The herald., 1894-04-30
THE FIGHTING PARSON.
A wHTRLwIND RAISED BY REV
]. H. COLLINS AT FRESNO.
A Council Takes Strong Ground Against
His Treatment OF tho Armenians.
Interesting Account of the
Proceedings.

christian treatment and consider the
serious charges made by the Armen ian
brethren and their friends, members o.
this church, against the pastor, Rev. j.
II. Collins, formerly OF Los Angeles, and
some of the officers and members of the
Fresno Congregational church.
The following churches OF this state
responded to thsinvitation to be presen
and participate in the investigation and
proceedings of this council, viz:
First Congregational church of San
Francisco; Rev @. o. Brown, D. D.,
pastor; Rev. j. FL. Warren, d. D.. dele
gate.
First Congregational church OF Los
Angeles; Rev. Il. G. Hutchins, ID. D.,
pastor; Rev. Edward Hildreth delegate.
First Congregational church OF Oak
land Rev. VIM. RAIDER, assistant pastor.
Congregational church OF Berkeley /;
Rev. Geo. B. Hatch, pastor; Deacon O..
Sadler, delegate.
Congregational church OF Riverside /;
Rev. I. Q. Hunt. pastor and delegate.
Congregational church of Olesnder (;
Geo. j. Binder, pastor; @. A. Harrison,
delegate.
There were besidss three Congregs-
tional ministers-Rev. E. o. Tads of
Avalon, Rev. Walter Frear, agent for
! the A. B q. F. Ia. at San Francisco, and
Rev. W. Mead, returned missionary from
Turkey, " no responded to the invitation.
Miss A. l.. Peabody OF Los Angeles was
also present.
The church was well filled, many of
them being Armenlsns, as large and
| a hi n O A nj a.
time since located in Fresno. The
pastors of all the other denominations
| OF Fresno were also in attendance.
Rev. G. B. Hatch OF Berkeley was
chosen moderator and Rev. Z. o. Tade
clerk. A committee of three, Rev. DR..
| Brown, Rev. DR.. Hutchins and Rev Mr.
RAIDER, was appointed to confer with
| Pastor Collins and the church trustees
to ascertain If they would accept this
meeting as q mutual council. After a
short tine the committee returned, &C.
compsnied by Captain Colson, one of
the trustees of the church, who state d
they would not accept mutual council
on the ground that there was no neces-
sity for calling q council. Pastor Collins
wished to know if he should retire as he
preferred not to remain unless he could
introduce testimony. The council
argued it would practically make it q
mutual council, yet as Christians the
concession would be allowed him. Rev.
DR.. Warren then urged that he would
sit in the council under protest. as the
letters received were not in accord with
the facts as they found them, which ne
thought were not of nature to author
| ize an ex-parte council. Rev. DR..
! Hutchins dlssented. h9 claimed that
4 haA N WhAGhRT
| UuuIvlI WV - vLv+eA os Jea.s Christ nr
not
The council then took up the matter
| for which they had been called together,
Mr.. Giant opening the case by reciting
! the wrongs the Armenisns claimed they
had been subjected TO. Eleven distinct
charges were brought against Pastor
| Collins and the church officers. The
principal points made we're as follows
That an Armenian deacon, duly
elected, WAS not recognized; adult Ar
menians were refused admission to the
church; discrimination WAS shown IN
seating the Armenians in the church
and also in the distribution OF hymn
books and Bibles; the pastor had in
formed the Ministerial union OF Fresno
and others that he wished the Armen-
isns were out OF the church, and that
unless they paid larger sums they would
have to 60 to some other church and
that he would see that it was done. He
WAS also charged with ejecting an Ar
menian from the church, because he had
taken q seat not given him by the usher
although seats are free in this church.
Other charges of like nature were ALEC
made.
When the evidence had all been heard
| 4 Narf n
the church and did not arrive at deOi'
sion till IL 80 p. m.
The decision rendered was largely ir
favor Of the Armenians, and most OF the
charges unanimously sustained agains
the pastor and officers of the church
The report is severe reprimand o
Pastor Collins and the church officer
for their unchristian spirit towards tht
Armenians. The council does not ap
prove or sanction the segregation Of tn
congregation, and eommends the spirl
of the Armenian brethren, which ha
led them to identify themselves with al
American church rather than to form
separate organization, and they ex
pressed themselves decidedly OF tn
opinion that an American Congrega
tional church should have the grace +
make the most of such commendRbl
spirit.
Remembering now that the eyes c
the churches in this and missionar
lands are upon the church and ite actor
and that the issue must be far-reachin
in ite effect, they solemnly entreat bot
the church and the sggrieved party t
''seek those things which make 10
peace" to the end that existing causes c
offenses may be removed