National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-06-21
INDORSING A PASTOR.
THE BETHEL CHURCH TROUBLES.
Rev. Or. Stevenson Vindicated by Majority Of His
Congregational New Church to Be Built
Several Plans and Specifca-
tons Already Described.

n large meeting was 06IQ aI the UnlOI
Bethel A. N. E. Church last night 10 take some &C
ton in regard to the recent attack upon the pastor
| DR.. J. w. Stevenson. The meeting was called t.
order and Mr.. William Becker elected chairman
| In taking the chair he stated that the purpose o
| this gathering was 10 give public expression
| to their confidence in DR.. Stevenson, and 81
! far as it was now possible, to correct the
| erroneous impression created by certain articles
recently published, and also to see the drawing:
| of the new church building they contemplated
erecting. Mr.. Simms said that the articles referred
| to had caused considerable comment, both in and
Utof the church. that they grossly misrepresented
the facts of the case, and that, with a view to
counteracting the efforts of certain disaffected
parties to prejudice Dr. Stevenson and this church
before the public, joint meeting of the boards OF
the church was called, at which a committee was
appointed to draft and publish a reply. He then
| had read by the secretary the following
| RESOLUTIONS:
Whereas certain persons, with the evil intent OF
slanderng our pastor. the Rev. Dr. ]. W. Stevenson
have cansed TO be reported and published certain
statements affecting the integrity of the said DR..
Stevenson; and
Whereas ny such publication such persons have
brought diScredit upon our church, well upon
OUR pastor: and
Whereas, knowing such statements to be without
foundation in fact, deemit duty TO resent them
as false add slanderous: Therefore
Be resolved By as, The members in good standing Of
the Il. " E. Church, That have the utmost
confidence III the integrity of beloved pas
tor; that his management and conduct of the affairs
of the church has been highly satisfactory TO that
his financial plan has been the of great i'll
crease in the Ofthe church: and that by his
uniform courtesy and kindness, he has endeared him
self to this entire congregation. And
Be further resolved, That while we view with re-
greet the departure of any of the flock from our fold
IN Tho
ton of small body Of people who willing TO sub
nit TO no restraint their will, cannot be
otherwise than beneficial to the church.
These resolutions were unanimously adopted.
Mr.. Simms then caused to be read the
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE,
which stated in detail the highly complimentary
circumstances under which Dr. Stevenson was
called from the seat of his former successful labors
10 Washington. II says that DR.. Stevenson had
earned a reputation as builder of churches, and
Bishop Brown, with a view to furthcring plan of
building up the Union Bethel, secured DR.. Steven
sons transfer from Trenton, y. J., which is under
Tie jurisdiction of Bishop Payne to this city When
DR.. Stevenson came here he found the financial
system in the classes irregular; the class-leGders
received the collections kept no accounts. the
receipts were not counted in the classes, and
sometimes not delivered to the official board
for two weeks, which was thought detrimcn-
tai to tie successful management of the
finances of the church. To remedy this a
system of cards and books was adopted
by the board, by which the amount collected at
each meeting was counted and certified to by the
class leader and his secretary on a card provided
for that purpose. This system, while it materially
increased the revenues of the church, gave ofense
to some of the leaders, who claimed that
THEIR HONESTY WAS QUESTIONED
by 1t. and therefore refused to comply with it. and
one class leader gave up his class. He afterward
acknowledged his error, signed pledge TO abide
by the regulation, and was theTcupOn, at his ear
nest solicitation restored to his former position in
the class by the pastor. This is the man who is
now at the head of the disafccted party The dis
satisfaction, which has sprung up among few dis
contente6 spirits who had failed to obtain control
of the new pastor spread among their friends, and
request was sent to the Con ference at Easton Md
requesting that the Doctor be recalled. The Con-
ference, however regarding the wishes OF tine large
majority of the congregation, refused to comply
with this request, whereuron about one hundred
severed their connection with the church
Il is claimed that the congregation numbers up
ward Of one thousand people, and that this small
fragment Will not be missed His friends claim
that DR.. Stevenson has done all that could be ex-
pccted OF him in the brief period he has been here
Among other things complained of is that the
doctor refused to live in the parsonage belonging
to the church. This. it is said on good authority,
to have been at the suggestion of the bishop, the
not having been used as such for long
time, owing 10 its dilapdated condition The
house occupied by the pastor it is claimed, is
modest comfortable place, in which he
lives without any of the ostentation
and display charged against him by his
enemies. The hope was expressed that
after fair opportunity had been given for reAec
oil, IL.
Of the seccders would return to the fold Mr.
Smms moved that the proceedings of the meeting
be printed III pamphlet form, which motion was
carried Mr.. s. 7. e. NorSe the architect wasthen
introduced, and presented and explained the
drawings of