The Portland daily press., 1901-02-18
WILL RESIGN.
A Lewiston Preacher In Serious
Trouble.
Name Connected win Women OF the
Church.

| NJ. h. church OF Lewiston, win tender
his resignation Sunday as the result OF
certain affairs which had for some time
been going on within the church. IL is
claimed by msmbsrs of the parish that
MIR. WI son has been indisoraet in his re-
lations with some of Its lady members.
The matter has been brought before Pre-
siding Elder A 5. I4add and church
hearing has bssn offered MI. Wilson, but
he prefers not to undergo IL believing II
fbetter for the chucrh for him co resign.
MIR. Wilson denies all impTopriety on his
part and declares that he Is being perss-
cutsd.
The charges prsforred against Mir. VIII
SON are that he has sustained improper
relations with several ladies' In his con-
gregation. Definite charges have been
made duplicating ladies' both married
and single, whose regulations have hither-
to been above reproaoh ana thess charges
have been insistsntly made by an ele-
ment in the society who have been very
desirous of seeing Mir. Wilson removed
from his pastorate, They were made at
last Monday evenings meeting previous
ly referred to, and while the committee
were inclined to dlscredit several of
them, it did lind, in its opinion, evidences
sufficiently serious TO call for MIR. Will
sons resignation.
One OF the most serious charges against
MIR. Wilson did not appear at the prellmi-
nary examination TO be, In way, sus.
tained. 1t referred to Mr. Wilson's rela-
ton to certain married lady residing
In this city. 1t was said and had been
previously widely nolsed about in the
Hammond street. parish, that mir. VIII
son had been seen to leave the residence
OF the lady referred to upon an after
noon when the lady was supposed TO
be out. Certain other parties had called
upon that lady on the afternoon spsci-
tied and found the hoGss locked, They
had rung the bell and had received no
response Mir. Wilson had been seen TO
leave the house later
It was brought out at the hearing,
however, that ON the afternoon mentioned
the lady was seen walking on Lisbon
etreet and that Mr.. Wilson spent that day
at Merrymeeting park. That seemed to
dispose of that charge, judging 1t by the
evidence brought out at the hearing
There were other charges that were
similarly disposed OF. 1t had been al
legged that wilson was seen by another
Lewiston ppstor, bicycle riding on the
Switzerland road in company with a
certain lady Of his congregation, one day
last summer. 1t Is Eaid that the pastor
who. it WAS claimed, had witnessed
q an ted nf
the matter. At all evwt5 the charge
seems not to have been very well sus-
tainsd.
But there were stIll other charges,
some of which were sustained, In the
opinion OF the examining board. 1t was
claimed that Mr.. Wilson relations with
a certain unmarried lady Of his fiook
had been such that he had written her
letters that might be most decidedly
placed In the category of "love letters;''
and 1T was claimed that she had written
him in rsturn letters Of a very decided
nature. 1t Is not understood that
these letters were actually produced as
evidence against Mr. Wilson, but it was
said that they can be produced should
such action lie rendered necessary.
Mir. Wilson himself has not denied
having written letters to the young lady.
He acknowledged that he was indisoreet,
but he says that the letters were not SO
bad as some people have tried to make
out. 1t Is understood that iU was act
ing en- the evidence furnished by these
letters that Mr.. Wilson'S resignation was
asked for.
Mr.. Wilson, when seen in relation to
this matter talked freely. Among other
things, he said;
81 admit that 1 did write letters to a
Lewiston young lady. In doing so l was
indisoreet 1 was Interested In her
her personality pleased me and 1 admired
her mental qualities. When l found that
was getting too dseply involved l
ceased writing and withdrew my atien.
ton, and for this acknowledged indis- |
cretion, concerning which / avow there
was nothing really wrong, lam bounded
TO death by certain class of people in
my church who affect to see in this and
in other alleged acts of mine the basis
Tor which actions they have taken.
Let me speak things just as they are
This whole matter is the result OF In
jured feelings on the pai Of one or two
women who have acted in most un-
Christian Ike and vindiotlve soirit. |
And why? Simply because 1 have refused |
to pay them the measure of atte ntion |
that they have wanted me TO. dislike |
to say these things, but this is time
for plain speaking, In justice to my.
self DO say them Feeling sighted, Ger
tain people have put into circulation |
all manner OF stories about me. They |
have tried In every way nossibls TO iEjurs
me and have scattered broadcast state
ments which they know to be false. And |
as thsrs are always certain number OF |
people who can be influenced by SLAM
derous talk, no matter how unfounded |
it may be, this has succeeded in turning |
lsrge number against me,