The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1903-04-20

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bers Of the church began to stay
4way, and a breach opened between
the evangelist and bis family and
followers on one side, and the pas
tor and church members on the
other. The breach widened imper
ceptibIy, and little things were
said and done on both sides which
added to the flame. On Saturday
Rev. Thompson inserted a notice
in both papers stating that the
meeting would close Sunday night.
This angered the evangelist, and
brought the strained relations to a
violent climax Sunday night, near
the close of the service.
The exact language used, accord
ing to Rev. Thompson and Mr..
CharIeville, deacon in the church,
was as follows:
1Ihe service was nearing it's close.
Rev. Smith was talking Of the re-
vival, an said that it had not been
a success No one disputed this
statement, for it was a very evi-
dent fact. But when Mr.. Smith
made the further assertion that II
the meeting had been a failure it
was on account Of the Baptist
church, and any body who said it
wasn't on account OF the Baptist
church was liar. Bro. Charleville
quietly arose in his place and said:
Brother, if you are a christian,
YOU won't use suchlanguage in our
pulpit. =
The evangelist started 10 reply
when Rev. Thompson, seeing that
trouble was iminent, and wishing
to avert anything in the nature OF
scandal quickly arose and an
nounced hymn. The organist be.
gao playing, "Blest be the tie
that binds" Smith jumped 10 bis
feet aud began waving his arms,
,houting to the choir not to play !.
say No, you don Z sing Rev.
Thompson motioned TO the chon
to continue and said to the evan
gelisl "You don't preach again in
this pulpit" People began jump
ing 10 their feet al over the
church and confusion reigned. Mr..
Smith kept shouting and waving
his arms, saying that the meeting
would not close; that he was going
TO the opera house to preach, and
all who would stay by him aud help
him, to come to the altar and give
him their hand and their contribu
tions. leople began leaving the
church and over half o. the congre
CATION left the building. The choir
managed to continue the hymn to
the end when the pastor, as the
best means of stopping the confus
ion, raised his arms aloft and pro
nounced the benedietion.
An Express representative in
terviewed Rev. Smith this morning
on his side Of the case. "Tbis
thing has been coming on for some
time, he said. "rbe preacher,
Thompson, has been working to
have me shut out for several days
past. He's been around talking
to the members of the church try =
ing to turn them against me, and
he hasn't succeeded. That's priD
clpally what's the matter. He ad
vertlsed Saturday that the meeting
would close, aud never said word
o me about it. That made me oot
I've been giving tue gospel to 'em
pretty heavy lately, and they don t
like it. The whole hing started
,ver an argument we had IhOmp
son SAID Christ had an earthly cor
rupt body, like man. / said he
hadu t any such thing and prOveC
It By the Bible Then he got sore.
and hrs been sore ever since. Why,
I saw this thing coming on several
days ago. That's why came
down yesterday morning and rent
ed the opera house. I'm gong 10
continue my meeting there, and
still preach the gospel, Come out
and hear me- ~
Rev. Smith beld a meeting fol
men only Sunday afternoon, In il
he asked all the men who had not
broken the Seventh commandment
to stand up. Six persons did so
among them Rev. Thompson. Eyes
six old liars, remarked the evangt
5 list. Rev. Thompson left the meet
! ing In supreme disgust,
It may be stated with confidence
that the Baptist church IN this city
] will in no wise suffer from the il
e cidents OF last night. The men
Z bers feel that they arenot 70 blam'
for the dissensions which have
arisen. The church Is one OF thl
efronoast Ia the community. an(