Bridgeton pioneer., 1895-07-04
BRIDGETON, N j, THURSDAY. JULY 4. 1895.
WANT HIM INDICTED.

Crime too Heinous to be Even Hinted at i'm
Public Print---Seven Young Men Tes-
tify Against Him---All But Fifty
three of His Members Stand
The Baptist Council called to consider
charges of gross immortality against Rev.
e. 3. Fltz, NJ. D., pastor of the Cohansey
Baptist Church at Roadstown, completed
it's laLsrs late Thursday night and not only
found the pastor guilty of the charges,
but appointed committee to present the
evidence laid before it to the Cumberland
County Grand Jury.
The Council first met on June 9Th and
Thursdays session was adjourned from
that time. Rev. A. III. Sembower was
Moderator of the Council, and Rev. M.
M. Finch, of this city, was the clerk. The
full text of the findings of the Council
follows:
"Thirty-five messengers from twenty
churches of the West and Camden Baptist
Associations met at Roadstown on June
9Th in response to the request of fifty
three members of the Cohansey Baptist
Church, who desired our advice and CO.
operation in the investigation OF certain
grave and serious charges, affecting the
character of the pastor = having
made the request of the church that it
call council and findiug it unwilling to
do this
"The brethren calling the council SUBJ
mitted the following charges:
First, that he has, since becoming
pastor of this church, been repeatedly
guilty of indecent, immoral and pollut-
ing conversation and actions with young
| men (seven named), and number of
others, all of them at the time, with one
or two exceptions, members of our
church,
ssSecond, that he has been guilty of
repeated lying, both concerning the above
and other matters"
| "In addition to the above, common
rumor affirms that he has been excluded
from a theological school and from
churches of other denominations for
similar offenses."
| "a full and patient inquiry followed in
which ssffidavits were presented from
seven young men. On the refusal of the
| pastor and officers of the church to recog-
nize the exparte council or to confer
with committee sent to them, yet, hop
/ ing to conserve all interest we adjourned
with request to the church to call a mu-
tual council. The church refusing to do
this, the exparte council reassembled
June "a.
after thorough hearing of several
hours, the council by rising vote unani-
mously declared thai it is the judgement
of this council that the first charge is
sustained by the evidence presented and
that it is the judgement of this council
that the second charge is sustained by
the evidence presented
"We recommend, first, that the fifty
three brethern and sisters who have
asked our advise should remain in the
church for the present and meet all their
covenant obligations and, in view of the
unanimous findings of this body, should
prayerfully and patiently await the de-
velopment of Providence in the salvation
of the Cohansey Church from the great
evil that has come upon her.
Second, that the aff1davits presented
to us be laid before the Grand Jury of
this county at the earliest possible date.
| We are led to this recommendation, be-
cause the nature of the facts show Rev.
E. S. Fitz, M. D., to have used his posi-
ton as a cloak for the baser practices
known to man; because the interest OF
the church, of social purity, and common
decency, have been and are outraged by
his course, and deserve penalties which
no ecclesiastical tribunal could infiict.
Third, that committee of three, con-
sisting of Rev. v.,Albert G. Lawson, Deacon
r. I. Seagraves and Rev. Z. w. Stone, be
appointed to carry out these recom-
mendations, to confer with the brethren
calling the council and with power to
take any other steps necessary to the full
accomplishment of the purposes of these
findings"