The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1904-02-18
FOR DISTURBING RELIGIOUS SER.
VICE IN HIS OWN CHURCH
CASE IS RESULT OF BIG
CHURCH ScHISM.
ANOTHER MINISTER WAS ON HAND
TO PREACH SUNDAY SERVICES
BUT REV. WATSON WOULD
NOT GO OUT.
Officers Were Called and Meeting Broke
Up in confusion-Rev. Watson Ar
rested at the Instance Of Mem
bers of His Own Flock.

Rev. y. y. watson, the pastor ut One
Mount Zion Baptist church, is being
tried before Magistrate Samuel w. Cor
don on the charge of disturbing a relig.
ious service in his own church, upon q
4marrant sworn out by members of hi.
own flock. The trial is the outcome OF
a serious dissension among the members
of the Mount Zion church, which has
been disrupting the harmony and unity
of that body for the past three or -four
months, and it is highly sensational
among the colored people Of this city.
Rev. Watson, it seems. has been the
pastor of the Mt Zion church FOR sew.
eral years. On the 5th of last Sep,
tember he was elected to serve the con.
gregation in the capacity of pastor Tor
another year. Trouble began brewing in
the church and the minister became in.
volved in it, with the result that in the
latter part of December he wrote his
resignation to the Board of Trustees. At
meeting of the board to consider the
resignation. Rev Watson says the vote
10 accept the same was eleven with 20
votes against it. He accordingly ex.
pressed his intention OF continuing in
his official capacity as pastor Of the
church until the expiration Of his term.
1t appears, however, thai her r'er'
bers OF the church were unsatislied and
diseontented with Rev. Watson as pastor
and another meeting Of the board was
called and the minister ousted from his
job. A notice was served upon the rev.
erend gentleman.
Last Sunday Rev. Watson went TO his
church and opened the Sunday school
services which are held in the same room
the regular church services are held.
The Sunday school was dismissed and
the regular services were opened by him.
1t appears that Brother Robinson, a
school teacher, has been engaged to act
as pastor of the church to fill Rev. Wat
sons nnexpired term and he was present
TO begin his duties as the new pastor.
When he saw the state OF affairs he re.
fused to have anything to do with the
meeting and stepped to one side. Rev,
Watson continued the services and after
the congregation had finished singing the
opening hymn at Rev. Watson's direc,
tion, he opened the Bible and read the
text of his sermon. The text was along
one and when he finished reading it he
looked up and found two policemen
BY his side. Some of the brethren and
sisters had called in the officers telling
them that Rev. Watson was disturbing
the religious services. Rev. Watson in
iignantly refused to go with the officers
when they said he was to be arrested
for disturbing the services and a con
sultation between the policemen, the
preacher and several Of the brethren nnd
sisters resulted in the meeting breaking
mp in confusion.
Since that time enmity between the
two factions of the church has been at
white heat and warrant against Rev.
Watson was issued by Magistrate S. W
Gordon, t the instance of two or three
Of the members of the Mt. Zion flock.
The trial is now being heard by the
magistrate at this issue of the Telegram
going 10 press. II Is attended by large
number of the members Of the church
congregation number d Them being
witnesses in the case.
Rev. Watson claims that his rcsigna-
tiou vas not accepted and that he was
continuing in hi~ duties lawfully and in
accordance with the win Of the majority
Of the members Of the congregation. The
deacons o fthe church, however, claim
there was special called meeting of the
Board Of Trustees and that Rev. Watson
was ousted and Brother Robinson elect.
ed to act in his stead. They also claim
that a proper notice was served uPor
Rev. Watson. The latter says there was
notice served but he left it upon tn,
pulpit and did not read II. He claimi
the peeting was not held in accordance
wfth3S.4 rules Of the church and there
fore would not hold.