Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-05

thought the trouble had came from Pastor
Smiley's church, She said the pastor was
being prosecuted. ~ do not claim" she said,
did my.
of anything against Mr.. Speer, ard many peo-
pie left She thought there were between 20 OF
5 people at the meeting. She gave her testi-
| mony in such way that the other side had no
desire to cross-examine her, and she sat down
| amid great applause.
W. W. GLADDEN., former trustee and mem
| Der of the Building Committee, said he had re-
| signed on account Of the dissatisfaction. He
said he contributed largely to the pastors sal
| ary. and would raise his contribution IL the
| pastor was continued If he was not continued
the witness said he would leave. as he had en-
gagged seat ar Mr.. SmiIey's church. If the
pastor was removed he thought it would be a
bad thing for the congregation: If he was al
| lowed TO remain, the 'stickers" would guaran-
| tee to support him for one year.
STANDING BY THE PREACHER.
NJ. B. KelsO said he had stood By the pastor,
and would continue to do so. If Mr.. Speer was
removed, the witness said he and his family
would go to some other church. He thought
the pastor was being persecuted. He heard of
"A members Of the church who had ordered GER
uhcates to leave, and l6 others would do so If
the pastor was not retained. In answer to the
question if the ''ins" would pay the pastors
salary for one year, he said: "Yes. and will
keep him for life" He thought about so per-
sons would withdraw if Mr.. Speer left,
L B. H. Brownlee, attorney for the discon-
tented members wanted the names of the per-
sons who Mr.. GLADDEN. knew for certainty
wonld resign. Mr.. Speer jumped to his feet
with an objection. The attorney insisted, but
the moderator sustained the objection.
William Mcpherson, whose name was on one
of the petitions, said he had not authorized its
beingrput there. He also said his wife's name
RnOWlndOp
McNarey said he refused to put his name on
the petition, and his wife had not author
iFed Ss any No,dP to put her name on
another person whose name was on the
petition without her knowledge. John b. Nc
Connell Harriott Denny, Mrs. Margaret Fer
guson and her daughter, none of whom were
present, wrote letter to the Presbytery saying
that their names were on the petition to remove
the pastor without authority from them.
A recess of i've minutes was taken and the
witnesses for the "outs" were called. Editor
Fee said that Mrs. Mcpherson and her daugh-
ter had told him to put their names on the
petition. On the first petition asking for the
removal of the pastor there were Y names,
on the second there were ., and the third
petition Is names. The latter two were
milder in tone than the first one which con-
John Fulton, leader of the choir said the
names were put on the petitions by the persons
themselves. At McPherson's house they read
it twice, and Mrs. Mcpherson and her daughter
fully understood it. He signed it himself, be-
cause he thought it was best for the congrega-
tion. The latter. he said, is not in dourish1ng
condition, financially or spiritually. For the
past ten years it had been going down hill. He
thought Mr.. Speer's usefulness as pastor was
done. To Mr.. Speer he said: THE people will
not contribute to support you" One year ago,
he said, the trustees had exerted themselves to
raise money to pay the pastor salary and fell
considerably short of it. He stated that the
pastor had not visited his family for Is years.
This was one of the reasons his influence was
lacking.
R. D. Fulton was recalled. He said he was a
trustee, and had put his name on the petition
the action OF Mr.. Speer's friends was only
bluff" and they would not pay the pastors
salary. To Mr.. Speer's question, he said they
had been back in the payment Of the pastor
for years.
Mr.. speer-Do you think man can be good
pastor, feel comfortable and keep the wolf
from the door when his salary is not paid him?
William Johnston said there was want Of
harmony. The pastor was only in his house
once in ten years, and then he came to beg
money He was member of the committee
appointed to wait on Mr.. Speer and tell him
that the congregation could not pay salary of
81, 200 for 1S89 The pastor did not complain.
The witness said he heard of Mr.. Speer refus-
ing to visit families where there was sickness
and ministering to their wants. He said Mr..
Speer had said to him: IF the congregation
want a change they can soon get it" The
witness thought if the pastor was removed
''the church could move forward" IF he was
retained, the church would be worse of, at this
stage of the fight" Mr.. Speer ELECTED the in
formation thar the four Fulton families paid
about s OF the sd salary fhny for the
acres of land" The witness retorted: "Give
us the right man and we will show you what"
WANTED THE PASTOR TO QUIT.
A. NJ. Borland, a member of the session,
thought it would be best for the pastor to quit
He admitted that the opposition against Mr..
Speer had died out. He said the pastor had
advised him to sell his farm. Probably he
wanted to get subscription out of me by this
means" He said the pastor has not taken
many vacations, and was reasonably faithful"
Robert Mcpherson said If Mr.. Speer goes
/ CO. l think it is shame he is being perse-
cuted So 1 hear the kickers say they will get
other people from the other church to take our
places. Well, let them; L don't think they are
any good.
Mrs Mcpherson was recalled. She said: |
when Mr.. Patterson came along and told me |
of the meeting he was a sorry-looking man. He |
said it was bad days work for the congrega- |
tion, This congregation does not know how |
to appreciate a good pastor" Isaac Weaver |
followed Mrs Mcpherson. He was the last |
witness for the afternoon and said if some |
other pastor had been in charge the congrega- |
tion would not have been on the decline for |
years.
The meeting then adjourned for supper and |
reconvened at 7:30 o'clock They were in ses- |
sion until 10:45 The Presbytery took the evil |
Qence anu IN lew minutes resolved 10 sustain |
the pastor AS soon as the good news was an |
Mr.. Speer resigned and his resigna- |
tion was accepted.
1t is certain that nearly one-half of the men, |
bers of the church will leave. No matter how |
the result would have turned out one Of the |
factions would secede. As It stands the NAL |
contents will remain in possession. The church |
is a new one. and many of those who will leave |
as high as $500 to the fund.
The fight about the church organ in the town |
is still going on and causing much comment |
among the young people.