The San Francisco call., 1895-12-31
BISHOP WlNGFIELD'S STORY.
He Denounces Rer. Mr.. Pierce's State
ments as False.

He Den0unces Rep. Mr.. Pierce's State
ments as False.
BENICIA, CAL, Dec. 30.-Bishop ]. III.
D. Wingfield to-day gave to a CALL cor
respondent his account of the trouble be-
tween himself and Pastor Pierce of Placer
vile. The Bishop claimed the situation
had been misrepresented, and placed the
whole blame upon Mr.. Pierce. Said he:
Zone year ago | had occasion to visit
Placerville in the line of my duties as
Bishop and met Mr.. Pierce, by whom L
was treated very nicely, and with him
visited the church members. During our
walk we had occasion to pass the Masonic
Temple, and Mr.. Pierce invited me to go
in ard see the inside of the build
ing, he taking kew from his pocket
and opening the door. His manner
and his having the key in his possession
showed me that he took great interest in
the order, and after examining the rooms,
while we were in the audience-room, laid
my hand upon his arm in goodfeilowship
way and said: Dear brother, this is all
very nice, but this don't bring any men to
the church. Afterward we visited three
of the parishioners and then went to the
and | returned home without seeing him
again.
81 was, of course, astounded when / re-
turned home to see an account in paper
of my having knocked him down. called
him a boy and abused Masonry. / also
received an anonymous letter from Placer.
vile, which l answered by a letter to
paper there, but they refused to publish it.
1.-The matter lay dormant for a year,
when last Sunday I visited the church
again, calling first at the Sunday school,
where l waited for a considerable time.
Receiving no recognition, | left and soon
after went to my duties in the church,
robing in the vestry-room, where
Mr.. Pierce did also. After reading
the service, and seeing that there
occasion to defend myself before the peo-
pie, especially as it was my first oppor-
tunity of doing so. | stated that [ would
not preach sermon, but / desired to cor
rect some reports that had been spread
abroad regarding my last visit to Placer
vile, and during my remarks l used the
words that the reports were unmltigated
anG unqualifedly fasle. At the beginning
of these remarks great many of the audi
ence Quilted the church, but after l had
finished they returned, and proved to be
friends of Mr.. Pierce.
.'Mr Pierce had retired to the chancel
rail. and as soon as finished he drew
paper from his pocket and commenced
reading an article reiterating his former
statements. listened attentively while
he read his statement, and after he finished
I left the church and went to luncheon.
In the afternoon / called a meeting
that had already been announced in the
vestry-room, for the purpose of finding
out whether the church was parish or
mission, for IN case it was the former /
had no jurisdiction over Mr.. Pierce, but If
it was the latter / should be compelled to
remove him, as | did not consider him
worthy.
81 am at loss to know the cause of the
trouble, as | always considered MIR. Pierce
a friend of mine and a brother in the
church, and as for me striking him, it is
absurd. He never said anything at the
time he says / struck him to arouse my
anger, and the most charitable construc
tion / can put ON this whole affair is that
Mr.. Pierce must be partly deranged."