Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-07-09
1.-THE FIGHT FoR sUpREmAor
In Delaware Avenue Baptist Church
Last Nights Election victory
for the Needhamites-As split and "a


In Delaware Avenue baptist Church
Last Nights Election IL victory
for the Needhamites-A split and "a
New Church.
The demoralizing struggle for su-
premscy in the management of the Della
ware Avenue Baptist Church which has
been waged with much bitterness since
the resignation of the Rev. Isaac M.
Haldeman as pastor reached its climax
Monday evening through victory of the
administration faction. The contest was
made upon the election of officers for the
ensuing year, the issues being clearly de-
fined us to whether or not the church
should acquit MIR. Haldeman of the
cowardly imputations cast upon him
by Evangelist George @. Needham,
who was pastor Of the church
few weeks. The matter had been before
the church OF different times, and as the
Mechanics were in the majority it was
impossible to have the charges against
the Haldeman faction, though disproved
by facts and disclaimed personally,
cleared away. The evangelistic element,
however, greatly weakened their cause by
most rude treatment of MIR. Hnldeman
upon visit to the church on Wednes-
scene presented vas disorderly TO say
the least. This drove many to take the
side of the former pnstor. However the
Needhamites were in the majority and the
two elements in the congregation have
been very badly out of tune all spring
and summer. Since the fight started and
the management governed the church us
the friends of Mr.. Haldeman considered
Il, =, III UNIV 40 luttaY bat raft,oa1
to contribute anything to the sup
port of the organization. At the
quarterly meeting last week in a
resolution entirely ut variance with
the church laws and even State laws a
resolution was passed DISTINGUISHING oil
the voluntarily delinquent members of
their rights to participate in the election
last evening. This action only intensified
the bitter fractional feeling, and Monday
night the meeting was organized and the
balloting opened under the provisions of
the resolutions.
Chairman Simmons made few arbi-
trary rulings ut the outset which
threatened to throw the meeting into u
squabble when Harry Emmons, ESD, APP
peared upon the scene as peacemaker,
and denounced the gag resolution MS
being invalid. The chair was brought TO
realize the force of Mr.. Emmons' remarks
and the ballotidg was proceeded with, the
following being the result Trustees,
three years term, Harry Emmons, Esd,
Charles Simmons and Robert Tolnlie; two
years term, John Hyde. Deacons, to fill the
unexpired terms of Peter b. Ayars and
Curtis II. Pierce, James III. Morgan aud
e. q. Griffin. Chorister, Pancoast Allen;
Church Clerk, Il. w. Countiss Superin
tendent of the Avenue Sunday School, q.
Harry Cantwell; Superintendent of the
McDowellyille Sunday School, w. s.
Starr.
An effort was made to reduce the ex-
penses of the church and n blow aimed to
cut off the Office of chorister now held by
Deacon Allen and paying $500 per year
also failed. The move was inaugurated
by the Haldeman faction and aimed Mt
Mr.. Allen as the head of the Needhnmites
but the chorister was too strongly fortified
The meeting, it is given out by the
church officers, was entirely harmonious
in results and during its progress. They
claim that it WINS square, fair fight for
supremacy and the anti aldemln people
were ousted, and being in the minority
should acquiesce in the rulings of the
majority.
The Haldeman faction, however, regard
that they have been treated with gross
unfuirness lust evening and that there
were irregularities in the voting which
gave the majority to the opposition fac
ton. Instead of regarding the meeting
as harmonious, they view it in exactly
the opposite light. They do not show
any Indication of becoming reconciled
to the defeat, and very large number
have already expressed their determine
ton to leave the church ut once. The de-
lection may extend to about 100 members
who have already under discussion the
feasibility of leaving the Delaware
Avenue Baptist Church in a body and
founding new place of worship.
The new pastor, DIR. Boothe, wisely
declines to enter into any of the fractional
differences, and enters upon his new field
Of labor with the hope of uniting the very
widely split congregation, and with this
end in view will give his best efforts.
With reference to the matter of a police
officer, who was stationed in front of the
church and who also entered the audi
forum during the meeting, it is known
that member of the church requested
the mayor to send an officer i'll order to
prevent any repetition of n similar scene
us that enacted when Mr.. Haldeman
attended II Wednesday night prayer
meeting. Deacon Allen pronounces the
presence of the snugly informed officer
as n dastardly outrage because the mayor
was not asked by the officers of the
church to send policeman to the meeting.
Chief of Police Dougherty this morning
said: Acting under orders, detniled II
patrolman tothe Delaware Avenue Baptist
Church last night. His instructions were
to attend strictly to his own business and
if peace was violated to act. IL the
patrolmNn gave orders to any reporter, lie
lisobeved his Instructions