“Warszawiak Is Rejected.” New York Times, December 15, 1896, page 8.

WARSZAWIAK IS REJECTED

REFUSED ORDINATION BY THE NEW YORK PRESBYTERY.

His Unwillingness to Submit to Control and Reflections on His Moral Character the Cause — Some Ministers Enter a Protest.

The regular monthly meeting of the New York Presbytery was held yesterday at the First Presbyterian Church, Eleventh Street and Fifth Avenue. The Rev. Dr. James Chambers, Moderator, presided at the meeting, at which there was a large attendance.

The chief topic of discussion was the report of a committee appointed to pass upon the application of Herman Warszawiak, pastor of the American Mission to the Jews at Attorney and Grand Streets, for ordination.

The committee reported against the granting of the application. The report states that special exception was taken by the committee to the applicant's objection to having the Presbytery overlook his work, and to his having declared, “with much emphasis, that he would recognize no master save God, and that if the Presbytery should insist on the control of his work he would instantly withdraw his application for ordination.”

The report a little further on stated: “We had scarcely entered upon the service assigned to us when we were reminded of certain charges in circulation affecting the moral character of Mr. Warszawiak. They had reference to his truthfulness, and related also to some of his financial methods in the conduct of his work. An investigation of the former was made by a committee of his own Advisory Committee, which resulted in his acquittal, and yet there remains a measure of distrust respecting the moral integrity of Mr. Warszawiak, the reasons for which have embarrassed favorable action on the part of your committee. All must admit that there is ground for a charitable judgment in this instance, in view of the education, associations, and general environment of one born of Jewish parents and largely removed during the greater part of his life from the restraining and corrective influences of the Gospel of Christ.

The Committee's Conclusion.

“The committee's conclusion is based on the following grounds:

“First—Mr. Warszawiak's unwillingness to submit his work to the oversight and control of the Presbytery.

“Second—The division of sentiment among the members of this body respecting his moral character, which would preclude that unanimity of action which is greatly to be desired in relation to his application for ordination.”

The report was signed by Robert F. Sample, Chairman; John Stewart, A. H. M. McKinney, and W. E. Stiger. Chairman Sample read it, and as soon as he had finished Pastor Warszawiak, who was in the room, asked permission to make a statement. This was refused on the ground that he was not a member.

The Rev. Dr. Mullally moved that the report be not accepted, but that another committee be appointed to consider the case. He vigorously inveighed against the reference to the Jews in the report, and said that the morality of the Jews was the morality of the Old Testament, of the Decalogue. “Jesus Christ,” he said, “was a Jew. He loved the Jews, and I love the Jews.”

The Rev. S. G. Law, Chaplain of the Tombs, also opposed the report. “God has blessed the young man's work,” he said, “and I think no obstacle should be placed in Mr. Warszawiak's path.” He wanted him given a hearing.

The Rev. Dr. Schauffler of the City Mission opposed this. “If Mr. Warszawiak gets a hearing,” he said, “I must reply to him. I have fresh facts to submit to the committee on this matter.”

After some more discussion, the motion to hear Mr. Warszawiak was carried. Then the original report of the committee was put, and it was also carried, Dr. Mullally voting in the negative.

Several Clergymen Protest.

The Rev. David G. Wylie moved that all reference in the report to the moral character of Mr. Warszawiak be stricken out. This was put to a vote and defeated by a majority of 35 to 18.

“I wish to enter a protest against the action of the meeting in this case,” said Dr. Wylie. Others present said they wished to join in the protest. Later the following protest was handed up to the Moderator and filed:

“We, the undersigned, respectfully enter our protest against the action of the Presbytery in seemingly reflecting upon the moral character of a person who desired to be taken under the care of the Presbytery.”

This was signed by David G. Wylie, John H. Edwards, James Hunter, J. W. Mack, Albert B. King, A. Sheland, and W. Scott Watson.

Mr. Warszawiak withdrew from the room after the discussion. When asked by a reporter what he would have said if he had been allowed to speak, he replied:

“I was merely going to say that it was the Rev. Dr. John Hall who requested me to make the application for ordination.”

Dr. Hall baptized fifteen Jews on Sunday after confession of the Christian faith, in Mr. Warszawiak's Mission Hall. Dr. Hall was not present at yesterday's meeting of the Presbytery.

After Mr. Warszawiak's case was finished, the application for ordination of Herman Paul Faust of the New York City Presbyterian Hebrew-Christian Mission, 128 Forsyth Street, was rejected on the ground that it would be better to wait until his work appears to be more fully developed.

What the Examiners Found.

The committee which considered Mr. Warszawiak's application was appointed at the previous monthly meeting. It had six sittings in the Presbyterian building on Fifth Avenue of from three and a half to four hours each.

“We questioned Mr. Warszawiak several times and at length,” said the Rev. Robert F. Sample, the Chairman of the committee, at the parsonage of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 214 West Twenty-third Street, last night. “Several of his friends came voluntarily before the committee in his behalf. He had been connected with the City Mission Society, of which Morris K. Jesup is President. Charges were made against him in that connection, and he withdrew. Then Mr. Warszawiak invited several persons to form what was called an advisory committee, but he did not work long with the committee. The Presbytery committee went into both these connections rather fully.

“Did he or did he not make an application to the Presbytery?”

“Yes and no. Dr. John Hall said that he thought Mr. Warszawiak should be ordained, so that he might baptize and administer the communion. Dr. Hall made the application for Mr. Warszawiak, and he assented, presumably. He told the committee that he desired to be ordained, that he might have those sealing powers.”

The Rev. Mr. Sample said that Mr. Warszawiak was a man of ability and strong will.