The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-09
is. NATHANS AS A BAPTIST
PIE MAN IPPOINTED TO CONVERT
JEWS TO CHRTSTIdNTTY.


The warm reception which the converted
t,bbi, l. $. Nathans, has received at tho hands
NJ bishop Potter. Of the Episcopal church. as
'tonlshes the Baptist cergymen Of this city, who
.year ago made his acquaintance. The Second
German baptist Church. In West Forty nfth
street, was without a pastor. Nathsns was
smone the many clergymen who conducted SER
vices there, In the hope Of being chosen as pas
Tor. The congregation liked him. Week after
week, until month had passed. he was invited
10 preach. In July a church meeting was held
and he was formally called to the pastorate AT
salary of $500 and with permission to occupy
saadwelling the first door OF the church eulnce'
Mr. Nathans had not been ordained as Dap
tist minister, and was therefore serl-
ouslv restricted. lie could not admins
ter the sacrament or baptism. lie was
simply a preacher. Ills congregation bestlrred
themselves to secure his ordination, and In
August a council Of Baptist clcrsymcn was
ed for that purpose. The greater number OF
the clercymen In the city and suburbs were all
lent on their vacations, aud the couu Gil was not
pumerously attended. Five or six German and
Two English-speaking clergyman were present
The Rev. Messrs. Grimmell and Schultz, pastors
alderman churches, notified the council that
,hey had discovered Mr.. Nathan's charac-
Ter to be Of kind that unified him for minis
lenal service.
RuMoRs PROM CALIFORNIA.
The council was 40 journed to the latter part
81 seutember when It was attended by nearly
all the prominent clergymen Of the association.
Mr. Nathan's church was the place OF ass emily.
and the venerable DR.. SAMPSON OF Harlem pre-
sided. The candidate for ordination was ex IN
ined as 10 his conversion, his doctrinal belief,
and thus on, after the usual manner. Through
oil he carried himself creditably convincing his
Judges that he was learned, Jealous, and sound
IN religious belief. The Rev. J. G. Gnmmel, sus-
tanned by the Rev. MIR. Schultz, told to the council
what they had heard Of Mr. Nathans's character.
Mr.. Schilka. a Baptist missionary residing In
San Francisco, having read Of Mr.. Nathans con-
version and acceptance by a church. had written
10 friends In BROOKLYN and New York inform
Ing them that Nathans had left many debts
IN California, where his friends had advanced
money to establish a Jewish newspaper ia his
charge. Mr.. schiika intimatcd that MIR. Nathans
was unwOrthy. In the council when these
CHARGES were read by Mr.. Gnmmoll, Mr. Nathans
protested his innocence. He had been, he was
sorry to say. the editor OF inndel journal, but
IN nothing worse had he sinued. Many Of the
cergymeB present were DESTROYS OF having Mr..
Nsthans ordained .notwith standing these rune rs,
which they were inclined to ignore, but the Rev.
J. Spencer kennard Of the rhirty-thiri street
Baptist Church "a earnestly sought TO have the
charges Investigated. Upon his motion com
mlttee was amounted to consider the question
whether Mr.. Nathsns should be ordained, MIR.
kennard made the duty Of the committee thus
comprehensive with a view TO examining into
the California rumors. The council was Ad-
Journed, and tue committee, which Included
the Rev. Messrs Hawthorne, kennard, Ander-
son, Schultz, Grimtnell, Mikes. and Samnson
set about their work h Nathans brought excul-
patory letters and rsade explanations, securing
from the committee verdict, substantially, OF
not proven" with a recommendation that the
council be adjourned six months. and that Ma
thans he allowed To continue preaching Ia Forty
uth street meanwhile.
DOWNFALL
The Rev Mr.. Kennard was largely Instrument
tain securing this report.
The CHARGES against Nathans were IN
means willing to recommend his ordination. |
believed that by allowing him a probationary
license for SIX months We should gain time in
which To judge OF his true character"
NdthIns continued his ministrations for many
weeks before his popularity began TO wane. As
one Of toe members expresses IL. I" lie preach
ID Christ eloriously." His manner was dig
niaed his duties were thoroughly aud earnestly
church seemed to have gained the greatest Ger
man minister in New YORK" Gradually, through
disclosures In trivial matters, distrust Of his
honesty grew up among his people. lie made
PROMISES and old not fulnl them, he told con-
Trajectory stories, he borrowed M oney and he
ala not pay for what he purchased. He prom
eed to raise money for CHARITY, and after wait
ny for him to funl his word, his people called
aDon him for his collections. lie replied that
be mad not done well as he had expected, and
had collected but go. They asked forthst, and
earned that he had merely got promises for that
amount. lie brought a melodeon into the
church, saying that 1t was eift from somebody.
owner OF the Instrument for SIS for three
months rental Of It, lie gave the church u
tozen elegant notices to ornament its walls,
lhd IN short time the makers sent
In a bill Of $24 for them. He gave himself the
credit OF presenting Boles which smother per
BON had bought ana distributed. He purchased
printed cards OF the Sunday School Union. say
lug that he was authorized by his church, when
he was not. He promised a missionary that he
would procure railroad tickets for him, saving
tlat lie knew 4" the director of the railroad"
And Wa found 70 have no power TO procure
he N. ter "a m han apad Ia
Gate upon which his own ticket expired. He
told contradictory stories about his baptism. lie
leslned about his relations with tue German
Mission House IN Pearl street, which he had
been obliged to leave because he did not pay his
board. lie borrowed money, anu, although his
alary was paid, he incurred debts which e
a'd amounted to tl'I, anu which were foGnl
HassFsg'te 1896.
His pensioners were 10th to notice these
Ihings, but they grew worse and worse, until for
ns notice had To be taken Of them. In the
unt fortnight In February OF this year three
meetings were held by the church, aud tae sub
leet was discussed. The Rev. G. Gayer Of Nor
nslnia, and an occupant OF tho Forthwith street
pulpit, aud vet power In the little church, per-
ionslly Investigated the affairs OF Nathans The
result OF his report was TO turn from Nathans
1.-Two mad chung to him, and to make the en-
we body unanimous in the desire to be rid II
gym: between the second meeting on the 18th
el February ana the third, four DAYS later, Ma
shans resigned, but on the 18Th OF February the
thlrch formally expelled him, In order to pro-
Rect themselves against any further debts agree
iug al Tue same time 10 paw the 800 already in
cured 1he depth OF feeling that was dis
paSsd In these meetings on either side Is shown
correspondence, translated as follows, which
passeu between Nathans and the Rev. Mr.. Gayer
nj Nataans-" Wherefore putting away lying speak
Wy lAanitruth, '-Eph. w., 25. Such disclosures aB
.ee concerning YOU Yesterday, Fec. a. had In
Ky creams conceived. That tissue OF lie, concerning
hfesse and The railroad lag 10 the past though IL
Vr me sorey. The succession Of lies with reg ard
Hus Father OF the Mission House Br Boesr Pastor
nain, a.d lie father-ln.law Bishop -, disclosed
,ae,t wee 20 my eyes yesterday forcby that was
ols failed TO eNcldm Nathan. is an utterly common
,~I !Hal1 geMe.ner Llgner). Tho mOtlOcs Ia
sssd.g 6oo UHioni the further i''" dessp,oh
| -tst.es We nelodeo4 and ngally The knowledge Of
i.- s. oi So, exciutne OI tue baker 49,. "'"-'
u'.t al tocel me to the concu sion nat you
,aa iNi unuly Ike tue others here ana there that
lave tlcl " fn hes as readily be demonstrated
" !eutctlns upon all this said to the
CONN, ltst nisht that hencetorth would hold no
L ~ .A'.lp WIN you, now and ever mOrel
M lar leeds when think now dear you were 10
1ne Et1i lDt house o. Israel, whose people love
iss b,'lglce permitting, shall Away love. Il 1t ~
husr"f MN ny whole heart tor "Ihe DeyI Is the
II ~ VI ZEE. John VIII, a.
II "a 1nMrrous sssemblage yesterday evening Feb.
A. ny und'rstooc that you are a bare faced lar
III ~ kNel right you should have been expelled,
Fara,reua uIGu OF the church decares-Articlc 4,
proSet '.n n-lhat A. soon as MEMBER Is clearly
liz kunV ~ grave fault he shall be punishcd
no. is..ssi Matt Is. Or. AS your people y
'' 49,, Uou nat destroyed thyseI !"
re, rue 10 more, tor INV heart aud my hopes In
YoriI ,Aai,.rgd as oy tempest. God be merciuil
",,Nttl ana bctrayed, 1891 - [, e. AyY9
~0AA'sAAIA Feo. Il, 1870.
CONTRlTION.
70, ,,'l NRsr foRrY FIFTH STREET, Feb. 10. 1870
~ q. fdDer. N1rFfs1niq
iouc It M, hHornER IN THE LoRD can-owng