The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-09-14
-&~ = 81
TROUBLE IN ZION.
African Baptist Church Of
Lafayette Drives Out
the Pastor.
THE REV. Mr.. GREENS STATEMENT
Said He Had Two Wives and
That His Present Spouse
Was No Lady.
THE REV. Mr.. GREENS STATEMENT

There is trouble in Zion Baptist Church
of Lafayette. and the pastor, the Rev.
| William H. Green, has given UP the pas
torate. He has been driven to this by
the manner in which he has been treat
ed by his congregation. In speaking Of
his troubles this morning, MIR. Green
said
Il came to Jersey City from Red Bank,
April l, 1897, and started a mission among
the colored people of Lafayette with
members. In the following August we
were regularly incorporated as the zion
Baptist Church with sever members.
We then moved to Bergen Hall where
we remained until october when we went
to the old Wigwam at Lafayette ana
Van Horn streets. Last December we
bought the Wigwam and paid $1,000 for T.
On Easter Day-we dedicated the church
and appeared to be on the high road 70
prosperity. About this time rumors De-
gan to be spread among the c~ongregau9h
that a change was to be in the minister
Mr.. Roly Coles the president OF the BOARD
of Trustees and ~organist OF the cnurch'
sent in his resignation. -Four times pc
fore he had sent in his resignation put l
had refused to accept 1t. Finally | ala
| accent ii his time. He said he Would
make it hot for me, and said l came TO
the church without recommendation when
he was the man to whom the Rev. De
Allen of the Bergen Baptist Church gave
nv credentials and recommendations
Then serious charges were spread about
the congregation against me. It was SAID
that I had two wives living and that l
was a thief. 1t was said that my wife
was no lady and she was much annoyed
| in other ways. They found my first wife
from whom / was divorced fourteen years
apo living in New York and they aid
that we were not legally divorced, but
| only had papers of separation Finally
NV first wife had a lawyer draw up a
paper stating that we had been legally
divorced and notifying my enemies tnat
| they must stop using her name and mis-
representing her.
ION August 10 there was a meeting of
nv church and I went there to answer
I these charges and set myself right pc
fore my congregation. But whenever l
attempted to speak they raised sucn a
noise that / could not be heard. | was
| there until two o'clock in the morning,
irving to make my statement, but con-
fusion prevented me. The excitement SO
worried me that I, not being in good
health. was attacked with nervous pros
tration and obliged to go to the hospital,
where 1 remained until last Wednesday.
Sunday evening I went to the church. pre-
pared to administer the communion. AS
I entered the door Mrs. Katie Tyrel, who
was standing there with her husband
said. in a loud tone, to the sexton: That
man is not wanted here andshe ought to
have sense enough to know it, When I
wa about to begin the services Mrs
Tyrel and her husband got up and stamp
ed out of the church. That started the
confusion and the noise became so great
I could not go on with the service My
little eight-year-old boy, Charlie, who was
sitting in a front seat, said to me, Papa,
why don't you leave? If I was old enough
to work would support you. If this is
religion. I don't want to be a Christian.
FINALLY on Wednesday I sent the trus-
tees the keys of the church and con-
cluded to go thinking it better than to
stay and be the cause of dissentions in
the church. There is no truth in the
charges brought against me, and I only
wanted an opportunity to answer them
but they would not let me. The Rev. John
C. Temple. of Zion African Methodist
Episcopal Church has kindly allowed me
the use of his pulpit. and on Sunday
evening I will there make a statement.