Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-10
TOGETHER swEETLY LIVE.
Hillsdale. Church People Sing a Hymn
Last Night.

Hillsdnle. Church People Sing a Hymn
Last Night.
The Hillsdale A. M. e. Church difficulty
last night developed a new phase, and at
the request Of the board Of trustees, Rev.
DR.. Ovelton, late pastor. who, as has been
already mentioned in The Star. the oongre-
cation have asked Bishop Gaines to re-
store to them. left for Atlantic City at II: 80
pm, in order to see the bishop this morn
ing and urge him to render his decision on
the point at issue at once, SO that the tur-
moil at present existing, in reference to the
affairs of the church, may be smoothed
away without further trouble. Should
Bishop Gaines comply with the request for
an immediate decision. his action may have
an important bearing on the case when the
mandamus that the church doors shall be
opened to him, asked for by Rev. Mr..
Gowens, pastor elect shall come up before
Judge Cole tomorrow.
A conference took place last night in the
basement of the Hillsdale Church between
Rev. Mr.. Gowens and the boards of stew
ards and trustees Of the church-a large
majority of both boards being present. Mr..
Gowens had called the meeting to be held
at the house of the sexton of the church,
Mr. BENJAMIN Butler, but acting upon the
advice of some Of the leaders in the church
the meeting took place at the church. The
proceedings were conducted in secret, but
an interested crowd of persons. anxious to
taken place inside, waited around the build
ing until the adjournment.
The conference continued for several
hours. but at the conclusion of the delibera-
tons the trouble in the congregation, which
had been the subject of discussion, was no
nearer settlement than when the meeting
began. Mr.. Gowens presided at the con-
ference. There was no secretary. Mr.
Gowens asked those present If they intend
ed to open the doors of the church on Sum
day to him and to keep them open for his
use as pastor hereafter. To this the reply
was a question by Mr.. Henry Dorsey.
you credentials to show that you are the
legal pastor of the Hillsdale A. NJ. E.
Church? Mr. Governs replied that he had,
but that he would not crafty them by show
ing them to those who asked for them. as
they had not done SO Sunday last when
he appeared at the church and had in
tended to hold service inside the building.
This point was discussed at great length.
but neither side would yield, and Mr..
Gowens finally announced that the matter
would have to be fought out in the courts.
With the singing of the old familiar Metho-
dist hymn. Together Let us Sweetly Live;
Together Let us DE- the meeting was
dissolved. and the scene of battle again
transferred to the courts.
After the adjournment of the conference
Mr.. Gowens said to a Star representative
that he had called the conference for the
purpose of trying to harmonic the trou-
bles existing in the church. He could not,
ne Sdlu, DTluB HlIflSell 10 peueSe tHdl tHS
congregation were, with one exception.
united against him. AS agent of the Bal
timore conference Of the A. M. E. Church
he had asked the Intervention of Judge
Cole in the matter. It was his duty as the
agent of the conference to look after the
interests of the conference and the charge
to which he had been assigned, and If he
could not perform his duty in that respect
he would be compelled and ought to give
way to another minister.
Asked If he would be willing to go to
Fruitland. to which charge DR.. Ovelton
was assigned, Mr.. Gowens replied that he
would not; that to do so would be retro
grading in the ministry on his part, and
he certainly was not prepared to admit
that he was not a more effective preacher
than he was a year or two ago. when he
was younger. and if he should go to Fruit
land such act would be looked upon by his
friends as step backward
The action of Bishop. Gaines in leaving
Washington at 7:30 am. yesterday, as
stated in The Star of yesterday, after hav-
ing implicitly arranged with several per-
sons to meet them at the department Of
finance at a later hour, was severely crit
icised in Hillsdale last night, and much
disappointment at the course the bishop
saw proper to pursue was expressed.
1t has become known since the outbreak
in the Hillsdale church that there are no
less than three other churches in the con-
ference the doors of which have been lock-
ed against the ministers assigned to them
by Bishop Gaines. These churches are
Frederick, Nd, to which Rev. w. r. Ar
mold was sent; Northwest Baltimore, Rev.
John F. Wagner, and Church Hill, Dor
chester county, Md, Rev. w. H. Wooten.