The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1889-10-20
PASTOR HARDING AGAIN
This Time He Stirs Up ALL
Bayonne by ReSigning.
HIS ACTION REVIvEs SCANDAL.
The Old Trouble That Split the
Church Over a Year Ago.

ing, of the First Baptist Church, Bay
onne, written yesterday, has set all
tongues wagging. The stories of the
and more ago, are told again, and their
relation to his present action is discussed.
1t will be remembered that, according
to the sworn statements of Mrs. Mary
Ann Major. the good looking wife of Mr..
w. H. Major, of West Forty street,
near Avenue B, Bayonne, the eloquent,
and, at that time, popular minister. be-
came surprisingly free in his attentions
to her, and made improper advances and
suggestions to her during the absence of
her husband. who had gone to Syracuse,
N. Y, to look for work.
MRS. MAJORS STORY
Mrs. Major is q brunette of thirty-five
summers and the mother Of eight chill
dren. Mr.. Harding had loaned money to
her husband to prosecute mis- search for
work elsewhere. Mr. Harding in this
transaction, was guided entirely by sym
pathy, and had no evil intentions what
ever. But in his subsequent calls upon
the woman he became infatuated with
her personal charms, and made the first
advance by attempting to give her sym
pathetic kiss. On another occasion, &C
she was sick in bed, he walked into her
room unannounced, after visit made
in company with his wife an hour or so
previous, and leaning over the bed he
attempted again to kiss her. Mrs. Major
Indignantly ordered him TO leave the
room. She said he acted as though he
had been drinking heavily. He gave as
an excuse that there was no sympathy
between him and his wife.
Mr.. Harding apologized and afterWard
knelt In prayer beside the bed.
LADY MEMBERS HEAR OF 1T.
These incidents leaked out Some of the
prominet lady member of the church got
wind of them, and Indignantly declared
to their husbands that Mr.. Harding had
no business in pulpit. Several of the
deacons and trustees began an investiga-
ton. Inquiries made of officials in other
churches in which Mr.. Harding had Of
ticiated as minister, resulted very unfav-
orably to him.
THE PASTORS FRIENDS AT WORK.
In the meantime the PASTORS friends
were at work. They would not believe
the statements made by Mrs. Major, and
endeavored to ascertain from people in
Cleveland, Ohio, where the Majors re-
sided a year or two previous to settling in
Bayonne the character of the woman who
made such serious charges against such
popular minister They-Mr. Harding's
Bayonne friends-insisted that it was q
case of blackmail But it seems the in
formation CLEANED from the Western
source was not calculated to injure
Mrs. Major.
When it was ascertained that the in
dignant element had been prosecuting q
search for evidence damaging to Mr.
Harding's moral standing and had ceased
to attend the church, council OF the re-
naming officials was called in May last
and the absenting officials with their
wives were summarily expelled from
church membership.
DR.. Parmly, Of the First Baptist
Church, Jersey City, acted as moderator,
and the expelled members, while they
claim that DR.. Parmly said he.would like
to ascertain the true character of the
accused minister, claim also that he sup
plemented the remark with, you ought
to have kept your places in the church
even though the devil were in the
pulpit"
EXPELLED MEMBERS.
The expelled members were Mr.. Alex
ander A. Kennedy and wife, Mr. John
Nordine and wife, Mr.. Eben Lidgate and
wife and Mr. John Post The charge
against them was violation of covenant
failing to attend and contribute toward
the support of the church.
AT the meeting of the Association of
the Baptist Ministers OF Northern New
Jersey, held in Morristown last June, a
committee of the expelled members
waited upon the association and protest
ed against the reading and acceptance of
the Bayonne Baptist Church letter.
A committee of -four ministers APP
pointed or self appointed, Ifailed toascer-
tain which, promised to investigate the
matter They subsequently wrote the
present church officials, advising them to
appoint council and thoroughly inyesti-
gate the charges made by the expelled
members that they had been wrongfully
expelled. But the church officials fight
bitterly against every effort to push an
other investigation.
resignation offered by Mr.. Harding is
only ruse. They say he thinks he has
finally fixed the master and is now testing
his strength. The resignation will be
acted upon next Wednesday evening.
MR. HARDING's STORY.
When called upon the Rev. Mr.. Hard
ing last night and asked him what
prompted him to hand in his resignation,
he answered emphatically-"M reasons
are stated in my letter of resignation.
believe it better for the church.
sis there any truth in the rumor that
another election has recently been held
by the official board, which resulted in u
tier"
"Why, no" replied Mr.. Harding almost
Indignantly Such rulnor is false L
have everyone in the church with me?"
'Then why the resignationW
because of the outer element"
"Will your resignation be accepteds"
"Candidly. don't believe it will,
though it was written in good faith"
When questioned further Mr.. Harding
declared it impossible for him to tell me
anything further until after Wednesday
night.