The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-05-29
A CHURCH ROW.

4 Large Part OF the COlOred Baptis
Congregation Before Mayor Hill
A Pious Row in which Severa
Heads Were Cracked.
Without going into particulars, we give
briefly AZ we can, an account or The ROY
which took place in the negro Baptist churc
last Sunday. The facts stated are correct, Z
the hest OF our knowledge. without any ln
tention TO favor or prejudice either side W
give the following
Last Sunday evening, the fuss which ha
been for some time brewing among the Co
ored BaptistS in this city eliminated In fire
fight and general drag out. Except the blind
Ing OF woman in one eye by another VIC
man. no serious damage resulted. thong
some OF the brethren and some OF the chair
were thrown out Of doors. while one eXtr'
jealous brother, with a long walking stick
] knocked quite number of the brethren owe
| the head
Some OF the women came into court Mon
day with their heads In bandages and SOM
of the brethren were similarly arrayed:
| II seems that the Mt. Pleasant Baptis
church here consists of about l30 members
or this number 30 withdrew last fall and or
ganiZed what is sometimes lrreverently callet
the ''Shop Crowd or when more reverentl,
| spoken OF is called the "Union" congregation
They retired To a vacant blacksmiLhShop nd
| Iaceni and commenced To worship the Lore
with zeal and fervor, but after time things
became a little mOnOtonOuS, and they con
diouS church from which they had withdrawn
and to the building OF which they had con
| tributed.
the original difficulty arose over a dispute
as to the election Ut pastor. A majority o
the Mount Pleasant congregation wanted Rev
Mcintosh, while the "Shop Crowd" wanted
anybody else.
The objection to Rev. Mcintosh, was tina ht
list Association. If the congregation elected
u preacher who was not in fellowship with
the Association, that fact would exclude the
whole congregation from organized fellow
ship with their brethren.
The "Shop Crowd applied to the Associn lion
for Il minister. aud Rev. McCanis was sent.
The "Shop Crowd" occupied the church on
Sunday and had program printed, which In
cluded nearly every hour in the day from
early in the morning until late at night. and
were at prayer, In the regular Baptist house
Of worship about three o'clock, when Rev.
McIntosh and his followers came TO the front
and rear doors, but waited until the conclus.
ion of the prayers before entering.
AT the trial before bis Honor the Mayor,
which was held in court house In the presence
OF a full house, 1t was sought TO- prove the
manner Of their entrance-Thether quietly
and reverently, or boisterously. On this
point the testimony was somewhat conflict
ing.
conductor OF the meeting at time of the dis.
turbance, when asked In what manner the
Rev. Mcintosh and his followers came In,
said: "They came In, as The Scriptures say,
like the horse rusheth into battle. They
came in both doors-from opposite directions
just rushing. Made right To the pulpit.
among other things proved by the Rev.
VIM. Hodges, was: That The Bible and the
New Testament was the law Of the Baptist
Church. He had never read the discipline OF
the Church. That book was Intended for the
instruction OF ignorant member
Rev. Mcintosh GAINED that be and his
friends went In AS gentle and loving Chris.
tiu nj n.
nouncements from the pulpit. A good church
member brought chair along for him To sit
upon in the pulpit, while waiting for his op-
pOrtunity To speak.
want The meeting disturbed, grabbed the chair
and threw 1t back out OF the door through
which IT, was brought.
This seemed TO be the beginning Of great
effort To keep the peace Deacon Andrew
QuaHes then gently took hold OF Rev. McIn-
lOsif and proceeded to put the preacher out OF
doors, but the preacher protested, and being
1.-The best man" of the two. Immediately land
ed the Deacon through the door and out on
the ground. 1t was in evidence that Deacon
Samuel Thomson gave vent 10 MS enthusiasm
by tourishing big walking stick. Deacon
Harper's head came in contact with 1t and he
was soon very bloody. Deacon Thomson was
so enthusiastic 10 his service of the Lord that
Two women undertook TO ho ID him, and one
applied her umbrella 10 his head TO cool his
fervor. In the meantime Deacon Quarle's
wife punched Sister Drucilla Cannon In the
eye with her umbrella, putting 1t out, which
was the most serious injury Inflicted on any.
body during the love-feast.
w, G. MCGOWAN, Esq represented the Rev.
Mcintosh and his followers.
VIM. y. Graydon, ESQ.,, represented the
"Union" or shop Crowd"
Mr.. Graydon spoke first He contended that
the question OF tue legal titles was not being
tried, but urged that tbs clients were In pos
session, and should not have been disturbed.
All the witnesses on the other side admitted
that they had seen the ptinted program.
which included the whole day. They, there
fore, knew his clients were there and had pos.
session, and, for the day, at least, had the
right to worship without being lntefered with
by Mcintosh That there would have been no
trouble. If Mcintosh had staid away.
Mr.. MCGOWAN made very effective speech
In behalf of bis clients, and directed his ef-
forts 10 convince the Court that Deacon
rhomson's zeal In using his stick was the
cause of the trouble. and that he, and not his
clients, should be punished.
His Honor, Mayor Hill. requested Deacon
The Mayor then requested the Rev. Mcln-
tosh to stand up. The preacher was fined So.
because OF his language 10 brother preacher.
which language the Mayor thought to be i'm
polite or discourteous.
He said that there were perhaps forty
others who deserved to be punished. and he
tice where so many were Involved
1t was difficult 10 apportion the individual
degrees OF guilt, and he would just let the
whole matter pass, except rs above.
On motion OF Mr.. MCGOWAN, which motion.
he contended was supported by the testimo-
ny, the Mayor passed an order pronoupcing
the church public nuisance, and ordering IL
,ln ,ct, lima os ~