Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-05
PREACHER UPHELD.
Rev. John HASTE Will Remain
Pastor South Side Church.
DISAGREEMENT AMONG BApTlS1S
Some Claimed That Their Pastor Was
Too outspoken and That He had
outIived His Usefulness Among the
People in His Charge.
From Tuesdays Daily,


- ij4
From Tuesdays Daily.
The sequel to quarrel which has
been brewing for some time among
the members of the South Side Baptist
church was enacted last evening, when
the members of the organization held
a meeting in the church building, and
by an overwhelming vote, refused to
pass motion to ask the pastor of the
church, Rev. John HASTE, to resign
his charge. For several weeks there
has been dissatisfaction on account OF
Rev. HASTE among a certain number
of the congregation, and last evening
at the regular business meeting OF the
membership,the matter came to a head
and the dissenters were defeated. The
meeting was one of the liveliest the
church has ever witnessed, and there
was discussion on a basis that border
| ed on an open war of words, but when
| the vote was taken on the important
question of the evening there We're
/ f1fty-eight ballots against the PROPOSE
ton to ask Rev. HASTE to resign his
pastorate. and nineteen in favor Of 1t.
When motion was made to make the
vote unanimous in favor OF retaining
the pastor, seven of the nineteen dis
senters voted AYE" but the other
twelve were obdurate.
The trouble has been in the air for
some weeks. A few of the members,
: it seems, dislike Rev. Hastie's style
of interpreting the scriptures and
ministering to his flock 1t is claim
ed that they called him too outspoken
oh; 10 h l.
point that his education is not sufti-
: cient to entitle him to hold a position
1 as responsible and important as the
one he now occupies. There were and
$ are, others, however, who have stayed
by Rev. Hastie's side and defended
e him against the dissenters through
out the fight.
On January 26 Mr.. HASTE was called
o to the residence of one of the members
: of his church, who CHANGED to be one
of the dissenters. When he arrived
he was confronted by the woman who
. had summoned him and another, and
they were armed with lengthy COM
;, munication, setting forth in elegant
u language, the fact that Mr.. Hastie, hav'
/, ing worked for six years in Ottumwa,
u needed a change and that it would be
work as pastor of the church and en-
/ deavor to establish himself in a new
8 field of activity The communication,
Il which was unsigned at the time, was
i evidently intended for signatures, for
g it ended with the word respectfully :
Z However, no signatures were added
les to the paper, but Rev. HASTE was al
~ lowed to read it without any names
n Upon doing so, he asked that the mat
n ter be brought up at the regular meet
"a ing of the members Of the church
ie which was held last evening, and the
Is matter was dropped until that time
81 although there was more or less tain
sr among the members of the church
Oh about it. Nothing of an official nature
r. was done until last evening, when the
n. whole case was aired at the meeting
u in the church.
lie After a heated discussion, durin!
which the paper was mentioned con
IF siderably and several expression
ly which will not serve to cement tn
lis two factions of the church were give
tn vent, vote was taken. Rev. Hast
d. insisted that secret ballot be cas-
re. and he agreed to abide by the decis
no ion. When the vote had been cas-
in and counted the pastors friends wer
as winners by big majority
~ Will Stay Here.
by Rev. HASTE has announced thu
e. he will not leave the church, althoug
gs there is considerable feeling, so it
or said. AS the majority of the mem
it bers have refused to ask for his re
e.. ignation when they had an opportu
he ity to do so by secret ballot he CO.
he siders that they do not want him
it'll leave the city and he will remain
nd Ottumwa.
by The Paper.
ms The communication which cause
%, - the trouble reads as follows:
- To the South Ottumwa Bapti
an church:
W 1--WE, the undersigned members
rs, the South Ottumwa Baptist churc
s.iu while we are fully conscious of tt
IN. fact that God has greatly blessed Oh
DO present pastor and brethren in OF
re midst and that individually as well
icy our organization has been greatly bui
up both spiritually and financial
mas through his persistent and faithful
KIT. bors, yet we also believe
OF has reached the climax in Il
SO preservation and accomplishing
Cd of our church and that 81
I've is awaiting him greater attainmen
be and more profitable results in 9th
tai fields. The stipulation made wi
uld Brother HASTE that the church shou
pre- tender to him three months notice
eat the expiration of his passionate wi
INTO this church is certainly no more tn
I'M proper and just, therefore, we Won
the date the termination of this mott
fest three months from - day OF Js
our uary, 1908.
milk "Be it far from any of us, nor is
the intention of this paper to leave
impression with Brother HASTE IL
the cause which actuated us to ma
this request was in the least sense
In personal one to him or his fami
but we believe under the direction
roe Him who governs all things for
or best, and owing to the unsettled a
ace divided state of the church, that
Bids change in the pastorate would be
rich visable at this time. May this Fl
cur be SO generally understood that no c