Daily Republican., 1881-01-10
ACHURCH DIFFICULTY.


tiOn that has no Division or DIS
rupting Element - The SUNDAY
Sermon 1t Delaware Avenue
Church Dispensed with and
Business Meeting Held.
The Delaware Avenue Baptist ohurol
was the scene yesterday morning oi
very singular meeting.
UNDER LOCK AND KEY.
When a representative OF this paper
took q seat In the lecture room OF The
church, where the morning services
| were being held, the first hymn wat
being given out. Before he had fairly
removed his overcoat one OF the dea
| cons of the church came and requested
that the paper publish nothing Of the
sermon without first submitting II Il
the pastor for revision. 70 this very
cool request no reply was made
The lecture room was crowded, and tht
congregation apparently expected tt
hear something interesting from the
pulpit with reference to the difficulty
ghich exists in the Avenue flock, not
withstanding the published declara
ton Of the pastor that all in the church
is harmonious and free from division
aud discord. The usual opening ser
vices were gone through with. Tht
choir sang loudly and with spirit. The
pastor made quick but earnest praye,
and read for the morning lesson the
Second chapter Of Titus, which, peril
nently enough, contained an allusion
to disoord In the House Of God. Thus
far there was clearly no intimatior
that the services would not go on as
usual.
Meantime members Of the official
board gathered near the door and con-
quilted together, sying the reporter fire.
qusnlly the while. The rumor ran
like wild fire through the congregation
that reporter was in the room, and
considerable interest was created when
one Of the leading members went up
and whispered to the pastor. The col
lection had Just been taken up. The
preacher closed the Bible, wherein be
hsd been searching for his text and
came down the aisle to where the re-
porter, who had been pointed out tC
him, sat. Bending over he whispered
in the news gatherer's ear:
81 presume you are here 10 take a
report of The services this morning"
He was assured that this presumption
was correct.
"such being the case," said he,
"there will be no public services TO-
day. shall only talk to the members
OF the church, and will at once dismiss
the rest of the congregation" ;"
Suting the action to the word the
Reverend Nj. Haldeman returned to
the pulpit, made tbs necessary an,
nouncement, and turned out into the
binding snow storm all but those who
held certificates Of membership to the
church.
AN EXPLANATION
OF the State Of affairs existing at Della
ware Avenue church for a few days
past may not bs ont Of place here,
before going into the details OF the
meeting which took placs after the
exclusion Of all but members Of the
church. The report in the RRPUBLT.
CAN OF the Sunday school anniversary,
in the addendA, stating that the pastor
practically ignored the Sunday School,
caused widespread talk, but would
probably have soon died out had not
Mr.. Haldeman made allusion to it in
his sermon on the Sunday following.
His sweeping denial at that time
caused great controversy amongst the
members of his church, and the usual
hard feeling existing there, was added
to by his stricktures upon certain mem i.
bers. Since then the church has been
in o tumnlt, which has been added to
by further denial3 in the newspapers
by Mr.. HsldemsD, and declara tions
that he is "Sunday School man" and
always has been one. He has seen
fit to deny the truth Of the report OF
his sermon published in the REpuBLI-
CAN, yet a great deal OF positive proof
has been gathered, and can be pub
lisAed, to the effect that the report was
correct, substantial.
The trouble took the form of a
meeting Of the Teachers Association
the other evening. Mr.. Haldeman
was present and at once CONSTITUTED
himself the presiding officer Of the
body, although no is in reality not
member, not having been In the Sun.
day School for over q year, and be.
ing simply pastor of the church, from
which it 10 separate.
The meeting would not allow him
to preside, and when he asked that
it pass resolutions endorsing him as
IL patron of the Sunday School, and
oharaoteriziDg the report In the Re-
PUBLICAN a3 false, the committee refused:
1t was willing TO disclaim all responsi-
bility as hody for all newspaper pub
licstiors, but further it would not 60.
1t ad djourned, after a stormy session to
meet Sunday afternoon. 1t was under
these circumstances that the meeting
Of Sunday morning was held, and with
this explanation q report of the
MEETING IN DETAIL
will TO given.
Every body but members having been
excluded the doors were locked and
Mr.. HGldeman addressed the copgreSs-
lion. He is highly emotional and on
this occasion strove with more THAI |
usual effort to work up favorable i'm.
preston through an appeal to his
hearers feelings. He related how six
ears ago he came to the church which |
Found sadly in need OF earnes. minis.
,erial work. He had stayed from that
lay to this, and In the name Of God h.
did not know what he had stayed for.
Dc had been misreprasented and
scsndalized and his words had gotten
nto the paper and there misoonstrusd.
The Teachers Association had caused
20 be printed a statement that he had
ignored the Sunday School.
which was not 80, and Were ever he
vent people were making unkind re-
marks about him,
rue that he was opposed to Sunday