Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-14

| taken by the church in their behalf, and
showing the good faith of the brethren :,
but have since declined to have the
church take said action, and in other
ways have shown that they did not hold
| to their decision to accept the advice
sought; and
Whereas, it is fact that the rumors in
circulation, which are intended to injure
the character of our pastor, have been
told to our brethren throughout the state
and efforts are still being made to find
something against the character of our
pastor; and
Whereas, our pastor has asked this
| church to appoint committee of this
church, and to call couI ell of leading
ministerial brethren to investigate these
matters and report to the church their
decision, giving as a reason for this re-
quest that he can no longer submit to the
| irresponsible circulation of these rumors
without the thorough investigation of
them by his church; therefore be it
Resolved, /. That Brethren j. L.
Henry, W. L. Williams, C. C. Slaugh-
| ter, Waid Hill, Ed z. Marshall, S. J i.
Howell, f. T. Lewis, S. L. May, j. 7.
Hand, C. H. Briggs, G. NJ. Figh and J .
W. Barton, be and are hereby appointed
the said committee TO represent this
church i'll the investigation of said rumors
| and matters of interest to the church con-
neoted Herewith.
2. That Rev. A. T. Spalding, D. D.
of Galveston, Rev. B e.. Il. Carroll D D.. :,
of Waco; Rev. F. NJ. Law, d. D., of
Bryan; Rev. J. Fl. Stribbng, d. D., of
Raakdale; Rev. NJ. V. Smith, d. D., of
Bolton; Rev. R. c. Buokner, d. D., of
| Dallas; and Rev. A. N. Simms of Gle
burne, be and are hereby appointed and
requested to act as a council with the
aforesaid church committee.
| 3. That the committee ard council be
requested TO meet in Dallas, December 3
at $50 O. clock p. m.
4. That in accordance with the eX-
pressed wish of our pastor any parties de-
string to submit charges against our pas
| tor or to bring evidence against him with
| out themselves charging him with any
| thing, be and are hereby invited to do
| so.
On Sunday the 25th of November, one
of the leaders of those opposing the pas
| tor, complained that the resolutions pro-
| Niding for an investigation were one
sided, and they would refuse to 90 into
an investigation unless they were allowed
| full representation. The pastor expressed
the utmost willingness TO cOncede every
thing in reason asked by the opposition,
and accordingly a meeting of committees
of each side was held at the residence of
Hon. John L. Henry the same afternoon.
The pastors enemies then asked that
they be allowed to name seven ministers
to sit i'll council and twelve members
TO assist i'll collecting evidence.
| This request met with some opposition
among the pastors friends, because it
seemed to reflect on the ministers and
members named the preceding Sunday.
The pastor urged, however, that his OPP
position have all the representation
asked, so that i'll the event of his vindi-
cation they could not say that the inves-
PASTORS request the additional names
were added to the ministers council and
the local committee.
The ministers proposed for the council
were Rev. J. 5. Gillespie, ID. D., of
Fort Worth, Rev. w. II. Howard d D.,
of Austin, Rev. &. W. Griffin, d. D.,
of Longview; Rev. j. L. Lloyd, d. D.,
of Kaufman; Rey.J. r. Clark of
HiIlsboro; Rev. L. J Harris, of
Gainesville and Rev. H. NJ. Burroughs.
To the local committee were added J. F.
Warren, 3. NJ. ROsky, Dr.. Fl. A. Nose
ley. W. H Prather,s A. c. Audrey, DR..
d. King and six others. The time for
the investigation was postponed from
December until yesterday.
THE COUNCIL.
Pursuant to the action referred to in
the preceding chapter of this history the
council or at least most of the gentlemen
named by it arrived in Dallas yesterday
and last night the investigation began
with closed doors. 1t is thought that the
matter will consume the whole week and
it is certain that every particle of evil
dence to be found will be sifted. What
the finding of the council will be is only
matter of conjecture, but the Baptist
people are confident of the clear, thor
ough and triumphant yindicatiOn of their
pastor. The denomination throughout
the state are watching the investigation
with interest and it is believed all have
faith in the Dallas PASTORS vindication
Even the people of Dallas who
are not identified with churches regret
the unfortunate, and some say, malicious
stabs at the minister's good character,
and will rejoice to know if the council so
finds it that no reasonable ground exists
for them.
THE CHARGES.
From the best information obtainable
UHt etlcldl CllSIi ID " ILLS tltCl. ILdl
the Rev. r. T. Hanks has been guilty of
conduct, which unbecoming Christian
minister, has seriously affected his moral
standing, and scandalized the church.
The first specification is TO the effect
that he visited certain female memiyAs
of his church until some scandalouss,sa4lt
arose, and that being Acknowledged, NE.
renewed his visits, riding with her iffSfc
buggy by day and some times by Sstsait
and that on one occasion he rode gath her !
to Lancaster TO attend Il meetiHEs, ThjSi
last occurrence is said to hHFe taken
place two years or more ago.
The second specification is to the effect
that i'll the year-he began to pay spe-
cial attention to another member of his
church, that lie visited her in the absence
of her husband and that scandal
arose from such visits; that the lady,
pastor and many others went to Rich
moud Va, to the Southern Baptist con-
vention together, and that the first night
out from Dallas the pastor was seen sit
ting on the edge of her made-up berth
and, fully dressed, engaged in low con-
versation; and that some time during a
subsequent day he was observed holding
her hand
The third specification is as indefinite
as the, charge itself, and in substance is
that Rev. R. I. Hanks has endeavored