The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-02-19
OUT IN
CALVARY FEUD
DR.. j. w. Kemp and His As
sOciate, David Ross, Ten
der designations.
EFFECTIVE NEXT SUNDAY
Situation Declared "Heart-
breaking" and Many Men,
bers "Unchristian.''

The Rev. DR.. Joseph w. Kemp re-
signed last night as pastor Of the Cal
vary Baptist Church. bringing to II new
climax the strife which for several
months has kept the members of that
congregation divided into hostile camps.
A; the evening service DR.. Kemp read
a letter addressed to the church men,
bership announcing that he would sever
his relations with the church after next
Sunday. and at the same time read n
letter announcing the resignation Of
Rev. David Ross as associate pastor
One OF the largest congregations which
have faced DIR. Kemp since he came
from Edinburgh. Scotland. in 1915, to
take charge Of the church. heard the
minister charge that the attitude Of
many members has been unscrlptural
and unchristian." and declare that the
situation has become heartbreaking and
the atmosphere Of the church suffocat-
ing.
No action was taken on either resigna-
ticn last night. but 1t sis likely that
both will come before the meeting OF the
corporate body OF the church Tonight.
This meeting was called several days
ago. ostensibly to protest against the
action of the board of trustees In or
dering the diecontinuing OF the church
quartet and the weekly printed calandar,
but /. has been hinted-and the hints
were borne out by last nights develop
ments--that the meeting was in connec-
! ton with DIR. Kemp's pastorate.
VIII Not Reconsider.
{ Dr. Ross said last night that both his
own action and that of DR. Kemp are Anal,
and that nothing that. the membership
! Of the church might do would induce
them to withdraw their designations.
! In his letter to the church members
DR. Kemp said:
"MY DEAR FRIENDS: On entering upon
! the pastorate OF this church in 1915
! found the church rent and torn asundel
! by party spirit. / was hopeful that the
new ministry would be instrumental In
! bringing together the opposing parties
but have found after sixteen months of
care and toll that the breach Is only
wider. without either party being willing
| to yield for the good Of the whole.
| "I have personally come under n cloud
Eof 'ruspicion because of the circulation
| OF literature of n scurrilous character
. rejecting upon the administration OF the
! board Of trustees. which l neither inlti'
ated, consented to, agreed with or was
cognizant of. the situation Is heart
breaking. the atmosphere suffocating apt
unfriendiy, the attitude of many un
scriptural and unchristian. God cannot
bless where there Ia dissersion. Under
these circumstances ask you to release
me from this pastorate from next Lord:
day."
! DR.. Ross offered his resignation a:
associate pastor in the following letter /:
.'In the now existing circumstance,
there In no course left opcn for me bu
the re-srettable necessity of resiSnini
my position as associate pastor. this L
take effect on Lords day next"
Dissensi In the Church.
Dissension has been rife within tn,
membership OF Calvary Church for sew
eral years and reached an acute stag
several months ago. The feeling ha'
been heightened b. several mysterious
pamphlets bitterly attacking the boari
of trustees and other church officials
for which no one could be found whit
would assume responsibility.
/ Certain members OF the church hav'
been outspokcn In their resentmen
aginst DR.. Kemp. partly because he wa
not an American pastor and partly be
cause OF his failure to take definite step
when a scandal developed In whicl
church members and church employe
were involved. Affairs reached such ;
state last March that DIR. Kemp handed
in his resignation. but later. at the re
quest of the congregation. he consented
to remain and attempt to patch up tn
differences
The meeting arranged for tonight wa
called by DR.. Kemp at the request Of tn
group Of members who are known a
"the insurgents" They declare tina
the discontlnuance Of the weekly calen
dar and the church quartet instead O
J being due to the financial condition o
the church as announced by the board O
trustees was in reality only subterfug