National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-06-04
STEVENSON'S FLOCK.
WHY THE PASTOR IS UNPOPULAR.
The Foundations Laid for New Church Orgsniza-
tion-What the Pastor Wanted-A Fine
House, Big Salary, and Tn
disputed Control.

Inc MeInOQlSC system OF cnuTCn gov
eminent does not seem to take well with the
Methodists of this city The wishes OF the eongre-
CATION and the appointing power in regard to the
selection of pastor does not always coincide. 1t
is not always that the dissatisfaction expresses it
self in any positive action, but quite recently
there have been two notable instances in this city
| The first was the split from Ryland Chapel on ac
| count of the appointment of minister that por
| ton of the congregation did not want, and last
| evening meeting was held at Shiloh Hall of
members of the Union Bethel A. NJ. f Church
who were dissatisfied with the disappointment of
| the present PASTOR
REV. J. ". STEVENSON.
At this meeting arrangements were made for the
| organization of new congregation. The trouble
existing in this church began year ago, when
Mr. Stevenson first came, and has been steadily in
creasing. The causes of this difficulty as stated
! by the members of the church, is broadly 81 the
rulings of Mr.. Stevenson" By this is meant his
arbitrary disposition. He has ideas of how
the church should be managed and what
! the members should do, and he does not tolerate
any difference of opinion. He came from New
jersey, where it was stated he had built $4,000
! church, and claimed some reputation church.
builder. He proposed to do the same thing for
Union Bethel The first question that came out
was the amount of salary TO be paid him. The
church had paid the former pastor, Rev. George
W. Br0die, $1,000, but he demanded 81 800,
and said he was worth 5000, as he
! intended to build big church, and did not pro-
pose to get the money from the congregation, but
from the white people, with whom he claimed to
have great influence. AS he was going to do all
this the board of stewards concluded they could
afford to pay him 81 800 He at once gave them to
understand, it is stated, that the parsonage was
not a fit stable for his horse, and he must
have another one suitable to entertain
his friends. He was going to have a star lecture
course for the benefit of the church, with such lee
turers as Wendell Phillips, Henry Ward Beecher,
Dr. Garnett, Professor Langston, and Dr.. Sunder-
land whom he claimed were his particular friends,
and would be entertained at his house. So, under
his direction a house was rented and furnished,
two rooms costing $3.50. 1t is claimed he
LIVED IN HIGH STYLE,
and had his wines and other luxuries. In his
dealings with the church officers he was very
overbearing. When the contributions of the peo-
pie were turned over to the stewards, they claimed
according to the rules, that if there S35 col
llected for the week, $25 should be paid to the pas
tor and the rest turned into the treasury. Mr. Ste
venson held that the stewards were bound to pay
over TO him the entire sum- without regard to the
amount. After he had been here for three months
he demanded vacation which he needed for rest
and besides he said he was going TO make arrange
mentS for raising money for the church. Upon
his return he announced that Punch and Judy
show would be given in the hall for the benefit of
the church. On the Sunday before the show he
came in the Sunday school with
HANDFUL OF DODGERS,
and said that when a circus came to town they
always advertised. and then he began to throw
the bills around among the children. The people
were very much disguised with this conduct The
show a failure, as but few people attended
lie then smade arrangements for having
the horned man from Alexandria give an
exhibition, but this was not a success. All
this time he was in constant conflict
with the officers of the church. Whenever any
scheme ofhis was opposed and the rules of the
church were quoted, he would say that he was
tired of having the law quotedand wanted themto
understand that he was the law and the "expostu-
lator' the law. This conduct on the part of the
pastor led to the resignation of five of the nine
members of the board of Stewards as follows:
Arthur Simmons, J. L. Lacey, F. r. Freeman, W.
II. Thomas and B. Edmondson. The collections
had fallen away from SO and $50 per month 10 SIS
and the attendance had also decreased. He also