Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-07-26
SHOCKING STORY or SHAME.
DIR. Bristor's Career ON fhe PENN
suIa-The Pet and Alteration of
Local M NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Grim
inai CHARGES.

=
heels Of the Rev. George R. Bristor, d. D.,
once the pat and doration Of Peninsular
Methodism have a. la / ClI7't s"l nvar.
whelmed him. The u qrent young |
Doctor of divinity has for II yen, more
preached to the nongregaiiau Of st. |
Luke's Methodist i. -, n clnroh at |
Newark, N. J. On Sunday last, how
ever, to the sur prise of bis congregation,
he failed to appear in the pulpit, and |
now the sequel of bis mysterious absence |
il found in a series OF inexpressiDly vile
charges.
The New York Star of to day says that |
the perpexity of the church members |
WAS increased when il was learned yes
terday that mvs'.rous meeting
of the official board had been hel the
residence OF Brother John C. Ds", M.
1127 Broad street, on the previous svsn
ing, and that lights we're burning in the
house until almost day break, when the
several gentlt men came ont OF the front
door aud hurried to their respg otive
homes.
Later in the day the reason of DR..
Bristor's mysterious absence on Sunday
and the object of the meeting were re-
vealed, The pastor of st. Luke's had-to
the satisfaction of the stewards, trustees
and class leaders of the church, and to
that of the Raw. J. X. Knowles, Presiding
Elder of the Newark district-been
proven guilty of very vicious conduct. A
boy, the son of church member, men
toned the minister's conduct TO a com
panion last week. The story reached
Steward William R. Roberts on Friday.
He would not believe it until strong evil
dapoa o,oo prnlunod Tho aufdanna
produced before the brethren on satur-
day evening. The charges were formulated
and presented to DR.. Bristor at his resi-
dence, No. ID Murray street on the same
evening.
On Monday evening DIR. Bristor ap-
peared before the presiding elder aud Ii
stewards, trustees aud class leaders at
Brother Days residence. Brother James
G. Rudlow, ex-presdent oil the Newark
common council, occupied the chair. The
accused denied the charges. Three OF
his victims testified. On oross-examina-
ton DR.. Bristor questioned the boys with
cruel severity, but they told straight
forward, consistent stories. For his own
sake, az we'll as that of the church, the
pastor was allowed opportunity to estab-
| lish his innocence. In the opinion Of tue
members of the board sat silent and
lnotionless, Mr.. Knowles turned to the
accused and told him he could do either
of two things Stand trial before an
ecclesiastical court, or surrender his Gre
| deutisls IS a minister and leave the
| church.
DR.. Bristor chose the latter alternative
and gave up his parchments. He was
| paid his salary to August lst, and he babe
| farewell to the brethren present. Yester-
day his residence was dark and silent.
The neighbors said that he had left the
city for parts unknown. His wife is with
their little child at Ocean Beach.
Presiding Elder Knowles has published
the following
| Reports seriously affecting tho moral char
| acter of Rev. DIR. George r. Bristor, pastor OF
| ST. Luke's Methodist Episcopal Church,
| Newark, N. j., have been, within II few days
past quite widely circulated. Fully resolved
| to maintain the highest scriptural morality i'll
their church by instituting prompt,
| thorough aud unprecedented investigation in
the presence Of DR.. Bristor, the official MEM
bers of St Lukes Church met on Saturday
evening, July 2lst, and adjourned until last
evening. The attendance of the oiiice-bearers
| of that church was full, the presiding elder
of the district being present throughout the
| investigation. Every opportunity desired by
Dir. Bristor to defend himself was freely
granted. At tho conclusion of the evidence
presented DIR. Bristor, at his own suggestion,
offered to deliver up his ministerial creden-
tials and to withdraw from membership i'll
the Methodist Episcopal Church. The
parchments were accordingly placed i'll the
hands of the undersigned, together with tho
following letter:
NEwAnK, y. H., July 90 1888. l hereby de-
| "A ,Tp
s, 'sE EnlS%9pa h'ei "a ne 4 ~ 81 sy
New TX CO ference and W hfitaw from them inis-
ny A9d iuehsrsnip III he We, nnt'S, Episcopal
These documents will be transferred to the
| Newark Annual conferences which meets i'll
the spring Of 1854. The pulpit of st. Luke's
Church will be supplied fer the present by
the ltov. Mr.. Macauna of Ohio who so ably
served this congregation last summer The
loyalty of this church and congregation to
their Master i'll this the hour of betrayal
Justly entities them to the sympathy and
confidence of the entire community.
j. H. kNowLEs
Presiding Elder Newark District, Newark
Conference, No. 2S Washington Place.
NEWARK, N. j., July a. 1888,
ynu puuishmen fur tue Oifscse OF
which DR.. Brstor is accused under the
New Jersey statutes, is a fine OF not more
than 81 600 ami punishment not exceed
ing 81 years, or both. at Newark police
headquarters last evening, Justice Rtkor
said that no complaint had been made
against DR.. Bfistor. His Honor did not
believe that any legal steps would be
taken, as trial would involve publicity
which the parents of the boys wished to
avoid DR.. Bristor's parents live in
Baltimore and are people of the highest
character.
a Baltimore dispatch OF last night says
that DR.. Bristor's father and brother de-
clare that no official Investigation of the
charges mas taken place; that there was
a meeting Of the trustees of the church
in Newark on Monday evening, at which
DR.. Bristor was present, called by him
self when he first heard the nature Of
the charges. That he was so overcome
by surprise and indignation that he i'm
) mediately handed his credentials as pas
tor of the church to the presiding elder,
and left Newark at o'clock yesterday
morning. DR.. Bristor is now sick aud
confined to his bed at his fathers house
in Baltimore. A brother of the Doctor
t went to Newark last night to demand
back the credentials and ask an official
D investigation of the charges.
, Dr.. Bristor's fall will create wide SEN
sation throughout the Peninsula and
especially in this city and in New Castle
! Though but SO years of age he has
attained a wide celebrity in the Metho-
dist church, being reputed one of tbs
most eloquent members of that denomi
nations ministry. Much OF his fame was
won in Delaware.
EVERY EvENING's correspondent in New
9 Castle in communication to this paper
8 on Monday last said "fhe lev Gaorg,
, R. Bristor of Newark, New Jersey, visited
New Castle on Saturday intending to re-
!, main until Monday morning. lie wa
4 taken suddenly i'll on Saturday evening
q and physician was called in. Circum
stances required him to leave Monday a
I moon. He will spend month at Oceai
a Grove" 5...
According to the recollection of a prom
; insnt Methodist clergyman of this city
Dr.. Bristor first connected himself will
. The Wilmington conference in 1871, ant
: was assigned to fill q station at Easton
u Maryland. From Easton he was trans
+ fsrred to Chesapeake City, and thence t
the double charge at Bethel and Sunni
IS Bridge. From the latter charge he wa
II sent TO New Castle, and then went l.
l. New Orleans. Returning from New
:, Orleans he stationed himself at New Cas-
- tie, where he remained until sOmethin,
k over year ago, when he accepted thu
call from the congregation of st. Luke
n Church, Newark, N. j.
ii Shortly after his advent into every nev