Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-18
PASTORS FACTION REQUESTS
LETTERS
TO FORM NEW CONGREGATION
Adherents of Rev. Joseph Smale
Quietly Sever Relations and VIII
Reorganize-Expeet to
Erect Edlflce


of the First Baptist church of Los An
geles yesterday morning quietly seeded
in a body from the mother church and
will form an independent organization,
for which a preparatory meeting Is 10
be held this evening in Burbank hall.
Rev. Joseph Smale, who resigned the
pastorate a week ago, will be asked to
accept the pastorate of the newly
formed church.
The adherents of Rev. Mr.. Smale
assert that out of the $50 members of
the church there are 450 who seldom at
tend the church services, 100 of whom
are non-residents. They also say that
the withdrawals are the cream Of the
membership.
On the contrary, Prof. Melville Dozier
takes a different view of the subject
and quietly affirms that the mother
church is 'all right and good interest
will be maintained" The special serv-
ices held the past sixteen weeks will be
discontinued, but the regular church
meetings, aside from Sunday, will be
held Tuesday afternoon and Wednes-
day evening of each week. The pulpit
will be supplied until new pastor is
secured.
Following the services yesterday
morning, at which Rev. E. S. Chapman
occupied the pulpit, a business session
was held. r. G. Haskell, one of the re-
tiring deacons, was elected chairman.
The withdrawal was accomplished at
the service, notwithstanding some OBJ
dections were urged regarding the haste
of such a movement.
DR.. H. S. Keyes, the retiring church
clerk. read the following statement:
Statement Of Withdrawals
1--WE, the undersigned six deacons of
this First Baptist church, submitting
today request for letters of dismission,
and speaking on behalf of the working
life of this fellowship who also are re-
questing their letters, wish to set forth
in brief statement the reasons which
actuate us to the painful act of sever
ing our relations with this body:
1--WE believe that God placed our late
pastor, Joseph Smale, over this church
and we can see no evidence of Divine
will in the termination of his pastorate,
but rather every spiritual sign points
to a continuance of his work as pastor
of this church.
"Our late pastor stands in his teach
ing for all the revealed will of God as
made known in the New Testament,
position which the Baptist denomina-
ton claims for itself and therefore in
no doctrinal position can he be at
variance with the Baptist faith.
''In his recent preaching our late pas
tor has but been accentuating truths
that have received scant courtesy at the
hands of our own Baptist people and
we regard Pastor Smales strong en-
phasis of these truths as necessary in
these days of both moral and spiritual
laxity in churches and individuals.
These truths to which we refer are:
The headship of Christ over the church,
the Holy Ghost administration of the
church and the baptism of the Holy
Ghost for all believers.
THAT Pastor Smale has but differed
from our denomination as to methods
of church work, which we believe that
any pastor in the denomination has a
right to do, if he conscientiously be-
lieves that the adoption of his position
will make it possible for the Holy Spirit
nf
the church. In Pastor Smale's differ
ences from denominational methods he
has based the advocacy of new methods
upon New Testament church life and
practice, a claim which we feel we
dare not summarily disregard lest we
grieve the blessed Holy Spirit of God"
The statement is signed by S. L.
Merrill, r. G. Haskell, c. o. Adams,
C. E. Dawson, John Marsh and V. A.
Walberg, deacons.
Names Of Seceders
Following are the names of those
who asked for their letters of fellow
ship:
C. o. Adams, Charles M. Anderson,
Il. ABulldr, MrS. LIZ ABulldri MISS Md
rie Aguilar, Mrs. W. L. Adamson, C.
H. Brown, Mrs. Jane Bennett, C. j.
Bickford, Mrs. C. H. Bickford, Miss
Clarice Bartlett, Cornelius Bartlett.
Mrs. C. Bartlett, Mrs. Nina Beale, Mrs.
A. D. Barney, E. E. Bennett Mrs. e.
E. Bennett. Andrea Bosoco, J. r. Bar
ackman, Mrs. J. r. Barackman, Mrs.
John Barber C. ]. Boulden, Mrs. C. j.
Boulden, Robert Boulden, Mrs. NJ. r.
Baker, F. ]. Gather, Mrs. F. j. Gather,
DIR. Harriet Carmen, Miss Mary Car
men, F. r. Cokeley, Mrs. F. r. Cokeley,
Mrs. Eugenia Cooper, Isaac Cooper, N.
L. Corp. Mrs. N. L. Corp, Mrs. Sarah
Douglas, C. e. Dawson, Mrs. C. E.
Dawson, Miss L. Dordy, Mrs. Ella
Furgeson, Antonio Flutot, Leo Flutot
Mrs. James Gumbrell, Miss Winifred
Gumbrell, Miss Edith Gumbrell, James
A. Gumbrell, Mrs. B. E. Garlick, Miss