rebuked by DR..
Kemp as maintaining an "un-Chrlstlan
attitude"
1t was just at the close of such
turbulent meeting, and while the at
mosphere was still electrified with the
spirit of strife, that DR.. Kemp arose to
speak his farewell. His resignation
had been unexpectedly announced sun
day evening, but he had waited until
last night to explain his step.
Hostility Beyond Endurance
81 have endured hostility ever since
asked a member of the paid quartet
against whom charges of immortality
had been brought, to absent himself
from services in the future" DR.. Kemp
declared. 81 have been left under a
cloud of suspicion so long that cannot
endure it one week longer. This is the
last time shall ever appear before you
meeting as corporate body.
81 have been openly charged with the
circulation of scurrilous literature. II
there is any one in this room tonight
who has any proof whatever for this
statement, in Gods name let him come
forth in the open and free my breaking
heart from its burden.
81 have wanted Calvary Church 20
be place where the rich and poor
could meet and worship together Yet
only a few days ago member OF tins
congregation, supposed to be of high
breeding, looked about him, with his
nose in the air. and said: Look what
a crowd Kemp is gathering about him
here"
In an instant William H. Trabue,
chairman of the board of trustees, was
on his feet.
"Are you referring to me?' Mr..
Trabue shouted TO DR.. Kemp.
The minister's eyes flashed. Il GER
tainly do mean you" he shot back.
"Then we'll go into conference about
the. matter after this meeting" Mr..
Trabue declared.
"All right" the minister returned.
"But the conference will be right here
in this church. 1t won't be in the
Hotel Marie Antoinete, where you held
an illegal church conference only
few days ago"
Renounces Citizenship Change
Earlier in his fiery farewell, DR..
Kemp had made a yelled reference to
the effect his sudden leaving the Cal
vary Church would have on his pros
pect of becoming an American citizen.
He was summoned to the pastorate of
the church in May, 1915, from Scot
land.
az am a Baptist by choice, and was
about TO become an American citizen
by choice" he asserted. "The sudden
turn events have taken, however, has
convinced me of the wisdom of retain
ing the allegiance | already hold"
DR.. Kemp explained in detail the
events which had led him 10 ask the
resignation of the quartet member,
and showed how, in doing so, he had
had the Endorsement and support of the
board of trustees. This support had
gradually fallen away, he asserted, and
of late he had received many letters
from Pensioners, informing him that
if the musician was not reinstated
trouble would follow.
The Rev. DR.. John B. Calvert, mem
Der Of the church, had no more than
taken his place as chairman of the cor
porate body meeting last night than
trouble began. William II. West gave
a report of the church's finances, show /
ing why, as a matter of economy, the
board Of trustees had decided 10 save (
approximately $500 a year by the
abolition of the paid quartet and by
disseminating the practice OF printing
weekly church calendars.
Congregation for Quartet
Joseph NJ. Lesser, an attorney, imme-
diately offered resolution calling for
the reinstatement of the quartet, de-
manding that the music affairs Of the
church be placed in the hands of
committee appointed by the pastor and F.
asking that the trustees be forced to
pay the salaries of the musicians.
The resolution was hotly opposed by
Mr.. Trabue, who as chairman of the F.
board Of trustees declared that body
could not be compelled to sign any
contracts it could not see its way clear
TO fulfil. When the members of the
church had balloted on the resolution
offered by Mr.. Lesser the large ma
jority in favor of reinstating the quar-
tet showed that a wide chasm lay be-
tween the trustees and the rank and
file Of the church.
The discussion Of the discontinuance /
of the weekly calendar provoked even
more heated remarks and more bitter
personal attacks than that concerning
the quartet. DR.. Kemp admitted that
he favored the abolition Of the calen-
dar, but added
1.-THE way the news Of the action of
the board of trustees reached the mem
bers Of the church was degrading and
un-Christian. II came TO most OF us
through mere gossip. The present sit
uation is the result of nothing more
than untrammelled gossip and scandal
in this church.
Battle Over Calendar
By vote Of 81 to SO the congrega-
ton sustained the action Of the trus
tees in abolshing the calendar. Then
LQWuHu y. i lHbhdlNB a ldHAfAs WIN hAo
contributed to the church for many
years, Immediately offered to defray
the calendar expenses himself.
When William A. Walling rose to
move that Mr. Tinsdale's offer be ac-
cepted he was greeted with salvo Of
Kisses.
~ am a member Of this church. and
have right 20 speak here" he cried.
81 demand that the persons who arc
kissing me be rebuked by the chair
man of the meeting"