Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-20
STRONG OPPOSITION
TO CHURCH MERGER
Calvary Congregation NJ a y
Antagonize Union With
Neighboring Parishes

Suong opposition to the proposed
merger of three OF Philadelphia most
fashionable downtown Presbyterian
churches will be shown, II was predicted
today. AT the informal congreE htional
meeting which Is TO be held late this
afternoon at the calvary Presbyterian
church. Locust street above Ffteenth'
TO discuss the matter
The churches considering the question
Of consolidation are the Second PresbN-
terian. Twenty-frst aud Walnut streets,
Rev pr. Alexander MaCColl. pastor
the Tenth Presbyterian. Seventeenth and
Spruce streets. Rev. Dr Marcus Brown
son. pastor, and calvary. Of which Rev
Dr william Muir Aud is pastor.
As q result Of the publication Of the
tentative plans for merger IN the
t.vENINd prPL,c LEDGER yesterday, ar.
gumeuts for aud against church com
bines" are living back ana forth NJ
church circles today.
Those who are expected to oppose the
merger today, according to prominent
member of one Of the churches, declare
that even the consideration Of a merger
is confession Of weakness,
The three churches involved, they as
sert are not weak but on the contrary
are among tho strongest In the PrcsbN
terry. They point to the fact that th'
I second Presbyterian alone spends $50 oo'
annually S2O,UOU for the Congregations
support which includes the pastors sal
arv and the upkeep Of the church au'
choir. and $50, 600 Tor missions and othci
hcucNOlcuCcs
The tenth church. they declare au
thoritativcly. has an annual "Npendi'
turr Of Sg5 .OO0. half Of which goes tol
congregational support aud haI Tor
missions and charities: talvary'S dis
hursement they say. Is $4,000, Sl2.jo'
" which goes for the congregations
,support and $1,000 Tor the missions
aud beneVolenCcs. The communicate
Of the churches number iSi, i3S aud
AZ respectively.
I'm these days of free thinking" and
agnosticism. these figures, those OPP
posing the merger insist, SHOW Glib
raltar-lil>r strength that other churches
which have no intention Of combiniug
would be hard put To it to match.
Supporters of the merger Idea, how.
ever, claim that the total sum spent
annually by the churches s94, 500
could be put to far better advantage II
the churches We're consolidated into on,
4 potent body. They further contend that
any one of the churches is large enough
q to accommodate the congregations Of al
three and point to the fact that this /.
being demonstrated now that due TO tn,
fuel shortage. the services are being held
/ alternately In the churches.
= "The three congregations are mad,
up of id"utically the same kind of peu
ple--fa shiOuable. rich Philadelphians
many of the old families--aud tho
churches are virtually in the same neigh
borhood Much more good could h,
done If they would coordinate I hnn,
the hotheads wont be foolish enough
to let this chance slip by" The Scs.
sion Of calvary Presbyterian Church ha.
already ndorsed resolutions presented
hv former Judge Robert y. Wilson, pro.
testing against a merger which docs
not retain the site Of calvary Churct
and the name. II was predicted that
should the meeting this afternoon vnt,
down the merger the Second and Tenth
will then consider one exclusive Of tn,
dissenting church.