The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-02-05
8GtsreI1menMs.
FATHER 'HOJDA'S FLIGHT.
AN INTERESTING APosTAOY..
New Developments - RnmOred Marriage - The
Austrian Consul Makes Serious Allega.
tlOns-Whata Lutheran PASTOR
Says - Investigation
by Catholics.

The announcement that the Rev.John
Hodja, a Catholic priest, pastor of St.
Wenceslaus' church, in East Baltimore,
had renounced the doctrine Of the Ro.
man Catholic Church, and become lay
member of the German Evangelical Lu-
theran Church, as Published exclusively
in the Gazette yesterday, created a sensa-
ton in religious and secular circles. The
reasons assigned for his actions appeared
at first TO be founded on different relig.
ious views, but from further develop
ments in the matter it seems that love
affair and desire to be married to the
object of his affections prompted the
Rev. Father to change of faith. The
Clergymen of the German Lutheran
churches to whom he had expressed his
desire of renouncing his reigion'had no
knowledge whatever Of their being a
woman in the case until yesterday. The
Rev. ]. Pister, pastor of the Trinity
Evangelical Lutheran Church, in an in.
terview with representative Of the
Gazette yesterday, stated that about the
1st of November Father Hojda came to
him voluntarily and stated that he was
desirous of becoming member of the
true Church of God; that he could no
longer believe in the praCtlC and teach
ings of church whose doctrines were
false and not even believed by those
who taught and preached them. Mr.
Pister told him that he had better think
further over the matter and declined at
that time to receive him into the church
The priest returned a number of times
after this to see Mr.. Pister, and 30 ur-
gent were his entreaties and statements
that he was fully converted, that at last,
about two weeks ago, Mr.. Pister commu-
nicated with the President of the Amer
iCan Synod of the Lutheran Church and
received dispensation from him to ad.
NIT Mr. Hojda, provided he formally re-
nounced the doctrines Of the Catholic
Church and accepted the doctrines Of the
Lutheran Church. Mr.. Pister according
ly notified Mr., Hojda, who appeared
Over.ioyed to learn that his earnest
wishes were to be gratiaed. Accordingly,
on last Thursday morning, at II o'clock
the ceremony of receiving the convert
into the church was performed at the
Trinity German Evangelical Lutheran
Church, Trinity street, near High, as re-
ferred to in yesterdays Gazette.
The services were conducted quietly,
although the ceremonies were solemn
and impressive. There we're present at
the slime several of the Trustees Of st.
Johns Lutheran church, on Biddle
street, with August Becker, the Presi-
dent, and Charles Twele, the Secretary
of that congregation; also several of the
trustees of Trinity church, Mr.. E. Stol.
fert, President, and Mr.. O. Frey, Sscre-
tary. The ceremony was performed by
Rev. J. Pister, of Trinity Church, assist
ed by the Rev. N. Burkhardt, of St.
Johns. The following questions were
asked of the candidate by Rev. Mr..
Pister:
"Do you now and forever renounce
the doctrines of the Roman Catholic
church,"
II do"
"Do you promise to faithfully adhere
to the Evangel of the Lutheran Church,"
II do"
a document expressing his renuncia-
tion of the Catholic Church and accept |
ance of the new doctrine was then signed |
by Mr. Hojda, after which the hand of
good fellowship was extended, and the
convert was installed lay member.
Immediately after the ceremony Mr.. |
Hoida left the church and as far as is |
known has not been seen since in this |
city. Before leaving, however, he in.
formed Mr.. Pister that he thought he |
would leave the city, as when the Arch
bishop learned of his action, it would |
create too much comment, and he would |
remain away from Baltimore until the
excitement had subsided.
Archbishop Gibbons was called upon
at the archiepiscopsl residence yester'
day and the reporter was referred by his |
grace to Rev. William 3. Starr, who gave |
the following statement concerning the |
affair. He said that Father Urban, of
the st. James Church, had for long
time had charge of the parish of ST.
Wenceslaus, but about year ago it was
found that his services cOuld no longer
be spared by the order of the Redempt-
orist Fathers, to which he belonged, and
he requested the Archbishop to secure a
priest to take charge of the parish. At
the same time he recommended Rev,
John Hoida, who arrived in this country
from Bohemia about the first of last June.
The Archbishop appointed the latter to
the pastorate about eix months since.
Not long after he had commenced his
ecclesiastical duties as pastor the Arch.
bishop received a communication from
Mr.. J. H, Kremelberg, the Austrian Con.
sui of this city, informing him that he
had received letters from parties in Aus
tria charging Mr., Hojda with gross inn
morality. The Archbishop accordingly
sent for Mr.. Hoida, and Mr.. Kremelberg
in the presence of the former, stated to
Mr., Hoida that he had received infor-
nation from the family Of young girl
in Bohemia named Emelia Liemann,
that he had ruined and deserted herr
that he had for sometime been in CORE
spondence with her, and that finally she
had consented to come to him in this
country. Mr.. Hojds did not deny that
young woman had come to him from
Europe, but said that she was his cousin
and had since gone TO Chicago. He 9th.
erwise explained matters which, although
not quite satisfactory TO the rchbishop,
nevertheless caused dismissal of the
charge against the priest When the
Archbishop left Baltimore for the South
some weeks ago, he left instructions
for Father McColgan, the vicar General
of the diocese, to continue the investiga-
ton into the action of Mr.. Hojda. Soon
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