Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-12-07
Distressing Situation at Second
Baptist Church.
MINISTER MsCkAY on TRIAL
Charg,sAcaips. Him Pronounced Graund-
less by ;h~ d yac"ns W lao lnvs-ttxst-
cd 1h.ln. Criminal s'rus. cution
cfOtignarors -. man'td.


trasr1pliIig upon the reputation Of Il
minister Of toe gospel.
50 foul ana emphatic We're the m
nlors and So persistent the reports shat
in 4 few hours they gained enormous !
circulation and by Tuesday night the |
matter was tie common tall, OF street !
ana sllor,
Wherever one Went he heard the
name OF the preacher banded about |
between the bajttlel!ores OF sncers and !
Vile rsinuati0nS.
TIN. Preacher, is Rev. ]. Macl<ay. pas
ter CT Second Baptist church. The
Charge connects his name scu!rilousiE
with that Of 4 married woman living in
East End. The reports seem to have
been given circulation chiefly through !
an officer on the police. force ana his !
family. Mrs MacKay heard the report
and at her bch-st. the preacher went to
;tlc woman and obtained from her a |
denial Of it. The denial gave the lie
70 the report. which made the circula-
tors Of it mad. They went to the wo-
man and with her went TO the preach
e,'s house. obtained the denial. which
the woman tore Up. saying. il was al
legged, lhat the story vas true.
The stoi, of this action coupled With
the p-e.-;0uS reports We're nduStliOuslE
spread through the city and last nigh
q business meeting Of the church was
held for the purpose Of hearing the re-
port Of the dea@ons. WHO had been in
vCstiga:ing the matter.
ar Mae1<ay. talking, to 4 representa-
tive Of this paper yesterday character
lied the whole thing as 4 pack OF lies,
born In nalace and nourishel in re-
vcnGc. The woman had written him
asking hir., to write 4 note to Judge
Lee, stating that he did not object %
l!.an?ber OF the officers family OH
tanning license to sell liquor on Chest
nut avenue. IIe refused to DO this. ana
here, said Mn MscKay, the VII lie bust
ness originated.
However. the meeting WAS held last
night. about hundred members CT the
church being present. beth sexes rep
resented.
Tire meeting. Of course, was a private
ona, Only tie church membership be-
Ing present. as may be imagined. the
press was not invited.
After the meeting. however, a repre-
sentative VI the Daily Press saw 4,
different times and in different places
severn! gentlemen s;howere present an 1
from them obtained & report Of the
meeting, in which lcpcr; al Of them
substantially cancUi',l,, save in one
particular Whi@h viii appear later.
After the busiIr eSs session, MI. Mac
Kay arose and addressed the mem aess.
I4e said that scurrlous reports about
HIN, had been given wide circulation
and he desired the fullest investiza-
ton, in fact nc had on last sunday. re
fc:red the matter to the Geacoils Of the
church. demanding, that they invcsti-
gate ;MG reports and this they had
promised To do. l>hc preacher further
said that he tiia not know what " as tn.
result OF the Investigation. but that he
desired ihn church 70 trN the matter,
nEa II It did not this next stem would
hc - call q council Of BAPTIST ministers
. 90 Sft--meanint; that if the deacnnS'
report was unfavarabic. or ii favora-
bic. and not accepted By the church.
NJ. NaclSay said that he would have
rind:ratioE even if he was compelled
to 50 to law for ii. q course which the
New Testament forbade, yet h thought
he would be justified. Under tbs. cir
cUmStanccs, such a course being nee
essarE u clear fimself his reputation
and his family
As minister Mr.. MacKay said he
nlN !lpt care to S;GCp 10 notice such con-
tcmnt-bi" charges or the source from
which they came but he vas willing To
foley" the advice OF the church ana
1aacors.
re further stated that he had al
ready taken his Wife to the home Of tn.
party who accused him and she denied
positively that he vas guilty Of any
Christian minister; she denied also that
she had given circulation TO the report
;i:d signed certificate SO stating II g
added that me was willing to have a
irial by the church. by Il council Of
ministers. o. in any way the church
might decide, and said that he had in
Ills pocket evidence THAT would clear
him betor. any council or court in the
world.
Referring 70 his version Of the or-
gin OF The reports. Mr. MacIkay said
mat ne had refused 10 assist a certain:
party in securing permission 10 sell
liquor IL East End. but, on the con-
Nrary. had always assisted in driving
the saloons cut Of the Eas, End and
would stand his ground just as long as
there was breath in his BODY lie
would never he said. permit a saloon
in East End if he could prevent it,
in his address. the minister called no
fa1nes nor We're any called during the
proceedings
ltnNr deacons had made an investi-
cation, in accordance With his request.
THESE four We're Messrs G. w. IkeIlun.
", ". s. Cappci', Tnos. Harlows and G. w.
! Eenas. There is one other deacon,
but ne was not present last Sunday or
last night. Mr.. kellum made . state
lnent II behalf Of the deacoas He said
III" ueaconS had inreStga ted the re-
poilS--had been Investigating them for
several days. long enough TO find OUT
l.a2L there was no foundation for them
'Ney llad WISHED the woman In question
ana she had made certain admissions. |
Hils ID. 1eaconS had reason To believe
ah&t nc" statements We're not reliable |
me dtacpns thought there Was some |
is!HS al rhc bottom Of ii all ana ,hnv |
intended {" sif, the matter 10 IN, hn,- |
,2in ana find oat What it was They |
H" gone Tar enough in the inycstiga- |
I!1!s, re SAID. 10 clear Nr. Maci,av and /
i't enough To find that there. ,yas
S5:nstGinE ~ the bottom af th. ca..
~. 1talioWs took the chai. ana Nj. /
=. =. ~ 'ifs took the door. He
h!s'ed tAat the aeacons De. requested !,
,.D1,