Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-30
THEOLOGIC THUNDER
Ebenezer Church'S Outs Say That it
Rolled All Around the Sky.
ODD IDEAS ON CLOSE COMMUNION.
One Unwilling Sister is Threatened With
an Attachment.
OUTS MAKE TIE ms GIVE EVIDENCE

There was another meeting yesterday be-
fore the commissioner to take evidence on
the counter-application for a charter for
the Ebenezer Baptist Church, at the corner
of Colwell and Miller streets, in which it
was developed that some of the "ins" as
well as the "outs" were disposed to fight
lstitudinarianism.
James Bryant testified that he did not
know why the church had side-tracked him,
as be knew of no charges preferred against
him, and had never been notified that there
were any.
Oncross-examination the witness said he
now belonged to what is called the Band Of
Brethren. He said he was one of the par
ties who presented a petition for redress Of
grievances.
On redirect examination Mr.. Bryant said
that he had asked that Messrs. Morton,
Carter, johnson and Murray be given a
show, and this seemed to be the cause OF his
expulsion.
Sarah BRYANT testified that she knew of
no reason why the church had expelled her.
She had also signed the paper asking for the
call of a council to pass on what were con-
sidered by the "outs" the unwarranted ex-
pulsion of the gentlemen above named.
This lady's views of what constituted close
and open communion were someV hat unique.
NOT RUN REGULAR.
Mary C. johnson said she had never re-
ceived any authoritative notice to attend an
investigation, and had been excluded with
out hearing. She said that after Mr.. Pryor
took hold the church had not been run as a
De
Mrs. E. Ford deposed that Rev. Pryor
told her she had been excluded because she
had signed a paper asking for council to
mass on the question as to whether the
bounced brethren had been given a fair
trial
Mrs. Hester Scott's story was similar to
that of her predecessors, except the addition
that Rev. PRYOR had fired Brother Porter
because they could not agree upon an ex-
egesis of a certain portion of the Scripture.
Sister Scott objected TO Methodists not in
good standing in their own church being
asked to partake o: the communion, and the
pastor said, ''If she don't like to eat, let
her CO.
William Herbert objected to testifying
until authority was shown to compel him,
and he was informed that he was too late in
filing his objection, as he was now in the
tolls and could not escape. Witness was a
deacon when the excluded were ousted. He
said he had notified Sister Scott to attend
trial. Witness did not serve copies of no.
tice but thought they should have been so
furnished as a matter of right The charges
presented were "disorderly," and witness
said 'dsorderly" consisted in not appearing
before the church when notified. Witness
believed that some of the grievances were
we'll founded and that others were not. In
hon r1rrhf fhn
church was conducted as a regular Baptist
church and in others that it was not. The
management was more flexible than he had
been previously accustomed to, but he con-
tinued TO commune.
On cross-examination the witness said
some of the excluded had been before the
Board of Deacons, and it sent their cases to
the church to get their auto de fe. The
charge "disorderly," Mr.. Herbert said, con-
sisted in members sbsenting themselves
from church. He said a council could not
be called unless the church agreed to it, but
ii the church refused, then the association
might withdraw the hand of fellowship. In
such case Mr.. Herbert did not know whether
the church might be called regular Bsp-
tist church, but as tor himself he proposed
TO be a regular Baptist He had doubts
whether a church could in all cases kick
successfully against the association.
HIsCocB HAD THE PREFERENCE.
Thornton Dyer also wanted to know, as a
condition precedent to testitying, whether
he had been regularly subpenaed and was
told to go on, as he was in the trap. He
said the Lords supper was not admins
tered by Rev, Pryor according to regular
Baptist usage, but according to the New
Testament direction. He said Hiscock's
4
cases." instead of the New Testament. The
exclusion of members was "for talking"
They were all excluded for having their
names to the paper, which was against the
rules OF the church. "The rule was made
to prevent free speech" He said that the
charge preferred before the association re-
garding the mode of administering the COM
munion against the Ebenezer sins" was
true.
On ncross-examination the witness said the
roll of the church would not be evidence to
him Of membership unless he heard the
members answer to their names. He would
not undertake to say whether the New Tes-
lament or Hiscock was the best authority
regarding the mode of administering the
communion.
Frank Churchwell could not say, for his
"life," why these people were excluded only
on nearSaY. he was present WDeu some OF
the members were excluded, and seemed to
think it was heready-one-two-three fire order.
The witness is still member of the church,
as well as Mr.. Herbert, but he says he does
not commune regulariylas pedobaptists and
other kinds Of believers are allowed to par
take.
Rev. j. II. Pryor was recalled, and said
that Mrs. Frances Gilbert was not now a
member of the church. He denied that he
had advised her not to attend the hearing
before Commissioner Clark yesterday.
Messrs. Prescott and Bros and their clients,
however, shook their heads Significantly,
and hirted that Sister Gilbert would be
present at the next hearing or something
would be heard drop.