Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-15
MINISTER lE1PLAINs
TELLS OF TROUBLE IN CoLoRED
BAPTIST CHURCH.
7urYI
Claims He Was Regularly Ordained
and Licensed asa Minister
of the Gospel.

At a meeting of cOlored Baptists in the
True Reformers' Hall last night a num-
Der of the friends of Rev. Simon P. w.
Drew of New York, over whose services
at the Metropolitan Church, R street, be-
tween 18th and 18th streets northwest, a
sharp controversy has arisen which has
been carried into the District civil courts.
, started fund with which to buy him a
home in this city. 1t has been claimed by
a number Of colored Baptist ministers
here that Drew was not regularly IL
censed and ordained minister of the church
Mr.. Drew, in a conversation with Star
reporter concerning these accusations. said
he was licensed to preach July 10, 1894.
from the St. Paul Baptist Church of New
York city, of which Rev. George H. Bos-
well is pastor and Rev. Thomas A Harper.
clerk. He said he was ordained in October,
1896; that council was called by the
Mount Zion Baptist Church. of which he
was founder. and after rigid examination
the council voted unanimously for his ordl-
ma ton. Continuing, he said: 1.-THE modera-
tor of the council was. Rev. B. H. Walker,
pastor OF the Mount Gilead Church, New
York city, residence, 81 West 124th street;
S. w. Smith of the Hansome Place Bap-
fist Church Brooklyn, was clerk; the cate
chiser was Rev. William f. Dixon, D. D.,
who has been pastor of. the Concord Bap-
fist Church for forty years and who re-
sides at 1O6 Adelphia street. Brooklyn. N:
Y. The ordination sermon was preached
by Rev. S. A. Thomas pastor of St Philips
Baptist Church Other persons, wei n kh"Md
by Mr. Drew as having performed other
parts of the service.
Quotes From Letter.
ALLOW me TO reiterate here a part of
the letter received by Mr.. William Howard
fl ON one of the Oldest white ministers of
the United States, DR.. Macarthur. pastor of
the Calvary Baptist Church, 57th street,
between 9th and 7th avenues. New York
CITY," said Mr.. Drew. I'm the course OF
his letter he SAYS:
f" 1t gives me great pleasure to say have
krc wn Rev. S. P. w. Drew for a number
of years and 1 have found him to be an
earnest and able preacher, vigorous pas
tor and good all-round worker in the
church. He has had remarkable success
on many occasions in revival work
In regard to the origin of the trouble MT.
Drew said:
descons inviting me to come to the Met
ropolitan Baptist Church in Washington to
conduct a revival for them. After severai
communications l made up my mind 70
come l preached my first sermon Sunday
January II. 1904. l found the church as
cold as an iceberg. with only few mem
bers present SO l preached and workeh'
and at the end of four weeks 400 had given
their names for membership. After SIX
weeks SO had given fiaeirz pames for mem
bership. and from Loco to 5000 ATTENDED
the meetings. After such spirited sue
cess the members and friends gave me
$500 30 sunday. Febrpary "a their APP
Or recitation for my services.
Then some of the fnegro preachers OF
Washington began tefdsnQunce me. saying
that man Drew must be gotten out OF the
city l am compelled TO say Jealousy was
the cause of them treating ne as they did
:. II shall seek redress of $4,000 from per-
sons who believe haze maugned me.
"I have always realized the fact that
when any race tries to help itself the best
white people of this country are In SYM
pa thy with them. I Remember the words
of Abraham lincoln. a house divided
AGAINST itself cannot stand SO it is true
that il a colored man triesytO advance HIM
self there is some one. Of his race always
ready to pull him down..