Evening star., 1897-05-27
THE PASTOR DISMISSED
Letters Written by Rev. A. G. Harrison to
Mr.. Bruen.
System of DeceptiOn-ActiOn of the
Church Last Night Amount
of Loss.


today. able to form an idea with any ex-
actness what would be the limit of his
losses from that cause.
Several more bills, which in the aggre-
gate amounted to between 500 and $500,
and which Mr.. Bruen thought had been
paid by Harrison, reached Mr.. Rruen to-
day, and he at once assumed the RESPONSE
bility for thSlr payment.
The fact also came to the surface today
that several months ago Mr.. Bruen gave
Harrison a check for $50 to pay debt on
what is known Grace Chapel, Good
Hope, and another for 800 to settle Il claim
against church at Landover, tie money
for both of which were, it is said, drawn by
Harrison and appropriated to his own rse.
The history of the building of Grace
Chapel illustrates the remarkably success
full efforts of Harrison III ingratiating him
self with church people.
Building Churches.
Referring to this, Mr.. Bruen said to a
Star reporter:
IN September, 1895, Harrison suggested
to the people residing on Bowen road at a
point where out-of-door meetings were then
being held that they should erect church
He accordingly interested John H. Pierce
James F. Pierce, George E. Pierce, Jonn Z.
Gibson, John T. Smith, Geo. E. Smith and
Benjamin A. Smith in his building scheme
and Harrison took the responsibility CT
erecting the church. Accordingly, John H.
gage his farm for 81 300. With this money
the church was erected, and Harrison
pledged himself to pay back the money to
Mr.. Pierce in twelve months and gave a
guarantee to Mr.. Pierce that he would not
lose his home. In November. 1895, Harri-
son, representing that he held the title to
the church himself, and that he had sue
ceeded in paying off all the church indebt-
nart halo
that sum from me. Since the church has
been completed the community has re-
funded to John H. Pierce $500 so that the.
debt upon the Pierce farm is now 81 400
Harrison made me similar representa-
tions respecting church which he built t
LanGover, that he held the title to tie
church himself, that all the Indebtedness
had been paid thereon except sIOO and
Harrison procured that sum also from mo
on October 2S last"
Mr.. James F. Pierce, brother of Mr..
John ii. Pierce, above mentioned, called
upon Mr. ErueD in regard to the affairs of
6race chapel today. Mr.. Bruen told MIR.
Pierce that he did not care, being all at
sea as to the extent of his own losses by
harrison, 10 assume any further obliga-
tons at present, but intimated that there
was 10 need for his brother to feel any
anxiety for fear he and his family might
lose their home as the result of Mr..
Pierce.s efforts in behalf of the church.
Mr. Bruen, in speaking of the bills which
Harrison could have avoided paying any
thing on from the money he furnished him
said he regarded it very strange that on
May last Harrison paid to j. H. d.
Smoot & Co., lumber dealers on account
of their lumber bill of s2,71965, the sum
of $SSS. 20.
An Explanation.
II would like to state to the community
through The Star" said Mr. Bruen, "how
Harrison laid the foundation of the means
by which he has succeeded in swindliny
me. When Rev. David Wilson, the pastor
of the church of which the Peoples Taber-
nacle is the successor, died, which was last
fall, was in Chicago, attending a conven-
tion During my stay in that city / re-
ceived letter from Harrison, a copy Of
which follows:
Brother Wilson sent for me in his diving
hour and requested me to take charge of
his church, for he believed that you would
help me to preach in the church. | prom
ised him that i, with Gods blessing and
your assistance and his dying prayers for
me, would do the best l possibly could
His last words were for the Lords blessing
upon you for what you have done for him.
l told him to rest in peace, for 1 knew that
you would do what was right and we
would hold his coGgregat ton together He
also requested that We hold revival in his
church after his funeral l promised that
after you came home we would. Five men
erned came to see me today, requesting me
t" take charge of the church. l told them
that l will see you and get your advice
Kindly write to NE ana tell me just what
to do. i will do all / can. The funeral
will take place tomorrow at pm. Broth
er Wilson requested me to preach his fu-
neral sermon and take charge of the fu-
neral, which / have done. We have the
church at Merrifeld weatherboarded, and
all goes fine there. Pray for me, that the
blessing of God may rest upon me. dear
Brother Bruen, for 1 know that God will
answer your prayer.
Your brother in the work.
(SigneG "A. G. HARRISON.
p 81 will get Brother Snale to take
the church at Landover, Nd
DR.. wilson, continued Mr.. Rruen, was
dear friend of mine. and l felt it my
duty to do all l could to comply with his
dying wishes. for did not doubt that Har-
rison wrote me the truth.
The next day. and while considering the
matter, l received second letter from
Harrison, as follows:
Dear Brother: Take me in your hands
and do as you see best for the most good
If to preach at Faith Chapel or at Wilson s
church, or at your new chapel, Bruen-s
Chapel. or to go to a mission, or to visit
the poor and bring the gospel to them in
their homes, or to go on the gospel wagon
anything for God that you see best. If
you will be the head, / will do the work
you see best to be done. Truly your brother
in the work.
LAS the result Harrison gained my i'm
plicit confidence, with the further result
that nave been the victim of gross fraud
and embeZZlement.
AT the meeting of the church council
held in the church last evening the letters
above quoted were read to Mr.. Wilson, a
son of the former minister. and Mr.. Wilson
told me that all the alleged conversations
between his father and Harrison We're
false; that his father certainly would have
told him If Harrison had been the man of
his choice, as his father told him every
thing relating to the matters of the church,
and he never heard Harrison's name men-
ticned in such connection"
Church Action.
After the adjournment Of the council
last night the following written statement
was furnished by Mr. Bruen to the repre-
sentative of The Star:
The council of The Peoples Tabernacle
at their called meeting in the church or
Wednesday night formally dismissed Rev
A G. Harrison from the pastorate an6
| from all connection with the church on ac-
| count of gross fraud and eEnbezzlement."
The house No. 166 11th street southeast
| formerly occupied by the Harrison family
| was today opened by authority of the
| owner of the building, and a piano anG
| other articles surrendered tor the persone
| to whom they belonged. ~
| Government Receipts.