The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-19
LIES AND CANNOT HELP 1T.
MISS VEST or TRENTON CAUSES A
CHURCH SCANDAL.

She Accuses the REV. MIR. Fixes or Gross Inn.
morality Confcsscs Sho Lied, Then Rctrncta
Her Confession - The Church VIII RSpel
Her-Her Friends say That She L. Dcmcntrd,
TRENTON, N. j., April 1s.-The Advisory Bonrd
of the First Baptist Church to-day made an ON.
cial statement concerning a somcwha rcmarka-
bio case of scandal, involving their pastor, tho
Rev. Maurice PCntield Fixes, and n young wo-
man of the church, Miss l.. Ray West. The re-
markable feature of the affair is that the young
woman accused Pastor Fixes Of gross immorali-
~ with her. and that no one believes her stories.
She circulated the stories several weeks ago,
and, being called to account, confessed to Pas.
tor Fixes, assistant pastor Merrimun and 9th
ers that she had lied and could not hclp IT,,
Later she reiterated the scanlalous stories. List
Monday night she was summoned before tho
official board Of the church TO answer to charges
Of SANDER and habitual lying. The board CON
sisted of all the officers of tho church and six
members of tho congregation, thirty in nil.
Miss Vests mother did not believe the charges,
and refused TO accompany her to the trial. 30
the accused young woman was accompanied by
q woman friend. Several women of the congrc-
cation repeated half a dozen different stories
the young woman had told them. all Of which
she denied, but maintained that her principal
charge was true. She named Friday evening,
Nov. 20. as the date. and the church 81 as the place.
1t happened that ON that evening half a dozen
members were in the church preparing for the
Sunday service, and they all testified 10 the
falsity of the charge. Miss West, under cross
examination, made SO many contradictory state
ments that the board unanimously concluded
that she wac either demented or wilfully lying.
Tho statement made to-day by the Official
board docs not mention the young woman's
name, but it says that 90 after n very full and i'm
partial examination it was shown both by her
own statements and the evidence of numerous
witnesses that the charges OF SANDER and habit
ual lying were conclusivc!y proved, and that the
scandalous rumors affecting the character OF The
pastor. and traced back 10 her as the originator,
were utterly untrue and without foundation.
The impression made upon the minds OF many
present was that the lady In question Is con-
trolled by q diseased and disordered imagina-
ton, and 10 in q measure irresponsible; and
although this was regarded as a somewhat eX-
tenuating circumstance. the opinion prevailed
that she was sufficiently responsible mentally 10
be the subject OF discipline for SO grave an
offence. 1t was consequently decided that the
board TO the church that the hand
of church fellowship be withdrawn from her and
First Baptist Church"
The board adopted resolutions affirming it's
unwayerlng confidence in the moral character
and Christian worth of Pastor Fixes. A meeting
OF the congregation will be held on April 20 to
deal with the case OF Miss West. The young
woman is about % years old, Is a music teacher,
and has been q teacher in the Sunday school and
active in church work. Her reputation has
been unblemished, and her friends
believe that her stories are the result of a mania
for which they can find no explanation.