The broad ax., 1902-08-16

Il necessary 70 say from the pulpit al
OliEet Baptist church, Il have neyel
stolen anything in my life" de hRs
done well indeed Il be hasn't
Now I wish TO say thar nave re-
Gently made investigation as 70 tha
LIE this ,O-called preacher lived, both
in Louisville, KY, and at Topeka,
kan, where he has been stationed;
Il4at sOiemnly declare, above my own
signature, that his reputation is such,
that no statement which this man can
make would izduce me 10 believe, tt
ther in his honesty or integrity, for L
moment
Since subscribing TO the six thUus-
and dollar fund which was raised ~
January 1, 1902, to complete the
church, 1 have given special attention.
to the raising Of other moneys, and
the manner Of their disbursement.
Now let me give a brief account ii =
few things in this connection when
have come directly under my own Cd
serVation. have seen yeOman efo.Js
MADE by the members OF Olivet Church
to pay Rev. J. r. Thomas, man who
has not any command, even Of the
English language, the exorbitant salary |
Of $3.50 per week, aside from he
"pickings." How well they have sus-
ceeded is demonstrated by the Ia:
that the church does not owe him
dollar, but on he contrary he owes
the church. Now, $4,000 per moaui.
which this uneducated and illiterate
preacher receives, is more salary thaI
the city Of Chicago pays 20 many OF
her school teachers, or to any one OF
a hundred educated and skilled de-
partment chiefs. One hundred and
thirty dollars per month is more Ian
many an institution of learning pays
her professors who have delVed into 2
Greek, Latin and Hebrew; and if this
amount is not sufficient to attract an Q
preacher it ought, at ,eas,, g
to secure one who is honest even If he G
Is ignorant. 4
But let me continue to recount my a
l know that collec- B
ion of twenty dollars was raised for a
he benefit Of Rev. John H. Greene Of h
herman Baptist Church, and know c,
Iso that this man received only one a,
.slf of this amount / know that M
mother collection of 1881 was TAX .,
N I'D to employ a detective agency TO h,
investigate tn alleged killing OF An n,
erson Booker; and l know, too, that
% detective agency was emplOyd, -
nd no account rendered as to the !,
money. I know, also, that in May last
candidate for a political office gave
lev. J. F. Thomas a check for $1,000 !
Dr. olivet Baptist Church and not
the check has long since
cen cashed, 1 know that the money
as not yet found its way into the
,easury of the church. Not long ago
Masonic Lodge of this City, gave
ev. J. F Thomas a collection for
livet Baptist Church; venture to
~ that this is the first notice the
lurch has had Of it. If you doubt
lat the donation was made, and the
oney given to Rev. Thomas in per
N, go and ask Brother Rankins,
Master of Mt. Hebron
Odge, No. %.
If these charges are untrue why are
ey permitted to pass unchallengde?
ny are they not contradicted? Why
q they not proven to be lies? Why
n 1 not arrested and today languish-
g behind prison bars? Surely am
It so powerful and mighty as to be
,oEe the law, nor so weak and
imble as to be beneath its notice
ter public notice had been given in
e daily press that no more money
IS needed, saw Rev. J. F. Thomas
t three collections on a single Sab
tn to aid the volcanic refugees Of
2 West Indies, and not a dollar Of
IS money was ever turned over to the
Iyor Of this City, who was one Of a
nmittee of citizens appointed to
,eive t.
Vas there ever a more high-handed
zee Of imposition practiced upon a
aiding pdblic? Here is plainly Wis
= the handiEork Of no apprentice,
the stroke of a master hand. Il Z
what men have united in calling Wit
he work. It is really such fine ave
rk" that one almost doubts his
8. Rev. Thomas win perform a
bic service, If, after satisfying his
ed for gain, he win then A
tore II ANYTHING Is left, the bal lot
e Of those three collections to their bet,