The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-12
THE REV. MIR. BELL DEP0SED
THE DEATH BED FFTDhTTT THAT
CARRIED CONVICTION.
Mrs. Morris's Accusations OF Improper Pro-
posals Established to the Brethrcn's Sntis-
fnctinn-An AnnmnInu Chnrch Meeting.

a thrODR DcSlcEeu tne uOOT VI Tue IIlinl-
tive NJ. T.. Church In Park avenue, Brooklyn,
last night, hoping to get In and hear the invesu-
CATION Of the charges against tho Rev. Fred.
Bell, but members Of the church and reporters
only were admitted. Before o'clock the small
lecture room OF the church was fed
The Rev. Charles Spur, Chairman Of the Cir
cult Committee, called the meeting to order and
an opening hymn was sung. Mr.. Spur then
prayed that God would guide them In their de-
libcrations on the important topic before them,
and thlt no m after who might bo male to SUI
fer by the investigation the glory Of God should
he revealed.
Mr.. Spurr then advanced to the railing OF the
little platform and said that all must feel pain.
as he did, when the church OF Christ had to con
slider topics like that TO be investigate l. but man
was sometimes prone to be led astray by bis pas
sions. and on that account the brethren should
not think evil until evil was absolutely estab-
lished Mr.. SPUR then read the charges Of Mr.
Morris, alleging that Mr.. Bell had made i'm
proper proposals and used indecent language to
Mrs. Morris, and also the charge OF Mr.. Dtlsley
that Mr.. Bell had broken a pledge and deceived
an Argus reporter. The time having expired Tor
MIR. He'll to answer these charges, and Mr.. Bell
having m letter refused to 6e tried by the
church, Mr. Spur said the subject must be pro-
ceeded with according TO the rules OF the church,
and Mr. Bells proposition ihit outsiders should
Interfere in its affairs would not he listened to.
Now" continued Mr.. Spur, raising his voice
and peerlng over his spectacles ., " MIR. Bell be
present. don't see him-but II be is he had
Then Mr. Spur stopped speaking. half rose on
hi' toes and looked around the room. Every
body else also looked around, but nobody recoR-
nized Mr. BELL. Presently Mr. Spur continued
81 presume he Is not here | wrote To him this
morning tnat II he did not come we would pro
ceed with the Investigation all the same: We
viii nr't take up the charge OF Mr.. Norris.
X. N. Harrison, the Chairman Of the Sub-Com
mittee of Investisa cation, stepping forward, said
"As to the charges OF Mr. Morris nave only to
sny that have evidence to present which will
r.t tuelusyeiy that Mr.. He'll il that
Mrs. Morris did not tell all the truth aoout him,
and that he Is SO black that charcoal would make
avhite mark on him. have documents which
Will convince YOU that II you were the lowest
criminal at the rombs YOU would not have
| List night Messrs. TAYLOR. Elwards and myself
went to Mrs. Morris, who IL on her diving bed,
with "A notary, and took her statement. am
! sorry 70 see 50 many sisters here. because the
| document IS not III 10 be read IN their pres
ence."
Mr.. Holloway then moved that tho ladies' be
requested to reiite duiilg the reading. The
! motion was carried, IN the ladies nled blush
| Ing into the adj lining room and the doors were
shut.
chairman, is persons were heard thronrlng
around the outer door. IAN right, 1 WON'T
responded the doorkeeper. decl,N'y
! Then some one moved that all persons under
age should also retire. Ever body immeui ttely
looked IA Old as he could and nobo y retired.
! Mr. Harrison then read, slowly and with en-
phasis. Mrs. Morrs's AFFIDAVIT, as follows;
MARY l. Morris. being duly sworn. says that in the
~ s.t'e PARK Avenue lriqtve Methodist thufch she
under conviction Of sn, Suproachei the alia-i tnat
her and tooA down drponents name ,nd address; Dur
easa at Sep"neSs house at 20 vanderbilt avenue
that aid ysi wa. made Toy said pastor without any iny
Irederlk Bel talked on rslliogs matters and PRAYED
% st tneiesfter he sae oHce Week up to the
second week IN March, 1875. During ne nrst week
rush nd ysryhins q she maze her husband her con.
70 ashamed OF, and maze HIN ny conniant every
thing" Ia the second week Of March, 1878. ia Mr.
vi. lfgNl af her tlate
ci failed 10 pray with Opponent talk igious
ssas eeponcn h@' She sAd v s w a her hsr
husband, 10 whicn | responded. "ic.." Mr. Dell
blnd2. repnsG respect yo9 as my M p.si s, r but /
Alter this Conversation. said Mr. Bell called upon
ba iag Wy rloI TO sald April q M the p ,eld BEL 9ske
nphed, don't kao. do YOU inns Jvu are p He
Deponeni further says April el 1875 the
said Nr. Dell visited document an renewed his qqes
said Mr. Bell if he remembered the Tenth Command
inaI says Thou snait no commit adu tety Mr.. Ben
Pa & as aoi n4T ON ehsl Il esR AND i he on the he
,lkd my arm ald pulled me on TO ms ag anu tiiea o
irena wa. ~ n, kltgaen who asked me what Was tue
further says thai on April 90 1875 the said
Mt called AGAIN av a. SggSaSs ina. saia N M i bs
se ss ssussgs st as he & sA SaS nsed on Sed
Mr Hell got up to go away. / said, q Mr Bell, do
not want you 60 darscn my door again unless my hg'.
Sa1S knee Sna said. NY Coz, Iary sou are Tic arst
IN % ahurcl srr Nb not "0u''"
6socaea, iariacTsS tSs sala NJ, Rcn ne5t called
rped Ma T 2a Bs g.. an tqa rae NE lie
said. Yes, every word bWJou must deny H. II you
viii deny II | Will do anything under the heaven
have 10 go out inio the world pam Fred Be." sad
have to 90 taf9usS the World pior Dor ,cTern Oueast
Nj hs ssd s SsG' Sfy sSrd; IN S9w II you
OF he trustees aiitr We ieHve yon VII ask nem 70
S % M ao s 1S sS iss y
tning and clear 9a and tnea 30 sMaY but # you viii
NV ''' w. MANY T. MoRa1s
sworn before this 10th day Of Fenrulry yls7d W
CHAs B. 1HoRNro Notary Public, KING Co., \. Y,
1ne reading II portions OF the AFFIDAVIT was
greeted with hisses. A certificate of j. j. Ter
hunt. VI. ID To the effect that Mrs. Morris was
too ~ to attend the meeting,was read, and tnen
W. j. Morris, her husband, handsome man,
testify. lie said his wife had told him substan-
TALLY what tho aihdavit contained. She hld
OF the occurrences because ho had just Joined
the church, and she was afraid II would turn
was now a Christian, Mr.. Morris replied IN a
firm and decisive manner. " am.
| Mulfred Stokum was next called. He declared
that he had been IN tho country with Mr Bell
and had seen Hell smoke ana drink wine. That
was on the day OF lhe quarterly conssrence.
the scandal through Mr. Stokum. Mrs. Morris
had also told him the stories contained IN her
afhdavit. Witness had never said that Mrs.
Morris was inveterdte liar.
Howard DaisleS said that Mrs. Morris had
told him the stories were true. He told her she
ought to be careful about making such state
ments. She didu't want Mr.. He'll TO be told OF IL
for fear OF the publicity, and OF the consequent
ruin to her family Witness told her that as
Christian man he could not promise TO keep It
from MIR. Bell witness told Mr. He'll Of the
charges, and MIR. BELL said, IL emphatically
deny them" witness, win Brother Cook, Bro
ther Taylor and MIR. He'll went to Mrs. Moris's
house. Mrs. Morris requested to see Mr.. Bell
alone. The committed thought II objection
able, but allowed MIR. Bell to SEQ Mrs. Morris
alOno Tor nbout fifteen minutes. When Mr.. BELL
came back he said, " the woman Is crazy, sh q
sticks TO the CHARGE"
Mr. Harrison read from a work by the Rev. &.
H. PlItt, on The power Of grace over acquired
habits. special inborn perversities, and natural
HABITS" an account, in Fred Bells own words ui
his conversion While In "A drunken condition,
ana Of the manner Ia which he had overcome
his appetite for strong drink and tobacco by
wrestling In prayer.
Brother Stokum then testified that he had
read the account OF this wonderful conversion,
and had heard Fred He'll subs stantially repeat II AT
the Brooklyn Academy Of Music, and afteTwaid
no had seen Fred Bell both drink aud smoke.
| A statement OF Charles Carson, who Is the
friend" to whom Mrs. Morris refers In her aiil-
davit, was read. In this he cOrroborated the as
sertons OF Mrs. Morris about his having been
present In an adjoining room when Fred Bell in-
suited her. Mr.. Carson stated that he had over,
neurd "A voice RlV, MARY, don't YOU love me,