“The Presbytery Meeting.” New York Times, April 11, 1899, page 14.

THE PRESBYTERY MEETING

Turbulent Scene Caused by the Warszawiak Case.

PATTERSON PAMPHLET SCORED

Dr. Sutton Discomfited and a Clergyman Asked a Neighbor Not to Applaud So Loudly.

The semi-annual meeting of the New York Presbytery, which was held in one of the rooms in the First Presbyterian Church, at Eleventh Street and Fifth Avenue, yesterday, was marked by a turbulent scene which was caused indirectly by the Warszawiak case. It was necessary to elect a Moderator to serve for the next six months in place of the Rev. Dr. John Balcom Shaw. Dr. Shaw opened the session at 10:30 A. M., and, with the exception of recess for luncheon, it lasted until about 6:30 P. M. The Rev. Dr. Howard Duffield, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, was chosen as the new Moderator, and took the chair at once.

The clash of arms occurred when Dr. Patterson's case came up. Dr. James D. Patterson was the counsel assigned by the Presbytery to defend the Rev. Herman Warszawiak, the Jew who became a Presbyterian minister, and who was expelled from the Presbytery as a result of certain charges of actions unbecoming a clergyman. Dr. Patterson became convinced that Mr. Warszawiak had been unfairly treated, and that Dr. Schauffler's attitude toward him was the result of racial prejudice. He accordingly recently circulated a pamphlet over his signature in which Dr. Schauffler was violently attacked, Warszawiak's cause being championed, and, as this publication came to the notice of certain members of the Presbytery, it was brought up at the last meeting. Dr. Schauffler declared he had been slandered, and a committee was appointed at his request to investigate the matter.

Mr. Warczawiak was present yesterday morning, and shortly after the roll call he was obliged to leave, with all others who were not members of the Presbytery. Reporters were of course excluded, as the Presbytery now meets always in executive session, not believing that it will be represented in the right way in the public press.

One of the first questions to come before the Presbytery was a letter of protest by Dr. Patterson against the investigation which had been asked for by Dr. Schauffler. He declared that Dr. Schauffler should have made direct charges against him, instead of asking for such an investigation.

The pamphlet was in evidence, he said, and he desired to know why the charges might not be made then and there. The pamphlet was ordered on file.

In the afternoon the investigating committee referred to reported on the Patterson case, the report being signed by the Rev. Drs. A. W. Halsey, Maitland Alexander, Wilton Merle Smith, and William Magie, an elder. It told how the Rev. Dr. Patterson had been summoned before the committee and asked whether he had written the objectionable pamphlet. Dr. Patterson, said the report, replied that he did not think it necessary at that time to answer the question. The committee brought before the Presbytery a set of resolutions condemning the pamphlet and urged their adoption, pointing out that this step would not be a condemnation of Dr. Patterson, as he refused to admit the authorship of the pamphlet. The resolutions were as follows:

“I. Be it resolved, That this Presbytery put itself upon record as disavowing, disapproving, and condemning the said pamphlet, purporting to have been issued by a member of this body holding office under its appointment.

“II. Be it further resolved, That this report be placed upon the record of the Presbytery, and that such record conclude the matter, according to Chapter II., Section 12, of the Book of Discipline.”

Over the discussion of these resolutions the storm broke. Dr. Patterson was on his feet in a moment after the report had been read and the Moderator had opened the discussion, and he defended his conduct vigorously. He was called to order frequently.

Dr. Patterson was answered, and before the discussion had proceeded long the Rev. Dr. Sutton, a venerable man with white hair and beard, rose to speak in his defense. He had spoken but a few words before something that he said provoked an audible smile from about three-fourths of his audience. The old clergyman stopped.

“I see,” said he, “ by the laughter that greets me when I rise to speak in defense of our brother, Dr. Patterson, the animus of this body.”

The Rev. Dr. Mullally, himself an old man, who noticed the laughter of some of Dr. Schauffler's supporters, jumped to his feet.

“I wish to protest,” said he, “against this derisive laughter which greets an aged minister when addressing his fellow-clergymen in defense of one of their number. I protest as a clergyman and a member of this Presbytery against actions of such a nature in the Court of Jesus Christ!”

Dr. Sutton managed to continue and declared that charges ought to be made against Dr. Patterson as he had requested, thereby enabling the latter to present a suitable defense. Dr. Sutton then moved a subsituate for the resolutions to the effect that such charges should be made. The substitute was lost, and the supporters of the committee applauded the discomfiture of Dr. Sutton heartily.

“Don't clap so loudly,” suggested one clergyman to an overenthusiastic neighbor, “or the reporters out in the hall will hear you.”

The resolutions were adopted by a large majority. Dr. Patterson filed notice of complaint and notice of appeal before the day's session closed, and will probably carry his case to the State Synod.

Another interesting incident in the day was the report of the committee appointed to consider the condition of affairs in the West Presbyterian Church. This is the church whose pastor, the Rev. Dr. Evans, has resigned because most of his Trustees thought he was not the man to keep up the financial prosperity of the church. The committee yesterday reported progress, and stated that they had advised Dr. Evans, under the circumstances, to press his resignation, which some of the parishioners had urged him to withdraw.

While the meeting was in progress some members of the Thirteenth Street Church waited in the hall outside. They represented that portion of the church which objected to the proposed consolidation with the Fourth Avenue Church, a step which Dr. Buchanan, the pastor of the Thirteenth Street Church, strongly favors. This delegation had presented to the Presbytery a protest, signed by a large number of men and women, against the proposed consolidation.

The Rev. Dr. Buchanan asked that the matter be referred to a committee to confer with representatives of both churches. This was done without the protest being read. The committee consists of the Rev. Dr. Marling, Chairman; the Rev. Dr. Van Dyke, the Rev. Dr. Forbes, and Elder Morris of the Church of the Puritans, and Elder Brush of the Harlem church.

The Fifth Avenue Church, represented by H. Edwards Rowland, was authorized to “prosecute the call” extended to the Rev. Alexander Connell of London, England. William Brookfield, who is going to England on business, will sail to-day on the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, and take the call with him. The Rev. Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman was received from the Philadelphia Presbytery and formally accepted the call to the Seventh Presbyterian Church. He will be installed May 15. The Rev. Maitland Alexander, pastor of the Harlem Church, was dismissed to the Pittsburg Presbytery, and Dr. G. W. F. Birch made temporary Moderator of the Harlem Sessions.

The Rev. Drs. J. B. Shaw, C. J. Young, R. F. Sample, G. W. F. Birch, D. G. Wylies, James Chambers, and Thomas Douglas, and Messrs. H. W. Jessup, S. B. Brownell, James Yereance, J. H. Macdonald, S. A. Brush, J. T. Paterson, and W. L. Amerman were elected delegates to the General Assembly, which meets in May in Minneapolis. Dr. Sample was appointed Vice Moderator.