Will Not Go

Last week at Douglaston, Long Island, onetime farming community, now haven of commuters, a teapot which had simmered for many a long month finally boiled over. The simmering started in February when the vestry of Zion Episcopal Church asked the pastor, Rev. M. W. Black, to resign. In asking for the resignation the vestry offered Rev. Black 18 months pay if he would leave quietly, permanently, and at once. Rev. Black, married, father of three, quietly refused to leave, continued to occupy Zion's pulpit. In August the vestry, vexed, refused to pay Rev. Black further salary. Still the Rev. Black stayed on. People wondered why the vestry was so anxious to be rid of this pastor, why this pastor was so firm in his determination to stay.

Last week it was announced that the vestry would seek the aid of the diocese, go into the civil courts, if necessary, in the effort to have its wish respected. Concurrently Arthur W. Sullivan, senior warden of the church, general manager of the sales department of the Tidewater Oil Co., explained why the Rev. Black was so thoroughly undesired.

"Some people," said he, "have force, personality, leadership. With others it's just the opposite. Mr. Black is a kindly, gentle, fine individual, but as a leader, an up-to-date fellow, a go-getter--why he just doesn't know the first thing about it. At best, the church is standing still. In a growing community like Douglaston we need a live wire. We tried to play ball on this proposition. We offered to take care of him for 18 months. But he became stubborn, showing his inability to realize what is best for the church." The pastor then told why he clung to the little white church where he had preached for the past ten years. "I am unwilling to accept dismissal at the hands of the vestry," he said. "I believe that the majority of the people are with me, and I have been given a unanimous vote of confidence by the clergy of Long Island. I could have gone away with several thousand dollars and probably would have been much happier elsewhere, but I am not to be browbeaten or persuaded by a gift of money. An Episcopal minister has the right to hold his post for life or during good behavior. Much as I regret all this publicity, it is a case of fight from now on."