The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-24
THE BIBLE IN COURT
Attorneys Overmyer and Herald
Turn to the Sacred Book.
The Case Coming Up From Rev.
g. ID. Olden's Church.
Causes the Substitution Of the Scrip
lures for Law Books.

For the first time in his judicial ca
reer, Judge Hazen, of the district court,
was compelled to listen to arguments
by attorneys yesterday afternoon in
which the Bible was cited as authority
instead of decisions of supreme courts.
Attorney Frank Herald had found a
large edition of the Bible with well
thumbed pages. 1t had once been a
handsome volume and was leather COW
cred.
David Overmyer had borrowed from
some one an edition of the sacred book
even more ancient and worn.
The question before the court was
whether the Reverend G. D. Olden had
acted in the proper manner as min
lister when he summarily expelled his
deacons and several other members of
the church
Mr.. Overmyer did not use the Bible
except in a general way He said that
the court had no authority to deal
with the spiritual side of life and he
said that a abundant authority might be
found in the Bible to sustain him, but
he added that he supposed the court
was familiar with the teachings OF the
scripture, and il was therefore not nee
essary to make amy citations.
He was followed by W r. HaZen,
who whispered to Bailim COyne that he
wanted a certain passage found, and
that functiOnary at once set to work
and soon handed the book to Mr.. Ha-
zen, who quoted the Scrpcural account
of how Christ drove the nOney chang
ers out of the temple. He said that
Rev. Mr.. Olden had excellent prece-
dent for what he did
These people We're a disturbing ele-
ment," said he, 'and Mr. Olden drove
them OUT
Attorney Frank Herald. who ap-
peared for the prescribed members,
made the closing speech.
7 do not believe that the evidence in
this case will show that Mr.. Olden was
a true follower of the meek and lOwly
Jesus" said he with a wave OF his
hand In the third chapter OF nm nm
othy the Bible tells US what minister
of the gospel should be-" and he open
ed his Bible at the place and read the
definition. Now, Mr.. Olden has not
shown himself to be that kind of man
He did not counsel with the brethren
or confer with them, but he expelled
them. and refused them place in the
sanctuary. The Bible tells US that a
man should be slow to anger-I will
not cite the passage, but the court is,
undoubtedly, familiar with it-but Rev
Mr.. Olden is quick to anger, and he has
said things to the brethren which We're
far from proper in a man who processes
TO be q follower Of the meek and loWIy
Jesus.
"Once when I belonged to the Bap-
tist church up here on Ninth street, we
had a preacher named Mont1O, who had
a brass band at services one evening
The congregation thought that such a
breach of discipline should not pass
unnoticed. and we had church trial,
and Mr. Montjo had to go. voted as
hard as I could for the preacher, but
they outvoted me. But what is that
compared with the manner in which
Mr.. Olden has conducted himself on
many Occas siOns. and here the preacher
expels the brethren for Objectlng, and
he fiatters the sisters and stays and de-
fies these worthy members.
"One of the attorneys on the other
side has quoted from the Bible. He
SAYS that Christ drove the money
changers out of the temple. and think
he did just right. But Christ did not
expel them from the synagogue. He al
lowed them to come back to worship
I do not find the case parallel az az.
That incident cannot be made to Apply
TO Mr. Olden, who not only drove the
brethren out. but forbade them coming
back to worship.
Christ was never a dictator. He
never run things with high hand like
this so-called preacher"
Mr. Herald then quoted from the
creed of the Baptist church to prove
that the members of the church had
been expelled without a proper hearing
Never once did he refer to the law
books which were stacked up before
him on the table.
Judge Hazen took the case under ad-
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