Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-11-12

mrLFoRD,s cHUnCH CONTEST.

: u
MILFORDss CHURCH CONTEST.
An EVENING session Held by the
CouhcH last Night and the Case I
Given to = committee of Three
which VIII Report to the Council
In. New Haven I'm q Few Days.
Rev. Mr. Ferguson Examined Yes
terdayr and Arguments Of Both |
: sides Presented.
The interior Of the First Congregational
church in Milford presented the. appear
ances Of court room yesterday. Rev. DR..
Newman Smyth, the MODERATOR Of the
council, which is trying the GASES Of the
deposed deacons, g. F. and Fl. N. Plat,
iTsessumed : Judicial dignity while ex-Pas
TOT Ferguson and Attorney Newton COM
batted with each other in truly legal fash
ion. The.church was filed both morn
ing and evening with the diyines, who
have been called to the council, and the
many interested people of the town
The case was argued at length by Mr..
Ferguson and Attorney Newton yesterday
afternoon, and the session was prolonged
until about o'clock before an adjourn
ment for supper was taken. Both gentle
men occupied over two hours in present
ing his side of the case. Mr.. Ferguson
heightened the session considerably BY OBJ
iections and other matters somewhat for
eign, as Monerator Smyth declared, to the
subject matter, :.
until 10 o'clock last night considering the
case as it had been presented. A commit
tee Of three was finally appointed to form
ulate report containing the sentiments
expressed by leading members of the
council last night, and this committee
will make it's report to the council in New
Haven in few days.
Yesterday mornings session was con-
fined chiefly to Mr.. Ferguson's examine
ton Of witnesses for the church, but in
the afternoon Attorney Newton kept the
ex-pastor answering questions for over an
hour. rex
ATTORNEY Newton questioned Mr.. Fer
ouson raosrdino his first knovledge of the
resolutions which deposed the dsacons.
He could not remember the exact time he
first saw them. He said the gentlemen
who presented them to him, Deacon
Charles Merwin and James Smith, asked
II he thought the resolutions were sum
GENTLY explicit 1or tne deposltlon OF me
they were. He did not know whether the
two deacons saw these resolutions or
not. The resolutions were, held prepared
from July 8 to the last partof August.
stWas there any request for them to re-
| sign between July 6 and August 4an asked
Attorney Newton.
INC"
'Did You not state that you had re-
ceived large number OF requests for their
resignation"
II don't believe admitted that"
"Think again. Are you sureqn
sWell, Z believe the chairman of the
I church committee, /. G. Smith, did 90 to
one of the deacons and request his resiena-
| ton and have a distinct memory that
| this state of affairs was brought to my at
| tention very, Often
| 4Wsll, !" said the attorney CURLY, the
| deacons say this was not brought to their
| attention, and now want you to give
| your proof or withdraw your statement"
| eff it will shorten the work of this
council, I will withdraw Them"
mo, no; want to get at the truth of
| this affair"
| "Well,n assented Mr.. Ferguson, ssthere
| was Charles Merwin.n
some talk in prayer meeting of asking
I H..
| Platt would not resipn.n
"Weu.n continued the attorney, tshave
Won another"
eyes. but won't give another name, u
sI ask you to clear this thine.n
| ssWell, I WON'T" sharply
Moderator Smyth Quickly called the ex-
pastor to order.
cat the meeting on July 6.n asked the
| attorney. "did YOU not state YOU didn't
want the deaeons deposed?'
eyes, I always stated this. I remember
1 was asked if would treat them with q
| Christian spirit if they remained. said ]
| would. They were asked the same cues.
| ton but refused to snswer.n
"Didn't YOU tell the men they had more
heart than headan
eyes. and ALWAYS thouoht sou
| "Wii YOU state the references made by
vol, in your farewell sermon to the minori
i ty of this churchf'
"No,n decidedly, II will not"
"WeIl," explained the attorney, "you
seem to wish to hinder the investigation Of
this difficulty by the council"
Both gentlemen appealed to the modera,
tor. The ex-pastor said his friends de-
clared Afterwards that the farewell was 8
far milder sermon than thew expected
This caused deal Of lauchter. He Womb
not answer the onestion as to whether the
I've ex-deacons voted with the majority IL
the calling of the council He said hi,
cali to The church had been unanimous.
Questions of an Irrelevant nature h !,
gan to fiy thick and fast between the at
tornev and the ex-nastor To save tim,
ATTORNEY Newton was reouested to Give
statement of the affairs attending the yot,
deposing the two deacons and Clerk Platt'
refusal to inscribe This vote mon the min
L
| or twice and said he would haya 10 s.tnoe,
outa half what the attorney had said
Moderator Smvth rulad al the close q
| Attorney Nawton,s statemant that the % a
had been fnlly nresented Mr. Fargnso,
| ohiactad strennnnsIv and wishad 10 CIV,
his version Of tbs affair The modsrator,
-,,1;,,e, ,.,as s,,,aaIa5 fra,,, ~. NJ. Es ~.
| CO., S,t ,.,ss - sr,,ste;,,ad h., az oo,,n.;l
D., N"r-an Tam ~ 'As ot. ae a.,
hnsns ;saad .ent oun, pas.9r u ~. IA
h.. ~ 80, 80 S,i 800 sNAnS "
tian grace to the two deacons dnr;ro hi
nastorata He sa;d he didn,t stand 70
snv marty in The ehnrch. Int for it's INIT,
| and future nrosperitv
ATTORNEY Newten read a communicates,
from the minority stating that thew obieot
ed to the installafion of Rev, M. Feronson
that thew fonnd nothing II, his sermons q
Christian belief and snirit and that the,
doubted whether he had any AIRED belief
This letter was dictated by Mrs. Catherin
N. Beard short time before her death.
The evidence was taken and Attorne,
Newton began his argument. He though
great of the church trouble come from
the one-sided and biased articles write,
for the AnsoniA Sentinel by its MILFORD
corresuondent. Clark. who Is thickly en-
PACED in the fieht. The attorney declare,
fhe act;o,, ~ Ira church IN danos;no tn