The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-23
Case OF The MATTES0NS
Are They Guilty as Charged by the
Abingdon Baptist Conference.
REV. ia. MATTESON'S DEFENSE
lie Writes u Letter Denying the Accuse
tions Against Him, but the baptist
Clergy of Scranton Unanimously
Reiterate Them.

OllC WCth dbO ut llldy luC
published in its report of the Abingdon
Baptist conference of pastors, which
met in the Penn Avenue Baptist church
the day prior. an account of the eXpul-
sion of F. A. Matteson, and also his
son, from the conference Mr.. Matte
son, ST., subsequently called at this
office, and, claiming that he was sick
and in bed when this action was taken,
asked permission to give his side of the
story. This being accorded Mr.. Matte
son wrote for publication the follow
ing letter:
1T was said that l was compelled to
resign my pastorate of the ElmhurSt
Baptist church and that majority of
the members were determined to dis
pense with our services This is alb
solutely false. | had call from the
church where / had lived from child
hood and where l had been baptized
into the Baptist church | did resign
as pastor of the Elmhurst Baptist
church to accept the call, but the petit
tion herewith attached is conclusive
evidence of the falsehood of the charge
that | was expelled. A majority of the
church members petitioned me to re-
| consider my resignation and remain, as
no one before had drawn as large an
| audience, filling the house, or done as
honest, hard, Christian-like work as we
had. Finally, after prayerful consider
| alton, / decided to stay under certain
conditions, which were afterward vio-
lated by Il certain few, whose aim Is to
rule or ruin.
Resulted in Split.
"Then many of the church members
solemnly declared they never would
enter the old church or claim fellowship
with those who abused their pastor, but
would unite with the other churches of
this place. And to save the Baptist
church of Elmhurst l organized an in
| dependent regular Baptist church, TAX
ing with me large majority of the
active members of the old church. Our
audience is large and still Increasing
Prayer meetings are we'll attended and
spiritual. The Sabbath school is quite
large; preaching is held morning and
evening. Gods spirit pervades in the
audience, and last Sabbath some eight
publicly requested prayers and wished
to become Christians. Notwithstand-
ing the statement in the item men,
| toned that our eloquence was not
heard longer in the Elmhurst Baptist
church, we would say that we claim no
eloquence, but a forgiving, Christ-like
spirit. After we had organized the new
church, by a unanimous vote, was re-
quested to notify in writing the clerk
of the old church, also the deacons, to
drop all the names of those who had
withdrawn to organize the new church.
as they were too Indignant over the
abuse of a certain few toward them
selves and thier pastor to ask for let
ters. am informed that six members
of the old church met and preferred
charges against us, and that one week
later four met and expelled us. / was
sick and confined to my bed at the time
What wonderful expulsion. according
to the Baptist manual and church pol
ity. | wish to state here that / was
confined in my room under the Doctors
care at the time the meeting of the
Pastors conference convened in
Scranton, as mentioned in said item. In
regard to the trouble of my son that is
being settled In the court now, and all
who know him from a child will posi-
lively affirm that he Is an exemplary
Christian and worthy young man.
We will not be judged by our enemies
neither will l notice anything said or
written by them. But if any one in
Elmhurst or Scranton will positively
state over his signature that he knows
of our dishonesty or anything criminal
relating to our characters, | ask him to
do so through the columns of this
| paper. Do not write what somebody
has written or said, but what you posi-
lively know, over your signatures and
l will attend to it at once"
Petition and Affidayits.
Accompanying this letter, Mr. Matte
son, ST., sends the following COPY of a
petition, with signatures, the authen-
ticity OF the latter being attested by an
affidavit made by Mrs. Hugo Burmeis-
ter before Dudley Bauman notary pub
lie, He also says he has letters of
recommendation and commendation
from Rev. Eneas Mclean, pastor of the
Presbyterian church, of Elmhurst, and
S. c. Simpkins, pastor of the Methodist
Episcopal church Of the same place, be-
sides others. The petition follows:
I'VE, the undersigned members and
sympathizers of the First Baptist
church. of Elmhurst,. hearing with re-
gret of the resignation of our pastor,
the Rev. F. A. Matteson, would respect
lively ask him to reconsider said resig-
nation, as we deem his services neces-
sary for the welfare of our church.
"Names-Hugo Burmelster, Marie
Burmeister, Mary Burmeister, Winnie
Burmeister. Charles Koch, Mrs. c.
Koch, John Smyth, Marchal E. Frace
David Knickerbocker, Horace Finn
John Warren, George Miller, ST., D.
Shoemaker, Mrs. d. Shoemaker, Jay
! Knickerbocker, Mrs. B. F. Butterfield
Mrs. A. M. Frace, e. Frace, Daniel
Frace, /. M. Frace, w. o. Swartz, Dea
j. II. Snyder, Mrs. l.. Il. Snyder, B. l.
Swartz, A. Griffin, Henry Bronson, Mrs
p. Larue, Mrs. George Deterick, Estella
Bird, Mrs. Byron Buckingham. Mrs
i'iOiiSOii, hi w II. rNdHS, w
H. Evans, w. b. Edwards, ]. Rhodimer
Mrs. F. E. Finch, Charles F. Koch, jr.
r. A. Griffin, A. Nagley, August Hahn
Mrs. August Hahn, Charles Whitney
H. G.. Thayer, Mrs. A. e. Dunning
Jennie Dunning, George Miller, jr., Mrs
William B. Robinson, L. w. Partridge
Alva Aten, Pauline Aten."
The Conferences Action.
The Baptist pastors Of Scranton who
participated in the expulsion Of the
Mattesons are unit in condemnins
them as unfit to occupy pulpit. The,
say they have investigated the case
thoroughly and impartially and are II
the possession Of affidavits in abund
ance proving the Mattesons what the
conference committee of inquiry renort