The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-30
'.OLD SHIP" IN COURT
EFFORT TO CHANGE MAIZE or
 NEGRO CHURCH.
Petitioners Ask That 1t Ds Styled Clinton Chapel African Hstho- dist Episcopal Zion Church.
 Legal Fight.

''Old Ship Church. is to again figure in the courts and lawyers are to have a more or less important part in the dis cussion ahd settlement of it's affairs.
 The harmony which appeared to rule for aA short while after the victory of Pastor c. H. Smith and his forces over the old Board of Trustees was short lived. The scene of the new legal troubles of the church will be in the Probate Court In the Probate office yesterday petition to change the name of the church to Clinton Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church" was flied. The petition to the Judge of Probate also prays that the articles of trustees be elected in accordance with the law of the discipline of the African Methodist Church.
 When the old trustees, the men who had been turned out of the church. at the time of the internal troubles learned of this, they employed a lawyer to stop. if possible, the movement of Pastor Smith and his followers. To change the name of the church 1t would be necessary for three-fourths of the members of the con- gregation to sign the petition. II. c. Green, one of the old trustees filed with the Judge Of Probate an affidavit that the petition did not contain three-fourths of the names of the members of "Old Ship Church.
 It is said that hearing into the mat ter will be granted by Judge J. B. Gas ton. to ascertain If the petition Is in legal and correct form and signed by the re- uuired number of the members of the church.
 The old trustees. however, say that other legal proceedings will be under- taken to stop the petition.
 One of the trustees yesterday afternoon alleged that he saw in the petition a design to secure possession of the valua- ble property of the church. He said that this property which is now in the name of "Old Ship Church. and which belongs to the church and not to the Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church would pass under the control of the Conference if the petition was grant ed.
 On the other hand the signers say that the petition is to draw the church into closer relation with the conference and to make it's discipline conform with the discipline of the conference.
 The petition filed yesterday is as fol- lows:
 Comes the undersigned. members of the Old Ship Methodist Church, and Tile in the office of the Judge of Probate Of Montgomery County. in which said office of Judge of Probate the original declara- ton of incorporation was filed that We the undersigned. three-fourths of the mem bership Old Ship Methodist Church which was incorporated on the 29th day of June. 1898 and recorded in Book of Corporations, page 193 and amends the said charter under and by virtue or the authority given under section 1914 as Fol- lows: We do and desire to hereby make the change in the name of Old Ship Church to Clinton Chapel African Metho- dist Episcopal Zion Church and further that we desire to change the term of the election of the said trustees of the said church as follows; That the trustees shall be elected and shall hold office under the laws of the discipline of the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church; that the>purposes of said corporation shall be the same as set forth in the original declaration of in corporation; that the names ebclow signed are the names of threc-fourths or the members of the Old Ship Methodist Chuprch.1
 The petition bears 54S names. The old trustees claim that there are over lSV members of old Ship Church and on this ground they will base their first fight against the petition.
 The friends of Pastor Smith point to the fact that the old trustees are no longer members of the church. They were turned out of the church when Pastor Smith and his following took charge of the building. The old trustees who were tried in the church and mem bership withdrawn from them are as follows: Elijah Cook, Stephen Reeves. 1T. C. Ballard, p. H. Green, c. w. Clay ton and M. L. Clark. It Is understood whatever fight that will be waged in the court to prevent the granting of the petition will be carried on by them.