The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-26
THE HARLEM CHURCH FIGHT.

O10sc00100o IN tne H1xSt 0optAst Ohuxon
OF Harlem Undergoing Ventilation in
Court-Tho Rival Litigants and Thor
Respective Stories. s--r- e1ll.a-.l
Already an extended account has been given In
the HERALD OF the dissensions In the First Baptist
church OF Harlem and the proceedings taken IN
Court. There was further hearing IN the matter
yesterday before Judge 6edgwick, holding Special
Term OF the Superior Court. The suit, as Will be
remembered, turns In great part on the question OF
who are the representatives OF the church. Some
years ago there was quarrel, during which the
Olive Branch Mission was formed, with Mr.. Barak
G. Coles az q leader. 1t is charged by the plaintns
that the members OF this Mission came one day in
force to prayer meeting OF the church, and with.
out warrant from the bylaws turned the prayer
meeting into business meeting, and voted
to reinstate all the members expelled |;
vss
and as the old church had been burned some time
previously, put up on the site Of their olive Mission
they asserted to be the original church. The plain
tits charge various minor lrregulartties-that the
ing lawyer who was not even Baptist; that the
wholesale restitution OF members was Irregular, as
~ the
meat Is to get possession Of the property OF the
church, including tho insurance on the Old church.
ina 81 aFG e
two OF the defendants, who are admitted to be
iendants IRON Claiming to be the First Baptist
church OF Harlem, and from interfering with the
church funds or property. Among the numerous
gentlemen who are sought to be restrained are
Addison Smith, President or the Harlem Bank;
Deacon Taylor, Mr.. Wilson, Mr.. Austin, DR.. Smith,
Mr.. Blackwell and as above stated, Mr.. Coles. all
OF whom were In Court.
1t is denied, on the part OF the defendants, that
any such Society or that the has given
any authority to the suit. They aver that the by.
laws were often suspended, but that those cited
by the plaintiffs bad reference to the difficulties
here, and they deny that more than ten were ex-
Guided from the church, and that irregularly;
they assert that the Olive Mission was but
branch, and aver that the meeting spoken OF by
the plaintiffs was regular meeting; they trace
back the troubles to the ministry OF the Rev. Mr..
Lucas, under whom, they say, few were lrregu-
larry dismissed
As usual in such cases, there was formidable
array Of counsel, Messrs B. and d. Mitchell and
B. NJ Porter representing the plaintllr and General
G. w. Palmer, w. w. Niles and Mr.. Bagley appear
Mr.. Porter stated the case for the plaintiff. He
said they asked to have the injunction granted by
Judge Sedgwick rendered permanent. The COM
poration, organized in is4s; that two years ago
Certain members found fault with the pastor, and
for insubordinasion These parties. CONTINUED
Mr. porteF went and formed tsaso THE Olive olive
plant alleges, was until lately trustee OF the
First Baptist church namely. Mr.. Coles. new
minister was elected by the plaintin, and the Olive
LIST OF July there was to be regular prayer meet
ing of the First Baptist church, and without notice
the Olive Branch people made raid on them, and,
contrary to rule turned 1t into business meeting,
and passed resolution "that the people recently
expelled be reinstated," and this, the plaintiff
charges. was conspiracy some Of the parties thus
reinstated having left the church two. three, or
four years before, and some having been expelled
two years before. On the sth Of July the church
called a meeting and the reinstated parties came
there in force and claimed to be full members, and
set up the sign "First Baptist church Of Harlem"
instead OF Olive Branch, and now claim to be the
said church. At that meeting they appointed
General Palmer Moderator, though he was not
member and every resolution IN favor OF the raiders
he declared carried. General Palmer replied for
the defence He said the defendants are not the
owe Branch Mission, that there Is no such
society and that the Olive Branch Mission was
simply Sunday school organization. The Baptist
church corporation has not In any way authorized
the proceedings. Before the meeting OF July the
pastor assumed dctatorial tone which alienated
some OF the members, and those who bring this
action land who are not the First Baptist church)
succeeded In getting them excluded He went on
to deny all the equities in the complaint and said
the af1davit on his side was sworn to by ninety
persona while the a1idavit on the other was only
verified by fifteen.
Long afridavits were read on both sides and
heightened remarks made by the opposing counsel.
All day was taken up with the case, and It PROM
Uses to occupy day or two longer