The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-27
THEY WANT TO GUST HIM
FIRST AFRICAN BAPTIsTs DIVIDED
AMONG THRMsELVEa

Rev. 3. K. Loves Congregation Stirred
Up over Charges Against Their Pas
IA Committee Demands an In
Church-The Members Talk Of Ap-
pealinR 70 the Courts.
The First African Baptist church, on
Franklin square, is divided against itself
and torn with dissensions. Trouble Is i'm
minent among the members who for many
years have prayed and sung in harmony.
Pastor Love is the bone Of contention be-
tween the factions. When he first came to
the church to minister to the wants Of the
flock things were lovely and the gospel ship
sailed along placidly under the breeze OF
faith without even the slightest ripple Of
discomfort TO check its course.
Pastor Love loved his flock, and in
turn the flock loved Pastor Love. But
about two years ago little cloud came
over the horizon, and gradually increased
until from it sprang q gale which started
things rocking around the old church.
CHARGES AGAINST THE PASTOR.
Serious charges about the private life Of
Pastor Love were made in the Methodist
Union Of Augusta, the Athens Clipper,
the Peoples Journal Of Rome. and the
Georgia Baptist of Augusta, all colored
organs.
Some of the congregational Pastor Loves
church we're inclined to pass by the charges
as an outburst Of spleen from some Of his
enemies over his success, but another por-
tion of the congregation demanded an in
vestigation. A committee was appointed
and the pastor came out OF the tnYestiga-
ton with apparent vindioation.
Still the charges continued and became
broader, and the discomfort Of some Of the
faithful increased in proportion, Some OF
those who we're little too loud-mouthed
about what they thought, and put their
opinions OF the pastor in anything but
choice language on paper, were hauled up
in Justice Naughtin's court by some of Pas
tor Loves friends. This was afterward
settled.
A DIVORCE FIGURES IN THE TROUBLE.
A divorce case in Athens, in high colored
society not long since, renewed some OF the
charges against Pastor Love, and last
month a committee Of the church members
asked the pastor to meet with it after
service one Sunday, so as to talk the matter
over ard, if possible, put an end TO the
talk current In the colored state papers
The committee did not get the hearing, and
the members were mad.
Then Deacon r. H. johnson and Brothers
TabY Lloyd, ?. E. Kelly, John II. Caffea,
Benjamin Cashin, Andrew NJ Monroe L. II.
Houston, William H. Ward, Daniel W.
Gibbons, William J. G. Brown, John YER
der, Andrew Houston, Ben Houston, Joe
Steele, David Blake, J. B. Butler, Lewis
Steele and A. NJ. Williams wrote O letter TO
the discipline meeting of the church de-
mandinR an investigation of the charges
against their pastor. Instead Of getting the
investigation they asked for they were sum
moned before the descons themselves, Sum
day, Feb. ~, tried Oh the charge Of con-
spiraoy and dismissed from membership in
the church. Pastor Love was chairman Of
the meeting.
TURNED OUT FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
The dismissed members alleged that the
PASTORS friends packed the meeting pur-
posely to get them out Of the church. They
have been threatening ever since TO bring
the matter into the courts, and as they have
gathered many sympethizers around them
III the congregation it was rumoTed that an
effort to GUST Pastor Love would be made
at yesterdays services, but nothing was
done, and the pastor still holds the fort
Rev. Love and his friends deny that
there ia anything in the charges, and claim
that the dismissed crowd has been trying to
create dissension In the church for some
time. The majority Of the sisters" are
with the pastor, and his friends are the
strongest in the congregation.
yond prediction, but indications point to
some lively scenes around the old First
church in the near future.