The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1861-01-30
~ Dor the Grand Haven News.
Action Of the Grand River Associa.
ton, in the case Of the Rev.
y Joseph Anderson.

request Of Rev, j. AyDERsos, convened
at Grand Haven, on Tuesday evening,
the 22d Of January, 1861, for the pur-
pose Of investigating the truth Of rumors
against his moral character, circulated
orally and in the public journals u
/ Three Ministers, Revds ST. CLAIR
SrRoNo and GREELEY, and three lay,
men, Messrs. Hinsdale, Wood and Weller,
were appointed o committee of inyestiga-
ton to report to the whole body. On
the morning Of tho 23d the committee
sent two of their number TO Mrs. Ed
ward w. Parks, to request her attendance
at the house of Deacon Barns, and con-
front Mr.. ANDERSON before the commit
tee; but this request she declined. They
then requested permission for tho CON-
mittee to meet at her own house. and
lake her testimony in presence Of Mr..
ANDERSON; but this she also declined,
and said, at would not do for Mr.. AN
DERsoN TO 60 there"
After this the committee went into
long investigation of the assault commit
ted on Mr.. ANDERSON, by Edward w.
Parks, accompanied by his brother, Will
lam IL. Parks, on the night of the 28th
of December last; and also into the al
legged cause of that assault, as related by
Mrs. Edward w. Parks herself, to Messrs.
John W. Barns, Albert Stegeman and
Robert Leggat. 1t appeared in evidence
thai Mrs. Parks had twice gone to the
house of Mr.. ANDERSON, in his absence,
and left message for him to call upon
her, and that it was in harmony with
this message he did so call upon her. 'ir
The examination of evidence and ar
ranging Of testimony continued through
out the day, when the committee present
ed a long report as to the facts, accom-
panied by the following preamble and res
olutions, all of which were adopted:
PREAMBLE AND RESOLUTIONS. i
Your committee, appointed to investi-
gate the facts connected with the recent
assault on the Rev. JOSEPH ANDERSON,
II member of this body, by Edward w.
Parks, accompanied by his brother, Will
lam II. Parks, aiding and abettng, have
, attended TO that duty and ask leave to
report
That they have examined all the pro-
fessed facts in relation both TO the assault
, and the pretended occasion for il; that
} thore is no evidence tending to show the
least wrong, or imrrovidcnce, on the part
of brother ANDERSON, and they are i'm
pressed with the conviction that the as
sault was but the result of a wicked con-
spiracy to CRAFTY an old spite of one of
the assailants towards brother ANDERSON.
They, therefore, commend the adoption
and publication of this report and reso-
lutons. G
RESOLVED, That the assault on the
Rev. JOSEPH ANDERSON, by Edward w.
Parks, aided and abetted by William II.
Parks, at Mr.. ANDERsoN's own house, on
the night of the 2sth of December last,
: was unprovoked, wanton, cowardly and
brutal.
= RESOLVED, That we regard the assault
as the result of an old grudge and pre-
meditated conspiracy, TO ruin the charac-
ter Of brother ANDERSON, and drive him
: from his church and people; and that the
5 allegations put forth to justify the assault
arc only an after thought, totally unwor.
9 thy of credit, and amounting to nothing,
0 if true. r.'
ReSolved, That we deeply and tender
~ sympathize with brother ANDERSON,
t and his family, in all their trials for the
Q truths sake-and especially in this last
= and most severe trial of all-and our ear
d nest prayer is, that, by continued fidelity
in his work, and by the patience and
meekness of Christ, he may DO more and
D more fitted for the position and work 10
: which Divine Providence has evidently ap-
r pointed him in this place. -.
RESOLVED, That we commend the
christian and manly course of the Con-
cregational Church and Society, in Grand
[ Haven for the prompt manner in which
: they investigated the facts connected
with this wicked conspiracy, and the con-
stancy with which they have supported
and defended their worthy pastor in all
, his trials.
5 Resolved, That the sincere thanks of
this Association are due to all those citi-
D zens of Grand Haven who have express
+ cd their warm and generous sympathy
4 towards brother ANDERSON and his fami-
~ in all their difficulties and sufferings.
, oi s;orod g. @. STRoNo, Moderator.
-a 0sS" JAMES BALLARD, Scribe.
4 t.I.I 1858 ..irt
. 10 p. S. The Association wishes further
TO say, that, when they had finished their
{ report, about seven o'clock p. NJ, an in
formal and indirect verbal message was
received, viz: STbat Mrs. Edward w.
Parks and her hnebond ,ya.o H., ,,;ll;,,.