The Portland daily press., 1901-02-18
Admits He Has Been
Indiscreet.
VIII Begin Next Sunday TO
Preach in a Hall.
tsrrerAL TO THE rRrss.l

Lewiston. February 1.-THE scandal
about the lev. ii. Z. Wilson, the pastor
of she Hammond street Methodist Episco-
pal church has caused the most sensation
OF anything which has occurred in this
city In years The n0unoement that he
would preach as usual this morning was
sufficient to crowd the church to the
doors. Standing room was at premi-
um Mir wilson appeared as usual and
made a Ter sent lrayer He announced
as his text "He WHO Is Without SIN
Among You Let Him cast the tirst
stone" 4" Mt. Wilson devoted the most or
mis- address TO the charges which has been
ma de against him. lie said that in jus
tioe to the church and especially to the
mothers who have daughters he had de-
oided TO MAKE public the names of these
with whom his name had bsen connectsd
and VINO had circulated the stories
against MIN. MIR. Wilson went on to say
that as had already been stated by the
newspapers he ACKNOWLEDGED that be had
been indiscreet but emphaticslly denied
that he had committed any sin He con-
sidered 1t the best plan, however, under
all the circumstances to withdraw from
the church lie stated that next Sunday
be should preach at the hall OF the Knox
Post, but Better aocomm odations wo1ld
be provided right away. lie said that
ninety per cent OF the congregation and
all OF the Sunday school would follow
and that ne intended to build church
for the people and tlat already one Dusi-
ness mar had pro missed 500 fer tnat Dur-
pose.
In the evening Mr.. Wilson preached to
another audience which was limited
only by the GAIA city of the auditorium.
At that time he tondered his resignation
which he read and is as follows:
Lewiston, Maine, Feb 7th, 1901.
40 the Official Board OF the hammond
Street al. L. Church; =
Dear Brethren:-a decided after
mature deIiber alton TO sever my conneo-
tion with ths Methodist church hereby
tender my resignation as pastor If the
Hammond Street Al. K church, the SAM
to take effect when acted upon by the
official board which meetl ng can fer
Monday evening, February Is. at 80
O'Clock. My reason for rendering said
resignation are too well known tor fur
ther comment.
''Fraternally,
(Signed) ii G. Wilson"
/. At the evening meeting Mr.. Wilson
talked practically on the same lines as at
the morning service. The scandal has
broken the church in twain and will, no
doubt, divide the church. MIR. Wilson Is
bstween thirty ana thirty-tive years OF
age, and until he commenced to preach
the gospel was secretary OF the Aubur
Y. NJ. q. a. This was about three years
ago. He has beautiful wife and two
children. 1t is stated ON gooo authority
that the case against MIR. Wilson was so
strong that at the church meeting over
which the Rev. Ammi S. Ladd presided
when one of the committee suggesten
that 1t might be we'll TO summon other
witnesses who were at hand, Mr.. Wilson
threw up beth hands ana sal d that he
would resign forthwith. MIR. Wilson
has been popular with all classes, and
to the general public the announcement
of this trouble came as clap of thunder
from a clear SKY. lie has friends who
declare he is the subject Of persecution
ana they say they will stand by him and
aid him In the establishment OF an inde-
pendent church.