Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-04-09
LOCAL AND PESINSUIAR


A specin meeting of the congregation
of Delaware Avenue Baptist Church was
held last evening week, p. Allen sitting as
moderator, for the purpose ofciting charges
against certain members of the church
who were nrraigned nj Monday weeks
| meeting for the alleged failure to contrib
ute to the financial support of the church.
After the voice of the moderator had been
heard in devotional exercises the citations
were made against about 40 members who
have sided with the Rev |. NJ. Haldeman
or rather defended him from the personal
attacks TO which he has been subjected by
the officers of the church from time to
time since his retirement from the
church's pastorate.
The meeting WINS very largely attended,
the novel nature of the business to be
| considered, and the desire to test the
strength of the factions in the existing
fight combining TO bring out nearly the
full strength of the congregation, The
| charge of refusing to contribute money
was first read against part of the arraigned,
| but one of the number arose and called
for reading of the bylaws of the
church, which was given and the
| fact clearly established that none of their
| provisions had been violated i'll the de
| clining to furnish stated amount of pc
| cuniary aid. After an acrimonious debate,
| notwithstanding the Interpretation of the
laws, the question of eNpelling the alleged
delinquent members WINS put and lost by
vote of about so to 40. The majority
vote approximately represented the
strength of the two factions and was n
victory for Mr.. Haldeman's friends. Upon
| various other motions the vote was rela-
| lively the same and the officers of the
church who had brought the
charges, as the opponents claim, for
i the purpose of ousting certain
friends of the former pastor were COM
| pletely boomeranged by their own
weapons--votes of the congregation a
majority of which they had anticipated.
The yictors in cheerful mood, Friday,
refer to the officers methods of driv-
| ing them from the church as most puerile
and stupidity conceived, in view of the re-
suits desired The citation included SO
many members that they were almost in
the majority themselves, and drew to
them large number who have remained
| passive in the present contest
i The basis of the contest last night week
1 IhVntiph VI SAPStAitifo
members, was whether or not to sustain
Mr.. Haldeman and to acquit him of any
responsibility for alleged loose manage
ment in the ehurch's affairs during his
pastornte. The matter had been satisfac-
torily disposed of at n previous meeting,
but. with his friends ousted from the
congregation, the former decision
could have been reversed. The
vote fully sustained the former pastor
and completely vindicated him ii such u
thing We're in any sense necessary, and
Furthermore illustrated to the officers that
their position was not ut all approved by
the congregation. After the vote had
been taken, which was in effect censure
upon the officers, - trustee and
deacon resigned their offices, n
step which it is said will be
followed by others. There is u strong
chance with the resignation Of certain
officials who are in great measure
responsible for the split in the cungrega-
ton, and the reorganization of the body,
that the church may continue and regain
measure Of the success which it at
tanned under the ministrations Of Mr..
| Hnl1pmun