The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-11
MIR. READRE-ELECTED
Climax Of Market Street Bap-
fist Church Trouble.
MAJORITY TAKES The HELM.
Thres-Hsurths Rule Abrogassd and the
Psater wins-Hss Oppensnts Pre-
test asd sseeds.

Thrss-Rssrths KsIs Abrogassd ana the
Psater wins-His Oppensnts Pre-
tsss asd ssesds.
The prolonged dispute in the Market
street Baptiat church over the retention of
Rev. l. W. Read ~ pastor, came to . cli-
max at business meeting held after the
prayer meeting on Thursday evening. The
minority. which has 90 far been able to
prevent the reelection Of Mr.. Read. made
hard struggle. but was overcome by
numbers, and has already begun . seces-
sion movement.
The meeting was presided over by F. A.
Twichell and began with the moving of q
resolution by O. F. Briggs that speeches
be limited TO three minutes. The minor
lily 0pposed this - . gag rule, and it was
proposed in the interest Of harmony that
the limit be three and one-haif minutes.
but the amendment had no second.
The object Of this rule was to prevent the
making Of long speeches by and on
behalf of four members against
whom Mr.. Read had fled charges
Of trying to injure his reputa-
ton. specifications having been made on
Wednesday. These four were J. c. Keith,
deacon; c. b. Livermore, trustee: J. A.
Resseguie, trustee and superintendent of
the mission Sunday school; and George G.
6tarkweather, superintendent Of the Sun
day school They were cited 70 appear
before the meeting on Thursday and
answer the charges, and the majority
alleges that they had prepared themselves
with counsel and two satchels full of law
books. with the intention of occupying
the whole time of the meeting. and that
the motion 10 limit speeches was made to
head off this scheme. The four had re-
taiiated By filing charges that afternoon
that Mr.. Read had been guilty OF un-
Christian conduct and lying, of which
they gave nine specifications. An amend
ment to the motion providing that the
rule should not apply to the four defend
ants and their counsel was voted down,
another amendment exempting the de-
1endants from its provisions was adopted
with the original motion.
1t was then moved by o. F. Briggs that
s'tEe bylaws be and are hereby re-
pealed." This was opposed by Hermon
w. Craven on the ground that the by
laws themselves provided that thirty days
notice must be given of amendments or
repeal Of any of them. The majority re-
piled that the bylaws were imperative,
though the church had been working un-
der them for two and half years, because
they had never been signed by the
trustees, Is required by the corporation
law. The minority continued to offer
strenuous opposition to the motion. but
it was carried. Then A. r. Braymer
pulled new set of bylaws out of his
pocket and moved their adoption. After
they had been read p. w. Fuller moved as
. substitute to Mr.. Braymer's motion that
the question Of bylaws and the whole diff
Guilty in the church be referred to q coun-
Gil composed Of the pastors and delegates
Of the two other Baptist churches in the
city and of those IN Tacoma, Victoria.
Port Townsend, Kent and Portland, but
this was laid on the table and the new by
laws were adopted.
Before the meeting was through with
this subject e. L. Kellogg was on his feet
with resolution that Rev. l. w. Read be
called - pastor. but attention being called
to the fact that tho previous question had
not yet been acted upon, he was declared
out OF order. The bylaws we're then
adopted and signed by three Of the trus-
tees. George F. Berry and A. F. Resseguie
refusing to sign them because they con-
sidered their adoption illegal
Tho motion to elect Mr.. Read pastor was
then put and declared carried, by a vote OF
e to q. the minority still insisting that
the old bylaws werc still in force and
that the motion was lost, not having re-
ceived three-fourths majority, but they
were overruled by the chair. Before the
voting was finished. the point was made
that Mr.. Read was not eligible, as the
charges against him were still pending,
but the chair ruled that the bylaws had
done away with all charges both against
Mr.. Read and his four opponents. Mr..
Braymer then made a speech in which he
highly eulogized Mr.. Read and was loudly
appiauded with stamping of feet and hand
clapping. Mr.. Briggs nexs moved that, if
there were any charges against Mr.. Read,
they be handed to the clerk, put in the
stove and burned, but, as the chair had
already ruled out all charges, the motion
was not put.
During the meeting G. A. c. Rochester
discovered that there were persons who
were not members Of the church. and who,
ne claimed, were directing the members
what to do. lie moved that such persons
be requested to refrain from taking any
part in the proceedings. but the chair
raled that they were not authorized to
vote, but could take part in the proceed
ings. Mr.. Rochester then asked il they
could electioneer, and was told that that
question rested with them.
After the election of Mr.. Read motion
to adjourn was made by one of his sup
rorters, but the four members against
whom he had made chaages called atten-
ton TO the fact that they had been cited TO
defend themselves. The chair again for
maily ruled out the charges under the new
bylaws.
The minority was unsparing in its de-
nuncia,ion OF the methods by which it
had been defeated, saying that they would
have disgraced political convention, and
Deacon G W. Wells said: II am an
Engiishman and dissenter from the
Church OF England because do not be-
Neve in one man rule. / came over TO this
country To get rid of monarchy, but |
never saw anything TO equal this under a
monarchical government. It is the most
high-handed outrage I ever saw" SIR.
Rochester said yesterday: 1.-The majority
came 10 the meeting with 4 prepared pro-
cramme, for every man had his motion in
writing. The whole tenor of the new by-
laws is 10 give the control of the church TO
the pastor. The action Of the majority is
simply coup d'etat and is contrary to all
baptist usage"