The evening times., 1896-03-09
WANT ANOTHER PASTOR
Threatened Split Among Mem.
bars of Grace N. {. Church.
PETITIONS TO THE BISHOP
Conference VIII Be Asked TO Send
Another Minister to FIJI the Pulpit
Charges VIII he Preferred II Ti,is
Request Is Denied.

A meeting Will be held tonight by some
| of the members of Grace NJ. E. Church,
| which is located at the corner of Ninth and
S streets north west. TO take steps opposing
the return Of their pastor, Rev. Watson
| Case, for another year.
| A committee viii probably be appointed
TO wait on the bishop and Presiding Elder
Wilson and lay their grievances before
| them. This committee is to counteract
| the action OF the one named last Monday
night at a meeting OF the eboard OF stewards
and elders, whose object is to urge upon the
bishop and presiding elder the return OF
| Mr.. Case.
The difference OF opinion among the mem
| bers of Grace Church da ties back some time,
and at the last quarterly conference a
resolution requesting Mr.. Cases return
| for the folio wing year was defeated. the
vote standing 10 to 8.
DECLINED TOINDORSE HIM
The names OF the ten who voted against
| the resolution are as follows: James
Gallaher. p. c. Dilks. Harry Young. j. II.
Simms, Hiram Michacls, George S. Gibson,
Hector CROFT. William L. Lynn, s. A.
Terry and Miss Amy aedford..
Those opposed to the pastor are strong
in their denunciatiOn, and say that he is
not the proper man To be at the head OF
declining to send him elsewhere. II is said
that formal charges will be preferred.
The nature. OF tkese charges has not been
fully revealed. but the opposition claim
they arc serious, from a church stand
point.
In speaking of the matter to a Times
reporter. one OF the gpntlemen who voted
against the resolution at the qua rterIy con-
ference said:
Il do not understand why the pastor is
so anxious To stay. in the face of this deter
mined opposition. but he is making strenu
Gus efforts to do so. Notwithstanding the
action of the quarterly conference. Which
we supposed ended the matter. a the meet
ing last Monday night of the board of
stewards and elders. attended by only a
few. resolution was put through, ask
ing for the return of the pastor.
FRIENDLY TO THE PASTOR.
"The committee appointed by Mr.. Case
10 urge this request upon the presiding
elder of the District and the bishop OF the
conference is composed entirely of per
sons who are known to be friendly TO him.
We propose to hold a meeting Monday
night, and appoint another committee to
go before these gentlemen and ask that
another minister be appointed.
Contrary TO all precedent Mr.. Case
has gone among The members OF the church
and asked them to sign petition for
his RETURN In another instance that I
know of lady signed it herself and then.
at his request, also put down her husbands
name. Others signed the petition under
misrepresentation.
"A few days before the quarterly con-
ference the pastor went to one of the
class leaders, young lady of unimpeach-
able character, who stands high as Chris
tian woman, and asked her TO sign the
petit ion. On her declining to do SO he
demanded her classbook, became very
angry and called her hard names. Two
days later he returned the book and apol-
osized for what he had sd id and done. He
also requested her not to attend the
conference unless she would vote for him.
AN INDIGNANT BROTHER.
''Mr. Cases change of heart was evidently
brought about by Presiding Elder Wilson,
to whom the lady's brother appealed
Mr.. Case is in the second year of his pas
torate here. While the charge is not the
most desirable in the conference, it is by
no means the worst. paying a salary of
81 900 per annum. and furnishing parson-
age. 1t was decided some time ago to in
crease the salary to 81 200. but Mr.. Case
it is said has waived claim to this for the
present.
The question will be decided at the an
nual meeting of the Baltimore conference,
to be held in that city, beginning on the l 1th
inst.