Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-04-21
ANGRY CHRISTIANS
Exciting Scene in a Chicago Ev-
angelical Church.
AN EsHER APPoINTEE THROWN OUT

Christianity to the Solution of a Press
the Presence of Women and Children
Rev. Mr.. Vetter Forcibly Removed
Amid the Protests of His Friends.
CHICAGO, April 2l.-"Out with him." was
the cry that rang through Christian church
in Chicago yesterday, and, suiting the action
to the word, angry men forcibly elected
from the church preacher of the gospel. 1t
was an outgrowth of the trouble in the Hi
nois conference of the Evangelical associa-
ton, which resulted in the division of the
conference last week into two sections, each
claiming alone to possess the ecclesiastical
authority of the conference. The trouble
originated chiefly because of division of
the three bishops of the church in America.
AS all three are residents of Chicago, the To-
cal adherents of each feel very bitter toward
the other The split in the conference last
week was duly recorded in these dispatches,
and the two rivals made appointments Of
preachers to all the churches before they ad-
journed.
The Rival Hosts Come Together.
There is an enthusiastic German congre-
western section of the city Recently they
built neat little one-story church on Rock
we'll street, above North avenue, which they
call the Humboldt Park church. The pastor
has been Rev. Mr. Morloch Yesterday
ended the church year and he was to preach
his farewell sermon, and under the itinerant
system his successor was to be installed.
Accordingly the adherents and appointees
of both conferences were on hand, each de-
termined to take possession of the church
and install its pastor. The Wisconsin street
conference had appointed Rev. John Vetter,
and the Sheffield avenue conference licensed
Rev A. Heilman.
Signal Given for Rostilities.
The Sunday school began at $50 a. m,
and the church services were to begin an
hour later All those interested were on
hand during the Sunday school Mr.. Nor
loch was member of the Dubs faction,
while Theodore Kruger, superintendent of
the school, recognized the authority of
Bishops Eshor and Bowman. Just before
the closing time for the school Mr.. Heilman,
who was teaching a class in the rear of the
school, went forward and whispered to MIR.
Morloch. The pastor at once assembled the
pulpit, anu seZing Bible closed his eyes as
in silent prayer Mr.. Heilman also went
upon the platform AMI tapped the superin-
tendents hell and told the pupils that the
school would close with the singing of a
hymn.
And the DinicuIty Begins.
Superintendent Kruger at once rushed
forward and demanded to know upon what
authority he closed the school. While he
was talking Mr.. Vetter went forward also
| just as he reached a point Immediately in
| front of the chancel a man named Hint7
sprang up from chair alongside him and
as MIR. Vetter claims, grabbed him by the
| throat. MIR. Heilman jumped down from
| the pulpit and across the chancel rail anC
seized him by the shoulder, while severa
others also leaped up from their seats and
grasped him. Instantly there was a furiou,
| uproar.
A Scene of Panic and Uproar.
| "Out with him!n "Out with himlr and
similar cries In German commingled witt
| the cries of women and children. To adj Il
the confusion the church was seated with
loose chairs. The frightened women anC
children attempted to rush out of the build
| ing ahead of the men, who were half push
ing half carrying the struggling pastor
| Vet;er, and in the rush the chairs wer,
tipped over, and the people fell over them
4
church We're crying, and screaming, "TheN
are killing our preacher. The friends of Mr.
Vetter, acting under legal advice, made nc
attempt to rescue their paster, but gave
vent to their anger and indignation in 6
manner that only added to the row,
| The Esher Man Fired Out"
| At last the ejecting party reached the door
| with the preacher, and pushed him down the
steps in a very hurried manner. He was
pretty well exhausted, and his coat badly
needed the attention of tailor Then hi
produced his license, and demanded read
mission to the church, or, at least, that ht
might be allowed to go back after his hat
Mr.. Heilman, who stood in the doorway
said he cared nothing for his lat, and re
| fused to let him come in. His hat wa
brought to him. and he left for home.
| Now They VIII Go to Law.
| Several of his friends remained in tn
church. One of them, j. Muenzinger,
trustee, began to express his Indignation
and he and the others were told very EN-
phatically that they must keep quiet or they
would have to go as Mr. Vetter did. Rev
Mr.. Morloch then preach his sermon. H
deplored the scene but said that Christ wa
| the only bishop they were recognizing a
present The feeling between the factions
very high and that section of the city i
| greatly excited over the affair 1t is certain
that the end is not yet and other courts thai
those ecclesiastical will be called upon t
settle the trouble.