Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-05-13
THE REV. i. E. MONTGOMERY UPHELD.
oityet Congregation by a Large Vote De-
cides to Retain Him ms Pastor.

oitset Congregation by a Large Vote De-
cides to Retain Him ms Pastor.
When thu Presbytery of New Castle
meets 10 Central Presby terrain Church
on Tuesday, June 10th. commissioners
from Olivet Presbyterian Church will
appear and oppose the dissolving OF the
pastoral relations existing between the
Kew. L. r.. MONTGOMERY and Olivet
Church. Such will be the way the
church will answer the citation from
Presbytery to appear and show cause
why the PASTORS resignation should not
be accepted. The commissioners will
endeavor TO show cause through the
presentation of statement showing
that the congregation desires Mr.. Mont
gomery TO remain, and that Mr.. Mont.
gumery himself desires tn remain; that
the church has grown under his pas
torate, and that the trouble in the
church has been due to the kickersn
rather than to Others
The citation from Presbytery came
before a largely attended meeting OF
the congregation of Olivet Church last
night week at which Rev. Mr.. Mont
gomery presided. The official com
munination from Presbytery, signed
by N. II. Miller. the stated clerk, was
read, announcing that MIR. Montgomery
had asked the Presbytery to dissolve
the pastoral relations and stating that
Presbytery had resolved to cite the
congregation to appear and show cause,
if any they have, why the Presbytery
should not accept the resignation.
Mr.. Montgomery then explained that
a combination of circumstances caused
him to ask Presbytery to release him
FROM his pastorate, and that he did not
mean to iudicats that he was 10 any
way dissatisfied with his people or his
present relations with them. He
thereupon put the question before them:
.Shall be retained az your pastor or
shall leaye?n After the pastor had
defined those who had a right to vote
and expressed the hope that the ques-
ton would be satisfactorily settled,
George Rommel moved that the resig.
nation "he not accepted. . but, at Mr..
Montgomery's suggestion changed it,
to THAT the pastor be retained. y
q. +. Eastman, in a speech on the
subject, said that it was plain that the
Presbytery was everything the spirit OF
the church. He declared that the Pres
bytery hardly knew the congregation.
Oh PcuSo huu anu
peace and harmony would not follow II
Mr.. Montgomery was allowed to go. In
voting for the question he said they
were voting for liberty and peace.
james Brown agreed with Mr.. East,
man S sentiments. He declared that to
remove the pastor would not settle the
differences Of opinion.
William ii. German and John s.
Fubr thought the church would not be
benefited by the acceptance of the
resignation.
When the vote was taken on the
question of retaining Mr.. Montgomery,
the congregation decided to retain him
by vote of ll8 to .. A sixth vote wac
cast in opposition but the person who
cast it is said not to have had right
to vote.
The vote was greeted with applause,
and the pastor said that the vote was
not 30 much in support of him as of the
church.
@. F. Eastman, James Brown, Will.
liam German, W. H. Oliver, S. S.
johnson, j. G. Smith and Benjamin
Hopkins were appointed commissioners
from the congregation to show cause
to Presbytery why the resignation
should not be accepted.
Members of the congregation pledged
themselves to pay s240 if Mr.. Mont
gomery is retained as pastor.