Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-07
LAMEKTABL AFFAIR.
HEARING Of REV. MIR. REYNOLDS
BY MONTGOMERY PREsBYTERY.
THREE. CHARGES AGAINST. HIM.
They Involve misrepresentation Of
Funds, Fa1sehood, and Conduct
UnbecominE a Minister-Examina-
ton Had to Be Postponed, Owing
to the Defendants Illness.

BEDFORD CITY, VA, November g.
(SpeciaL)-A called session of the Mont
gomery Presbytery was opened in the
Presbyterian church Wednesday evening
as previously reported.
The first business that was considered
was a call from Bethesda Presbyterian
church at Lynchburg, to Rev. A. n.
Perryman, of the Ouchita Presbytery of
Arkansas. The call was put in the hands
of Rev. Mr.. Perryman by the Presbytery,
and was formally accepted and he will
shortly enter upon the duties of the
charge.
The chief object of the adjourned meet
ing Of the presbytery is to investigate
charges against Rev. j. Med. Reynolds,
which were preferred at the last regular
session of this body.
THE THREE CHARGES.
The charges for which Mr.. Reynolds
stands indicted are three in number, and
in condensed form are: First, for the
misappropriation of funds entrusted to
him for building a manse for himself as
pastor of Laurel Grove and Jennings
Creek churches in Bedford county; sec
ond, for falsehood in regard to the APP
preparation of these funds, and third, for
conduct unbecoming a minister, thereby
FORGETTING the respect and confidence due
a minister.
THE SAD STORY.
The sad story in regard to Mr.. Reynolds
is substantially this. Some years ago a
distinguished minister of the church Sc
cured, by subscriptions, through his per-
sonal influence, funds for building a
manse, and turned the sums over to Mr..
Reynolds, who undertook to have the
house erected. After the manse, which is
situated on the road leading to the Peaks
Of Otter, about eight miles distant, was
completed, the gentleman who had Sc
cured the funds for building the manse
desired to have the papers prepared for
securing the property, for the church.
When he approached Mr.. Reynolds for
his assistance in the matter he was amaz-
ed to find that he had already secured a
deed to the property for the benefit of
his wife, as her personal possession.
Upon the floor of the presbytery, at his
first arraignment. Mr.. Reynolds made
many remarkable and conflicting state
ments in regard to the matter.
At the session Wednesday evening four
witnesses for the defence, which is con-
Quoted by Rev. w. c. Campbell, of Roa-
noke, were examined two of whom testi-
fled very favorably for Mr.. Reynolds.
But the other two might have been re-
garded as leaning to the side of the pro-
secution, as their evidence was decidedly
against the minister.
MR.. REYNOLDS BECAME ILL.
Thursday morning the case was again
| taken up, but in a short While Mr.. Rey.
nolds became so i'll and faint that it be-
came necessary to adjourn the examina.
ton pro tenn, and he was carried to the
Office of a physician. There is great
regret in the church at this very unfortu.
nate affair, and the ministers and lay;
men composing the session are very loatf
J to converse upon the subject or to give
any items concerning the testimony
! They earnestly request, too, that thu
names of witnesses be withheld.
| The trial was resumed this afternoon a:
| Mr.. Reynolds had sufficiently recovered
! to appear before the presbytery. The
examination Of witnesses occupied the
afternoon.