The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-11

ars in regard to the election Of the
pastor and the settlement Of charges
against msmbers A simple majority can
now elect pastor. The OLD bylaws provided
that charges should come direct before the
church. which IL contrary to al Baptist customs
and usageA Under the new ones any brother
Who has grievance against another must 20 to
him snd try to settle II; II they fail. they muss
select . committee Of three to settle IL: 1t they
fsil. il goes before the ceacons: II they fail. to
the church. and If the church falls, then before
the whole association.
One view Of the origin and history Of the
trouble which eliminated in the proceed
ings Of Thursday night was told to Posi-
1NTELLIeEScER reporter by g. A. C. Roch-
ester, one Of the leading opponents OF MI.
Read, as foilows:
More than year ago the church was dnsn-
cially embarrassed and could not continue pay
ing Mr.. Read the salary OF 5000 year It had
been paying him. The advisory board decided
that it could not pay mors than 81. 500, and told
him 50, but. as II did not wish to release him or
TO have him retire, 1t suggested that, II he would
give $500 from his years salary to the church, IL
would never be known that hia salary had been
cut down. He made q counter proposition that
he would preach for $3.50 year, but the COM
nn:.;ee thought 800 the extreme limit we
from the university Of the position OF financial
secretary 10 solicit contributions and collect
those already made. He resigned the paotorate
and accepted that position.
A pulpit committee was then appointed to
looK Tor aud recommend . suitable man for
pastor. M Read then requested to be retained
as supply, which was agreed TO. and he was re-
tanned. The pulpit committee, OF which was
secretary. then corresponded with Baptist coll
ieges. educators and leading preachers all over
the country. asking them to recommend suit
able pastor Among the large number recon-
meuded were two whose names were considered
and other letters were written in reference to
them. The pulpit committee then, with the ex-
ceptfon OF one member, recommended the
church to cal, = young man in Kentucky. the
Bev. Borum. AT the church meeting it was
moved to amend the recommendation
OF the committee by putting Mr. Reads name
in place of Mr.. Borum'A The bylaws OF the
church require q three-fousths vote to elect
pastor anu, though q majority voted for Mr..
Read. it was not sufficient to elect Afuppofter
OF Mr.. Read then appealed to tho church and
said he would give his word that. II the church
would elect Mr.. Read pastor till January !, 1898,
his name would not again appear for choice -
pastor. One member who had voted for the re-
port Of the committee then moved to make the
election of Mr. Read unanimous on this under
standing. A vote was taken and with only one
Shortly before the end OF the year 1892 it was
suggested by Mr.. Read TO one OF the trustees tina:
it was time for the church to be thinking of ge.-
ting pastor. and tho matter was brought
up at the business meeting in November.
pu1pit committee was appointed, composed OF
all tho twelve officers OF the church, OF whom
eight were present After the business meeting
this committee had . meeting. and the first
thing asked was: Would Mr. Read allow his
name to be proposedf A vote was taken on tho
question whether 1t was for the best interest OF
the church that Mr.. Read allow his name to be
used, and stood for and agains: the PROPOSE
ton. The committee then asked Mr.. Read
TO come before IL and told him what
had been done and asked him what he would do.
He said he was not prepared TO answer-this
was Thursday-but they would hear from him.
On the following Sunday, which was three
weeks before January I, after service Mr.. Read
offered his resignation, he having then only
three weeks to serve. Action wss postponed
until the next Thursday night That night,
before the meeting OF the church, the advisory
board. consisting OF all the officers Of the
church, had had . meeting and offered a recon-
mcndaton that SIR. Reads resignation he ac-
cepted. DR.. e. A. Walsh, the chairman OF the
meeting, declined to entertain the recommended
ton and MI. Reads resignation was not &C.
cepted, 20 he continued to preach until
january.
after the first Sunday in January. Mr. Reads
name came up for election as pastor. notice TO
that effect having been sent out by D. C. Draw.
ley, q friend OF Mr.. Read'a A rising vote was
taken aud Mr. Read failed to secure the requi-
sits majority. After the vote was announced one
Of Mr.. Reads supporters asked the privilege of
being allowed to change his vote 10 the win
ming side SO that he might move reconsidera-
ton. Permission was granted aud on his mo-
ton it was decided to postpone further con-
sideration till the Saturday night following.
when the annual election OF officers was held.
In the meantime efforts were being made to set
tie the matter and 1t had been agreed by Mr..
Reads supporters and opponents that Mr.. Read
would present letter declining positively to
allow his name to be used, that resolutions
should be adopted endorsing him and express
ing appreciation OF his work ana that he would
leave and 60 to California. That had all been
agreed to in writing and signed by most of the
officers who were opposed to Mr.. Read.
On the Saturday the election of officers was
held and then the business OF electing a pastor
was taken up. Mr.. Reeds letter was not pre-
sented. no resolutions were presented, but his
supporters insisted on Q vote. 1t was learned
by the vote that the opponents of
Mr.. Read had gained three and his sup
porters lost eight and the result was against
him. Then one of Mr.. Reads supporters read
letter from him declining to allow his name to
were presented, passed and signed by the of.
fcers After the indorse ment OF Mr.. Read by
the resolutions aad the receiving OF the letter. a
man who had opposed his election made mo-
ton that he be invited TO preach, morning and
evening, on the mex. Sabbath. On January Is
he preached at the house OF Mr.. Braymer, but
has since preached in the church by invitation.
In a general reply to this statement of
the facts, A. f. Braymer, Mr.. Reads chief
supporter, said:
Mr.. Read never made any agreement not to be
again a candidate for the passionate. and Al Tar
As ! know. he never thought OF such q thing.
He had his acceptance OF the call to Oakland
written out when the report ca;ne that charges
had been made by letter from here, aud he re-
fused the call. He did not wish to become a
candidate here again, but his friends insisted,
~ they felt that he had been abused and should
not leave until the charges had been disproved
The trouble was all due 20 several of the des-
cons who objected to the sociabcs and suppers
which he allowed i'll the church. for he does not
believe in long-iaced Christianity.
As the reporter had not the text of Mr..
Rochester's account Of the trouble with
him. it was impossible 10 obtain Mr.. Bray
mer's reply to it in detail. y
Damaged Goods
Caused by the bursting of the water pipes
in the Bailey building. which has damaged
5000 worth of the Chester Cleary drv
goods stock. The above goods will be
placed on sale Monday. February Is, AZ a
rsry lote figure. Some of the goods are now
On h ,tittnn in kei Ia r,ra shnw u,,l1u,