Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-03-13

Especial Correspondence to the Pnrss.j


LAYTON, N. j., March 10.
Mr.. ED1ToR.--Having always been, and
expecting 10 remain permanent citizen
Of this community, and having neither
gone TO war, nor had my scalp lifted yet at
this date, / think my claim that try and
weigh both sides Of the questions Of the
day fairly and reasonably, may be con
ceded. Weare now IN full view OF church
war, and none others are known that
equal them for bitterness. You may be
lieve me when l say that in those rows
their guns are ranged TO cover the whole
ground, andlucky Is he who can keep on
neutral territory. There are principles in
volved that make this conflict OF interest
to the public, and excuse myself ON this
ground for bringing the facts before them.
During the early summer scandal was
brulted abroad rejecting unpleasantly up
ON the character of Rev. 9. w. Deming,
pastor Of the NJ. E. Church at Centreville.
This would have possibly died out had the
pastor not commented upon and aired It
freely from the pulpit with bitter reHec-
tions upon, and threats Of prosecutions
against those who had exposed his unmin-
isterlal conduct. The explanations from
the pulpit as well as at other times and
places developed such glaring inconsistent
cies that II set Messrs. John Youngs and
John V. Majors members and trustees Of
the church, to investigating which resulted
In their preferring charges against their pas
tor. These charges were adroltly evaded by
the pastor transferring the burden Of meet
ing them upon the board Of trustees, and by
them, In indefinitely shelving them. Mr..
Youngs. wishing the public TO have the re
suit of his Investigations announced that
he would deliver lecture upon the sub
ject at the church on Feb. 10th. The pas
tor evidently not wishing the light turned
on, called an annual trustee meeting for
the l4th. The meeting organized ON the
hour, j. V. Majors was elected chairman,
w. @. Hursh, secretary, both unanimously,
j. j. Van Sickle In place of Francis Lay
ton, j. V. Majors and John Youngs to sue
coed themselves were nominated. The
pastor thercupon made vigorous protest.
claiming 1t as his meeting, and stating
that 1t was called to prefer charges against
the old board. The chairman ruled the
pastor out OF order ON the ground that this
was an annual meeting according to the
notice. and charges could not therefore be
entertained. The nominations mentioned
being seconded were carried by n vote Of
33 to 10. The pastor then under protest
from chairman placed William G. Drake
In nomination who was defeated The
pastor urged MIR. Drake TO accept the chair
anyway but he declined to act stating that
he was in the minority. The pastor and
about dozen of his adherents then se-
ceded and went into the hall where ar
ranging program hastily, they returned.
The minority of not more than n dozen
nominated the pastor as chairman and he
putting only the affirmative vote declared
himself elected. He then proceeded to
name five or six of his friends as trustees,
calling only for the affirmative vote and
then declaring each one elected. There
' was no secretary elected and the negative
vote was not called. After the return of
the pastor and the minority from the hall
the entire proceedings were under en-
phatic protest from the regular chairman,
and the majority whose rights were being
ruthlessly rode over by the pastor and his
0 few determined adherents and amid great
disorder.
It was most unseemly spectacle. Even
p our Freeholder who should have main
tanned becoming dignity made very un-
pleasant exhibition of himself in the melee
and came near precipitating free fight.
He is hardly excusable under the plea of
intoxication, and we are happy to say there
was no other case of the kind observable.
, The notice for the trustee meeting being
Illegal, the whole proceeding is obviously
void. The old board therefore hold until
the annual meeting for the election of
trustees in May although the pastor claims
his as the legal trustees. The lecture
which all this was to prevent, was still
sanctioned by the majority Of the trustees
and assured to take place in the church.
The pastor now turned his attention to
heading it off in some other manner. He
interceded with Sheriff Gunderman but
. the sheriff turned deaf ear. He then Sc
/ cured Constable Dillistin, of Branchville,
and prepared to hold religious services at
= the same hour and place as was advertised
for the lecture. Mr.. Young and his friends
being law-abiding citizens and averse tO
engaging in an unseemly row, or resort to
: force as the pastor and his friends anti
Q cipated, quietly adjourned to the house
7 of John " Majors where an able lee
! ture was delivered to fully one hundred
4 people. The charges before made were re
j.. iterated, with others Of like degree. Many
r corroborative acts, with the equivocation'
e of pastor Deming were clearly stated and
s the climax was reached when the lecturer
J asserted that he believed that justice anG
t right would prevail, that the guilty shoult
be punished and the innocent vindicated
and TO that end there was subscription
In his hands to the amount Of $40, which
upon proper guarantee that the pastol
would use it TO prosecute his accusers anC
'' clear his character he could draw at will
= Messrs. Majors and Youngs followed thil
g later, advertised social at the churcl
a Feb. 20, to raise money to pay for insur
7, ance on the church, now past due, anG
u which Mr.. Majors as trustee had given hi
Q note for, any surplus to be used for tn
a benefit Of the church. The pastor and hi
/ friends put a new lock on the door. Trus
tees Majors and Youngs entered after US
ing the only key that is the property of tn
d church, (the other being private key hell
70 and owned by Mrs John Snider,) presum
q ably the new lock was broken when Major
n and Youngs entered.
a At least they were arrested under the in
d stigation of the pastor and Francis Lay
10 ton. They gave bonds to appear at Apri