The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-10-24
| SYMPATHETIC KISS.
Bayonne's 0sculating Pas
tor Invited to 60.
LAST NIGHTS LIVELY MEETING.
What Rev. Mr.. Harding Has to Say
About His Visit to Mrs. Major.

Pastor Harding's resignation has been
accepted by the members Of the First
Baptist Church of Bayonne. It was done
last night, but hard work was required of
the pastor to accomplish it, and especially
so to not make it take effect until the
end OF the church fiscal year, March /.
Every one who has read The JERSEY
CRY NEWS knows how Mrs. Mary Ann
Major, charming brunette, who some
time ago lived at West Forty y-ninth stree
and Avenue B, accused Pastor Harding
Of being an adept at osculation, and told
how on two occasions the pastor prac-
ticed the art on her pouting lips
She also stated that this was done while
her husband was out of the city.
ORDERED FROM THE HOUSE.
The second time this was done Mira.
Major stated, the pastor claimed that it
was only sympathetic kiss She. ac
cording TO her story, for reasons objected
to the clerical sympathetic kissing, and
ordered the offending minis ter from heas
house. =
The story of how a number of memb, .ois
were expelled from the church when tn e
signified their objections to clerical oscs
lation has also been told, but the result,
lead TO was only reached last night.
The Rev. Pastor Harding determine !.
to resign. This conclusion was no,I
reached until he had made an arrange-7 ]
meDt to go into business in New York as
a member of a gas fixture company to
supply churches with those articles. He
was FASTENED in this decision by the
open opposition of the younger members
of his flock. 1t is not known whether
this opposition was caused by want OF age
and experience, but it was bitter, and
the pastor could not fail to see and
feel it.
MRS. HARDING's REGRETS.
When called at his home on Avenue ID
last night his wife, a charming woman of
thirty, informed me that her husband
was at Deacon Lonsdale's marrying his
daughter Eva to John T. Hull, of this
city, but she said that he would soon re-
turn, and she invited me to wait / made
known to her my business, and asked If
she thought Mr. Harding's resignation
would be accepted and it If it was made
in good faithG
II am sorry" said she, that this must
again be published, on account of Mr.
Harding's mother. who is suffering from
paralysis. The resignation will be ac-
cepted and that is all know
"Where is Mrs Major nowy
81 don't know, but my husbands resig-
nation has nothing to do with her"
'sWhy?n / asked
Because the congregation don't be-
lieve that kissing story was the an
swer."
ssThe reason.n said Pastor Harding.
''that I did not resign sooner is that
wanted to live down that kissing scandal
as any honest man would want to do. 1t
has been said that ministers were APP
pointed to investigate my relations with
Mrs Major, but that Is not true
1T isn't?" ! exclaimed in surprise.
Il fer,rrnn Tr,f 49, n-<s@
that someone had corresponded with
them. but that was all that was done.
This work was done by the enemies-the
expelled members of the flock who were
trying to do harm and got no help" said
the clergyman with emphasis.
ssI wish," said his wife, ''that the papers
would not publish this story again"
LMPERTINENT QUESTIONS.
'tThey will do what they want, my
DEAR" said he, and then, turning to me-
said vehemently:-ssT expelled mem
bers are trying to malign me; any one
can lie. They hope to injure me so that /
cannot get another church. There was
never pastor of church that did not
have enemies in il"
Caused as yours were!r interpo-
lated
He gazed at me for moment and ig-
noring the question said that he and his
wife had found it so unpleasant since the
SSeAAtA SAA~~e SANSy s'SAS ~ASNo@ ~ 90
away.
down, he began to say.
81 wonder" interrupted Mrs. Harding,
''where people got that information?"
'Sh, sh,'" her husband replied, s'our
The clergyman then said the church
was a family and because Iinnocently en-
quired if he meant in the Mormon sense
he became offended. do not know why
he should and did not ask him. wan
ted to live long enough to hear the result
of the church meeting.
A LIVELY MEETING.
When / got there l found thirty-two
members prepared to enjoy rehash OF
the osculatory scandal. l wanted some
of 1t too, but in Bayonne they are not
very hospitable and Deacon Sanford
bluntly told me that he would prefer TO
have me combating sin and temptation
on the street to having me lead quiet
Christian life in the church. / took this
delicate hint and got as far as the outside
of the vestibule. Deacon Lonsdale must
have thought that Deacon Sanford was
too tender in his regard for me for he
took me to the gate. | waited until ten
minutes after eleven o'clock in the chill
wind.
The meeting was a fighting one.
Thirteen members were all fight and
seventeen had an equal amount of war in
them. The Ihlrteen--unlucKy NUMBER
represented the young element of the
church, and they claimed that aside from
the kissing scandal the pastor was too
abrupt and that he did not give sufficient
attention to his work. 1t was also claimed
by them that the old kissing scandal was
the means of keeping outsiders from join
ing the church.
This the seventeen opponents disputed,
and claimed In effect that kissing had
nothing to do with the growth of the
church, A resolution setting forth that
the church had faith in Mr.. Harding and
that his resignation to take effect Decem-
Der Is was offered and rejected, but this
was followed by one making the pastor
ate vacant March was adopted after
hard battle. A member said that one to
take effect Immediately would have been
adopted without trouble.
Deacon Londsdale said he was pleased
with this vindication of the pastor and
Deacon Sanford was in an eStacy of de-
light All the members that / spoke to
were well pleased and good humored, and
thought it sad. for the pastor must 60.
Mrs Major will not rejoin the church
when Mr.. Harding's successor Is ap-
pointed.
Deacon Lonsdale acted as moderator,
and Arthur Dolbier was the secretary
Fair and Warmer.
WASHINGTON. D. c.. Oct. "a. 1889. For