The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-12
DEVISNG PLANS
To TRY PASTOR
OPPOSITION MEETINGS HELD.
PLANS ARE BEING DISCUSSED TO
try REV. j. }. DURHAM.

Sunday-schOOI of Second African
baptist Church Has Taken a Hand,
and Five Teachers, the Librarian
and the Secretary Have Resigned.
VIII Make Another Attempt to Put
Rev. Durham ON Trfal--CInimed
That He Has offered to Resign,
but He Must stand Trial--Antf-
Durhamites VIII Continue Fight.
"Dissension among the brethren" con-
tinues in the Second African Baptist
Church. and ahti-Durham meetings are
being held. Plans looking towards a
trial of the pastor are being devised,
and there will be developments within
the next week or two. Nothing def
mite has yet been done.
Meanwhile the pastor has troubles
of his own. His official members are
resigning thick and fast. and they say
unless he leaves. the church will be
composed of only a few members from
among the men, and practically all of
the women. 1t had been stated that
Rev. Durham promised to leave the
church, but this action one of his OPP
ponents said viii not be allowed until
he has been tried, and either found
guilty or acquitted.
One of the deacons who was expelled
at the church meeting held early this
month. which nearly ended in a gen.
eral row. was the superintendent of
the Sunday-school. When he was dis
missed from the staff of deacons he was
also adjudged unworthy to act as prin-
cipal of the Sunday-school. and his
place was declared vacant. A new SUI
perintendent was at once named to fill
the vacancy thus made, the new official
being one of Rev. Durham's supper
tiers.
This started hubbub i'm the Sunday
school, which had hitherto remained
outside of the zone of trouble. The
librarian, the secretary, and five OF the
teachers at once rendered their resig-
nations and left the Sunday school. 1t
is said that there are more designations
10 come. and just what the outcome
will be can only be guessed. There is
still another deacon to be placed on
trial, charged with conspiracy, and
there may be more trouble upon the
occasion of this trial.
ARti-Durhnmites Hold Meetings.
After a number of unsuccessful at
tempts had been made TO place the
pastor on trial the Durhamites be-
gan holding meetings to devise plans
for accomplishing their ends. 1t was
necessary to find some place of meet
ing, as the church would Of course not
be opened to them. They selected
Jones Han, and have been holding
meetings there at various intervals
and discussing plans.
The object of these meetings. as stat
ed by one of those i'm attendance, is
to discover some means of placing the
pastor on trial. and also to let the
people of the church know that he
is under charge, and what that
charge is. On account of this latter
reason the meetings are open, and all
who desire are permitted to attend,
provided they are really anxious to
learn the grievance against Rev. Dur
ham. No definite plans have yet been
agreed upon, though the men con-
Quoting the meetings are confident they
win be able TO place the pastor on
trial at the March meeting of the
church conference.
Says Pastor offered to Resign.
1t has been stated by an official
member of the church that Rev. Dur
ham has offered to resign If given the
opportunity, and after the present ex-
N1l6HtSul HAS SOftleWudL QieQ uORn-
This his opponents are opposed to. on
the ground that as he is under q
charge he must be tried, and either
acquitted or found guilty.
He promised US 20 resign and leave
the church." said one Of the MEM
beers, but that is not what we want
If he is innocent, he should be will
ing to stand trial. and if he is guilty
he should be man enough to stand
trial and to face the consequences. II
we can in any way arrange it we will
make him stand trial He is under a
charge and deserves trial just as much
as the deacons whom he has tried
I'VE have done nothing yet which
we are willing TO give out for puhli-
cation, but we are maturing plans. ]
am sure we will be able to place him
on trial at the meeting of the church
conference. We have learned thai
there were numbers OF church men,
bers who were not attending church
simply because he would not stand
trial and all of these will support us
He has got to stand trial, and cannot
off fore