The Minneapolis journal., 1905-10-15

REV. s. ROSTER, 81
) Whose Psaehant for Horse Trading 8
e oFends His Church. al
IA ~ exsn:exsS
Special to The Journal. ~ = -
Orange City, Iowa, Oct. 14.-Can the
state of Iowa enforce church .orderF
If so, will the Iowa courts say that it
Is improper for minister to emulate
the same time preach the gospel7 So
must be decided in novel lawsuit
brought here by the Hull, Iowa, Re-
formed church, against Rev. S. Roster,
to eject him from the pulpit and the
Rev. Mr.. Roster has proved per-
picking problem for the Hull church.
Tho he was deposed from his pastorate
by three separate church organizations,
he imperturbably clings to the pastor
ness to deliver sermons. regularly and
attend to the other duties Of his posi-
tion.
The trouble all began year ago,
when one Of his 3 hoss trades came
to the attention of the public. He al
ready had reputation for driving bar
gains with shrewdness worthy OF the
hero. of Westcott's novel. Like the
considered it entirely proper to do"
this before he had been "done.' His
townsmen came to have a wholesome
respect for his ability along this line.
A "shady' Trade.
But, during the latter part Of August,
last year, Rev. Mr.. Roster went lit
tie too far, according to his parish
to q point in Dickinson county, near
the Minnesota line. For this trip he
borrowed horse of parishioner, John
Z Van de Berg, living near Sioux Cen
ter. Rev. Mr. Roster was detained by
a slight accident to his buggy, at q
farmhouse near Hartley, and, as he. did
not wish to drive the Van de Berg mare
too far, she being with foal, he bor-
rowed horse from the Hartley man
for the remainder Of the journey.
It is stated that on his return trip
the minister effected a, trade with the
Hartley, man. getting the latter $ horse
/. in exchange for the Van de Berg mare
and also $25 in cash. On his return to
Hull, Mr. Roster left the Hartley horse
in the Van de Berg stable. Whether It
is true, as some claim, that. he said
the mare died on the road, it is certain
Mr.. Roster considered he was entitled
. to the money. He believed one horse as
good as the other, and, if he was
shrewd enough to get the money tp ad-
dition, it should belong to him.
, One other :irregularity = isS. named in
the suit broughtE "a gainst: Mr.. Roster
Mrs. N. Cable Of Perkins owned g
church building, and she stated she did
not want to sell il. unless it was to con
tinue to be used as church: DR.. W
J. Workman Of Hull wanted the build
ing for a barn. The Rev. Mr.: Koste'
Z to the physician who promptly stabbed
his horse in it. Whether Mr.. Kostel
knew the purpose for which the build
ing would be used or whether he took
it for granted that DR.. Workman woulc
abide by the former owners wishes, is
mooted question.
Convicted by Chassis.
Any way, about a year. ago, the
classis met at Orange City and Mr
Roster was given a long church trial
conducted in the Dutch language. He
was convicted and expelled from the
pastorate and church h. Undaunted. he
] upheld the decision Of the Chassis
Then he took the case to the. nationa,
synod, but again the decision was
against him.
But even now he refuses to leave the
= Hull parsonage and church. He takes
the position that he has spent his life
training himself for3athe ministry, that
organization has the right to prevent
him from making, use Of that &profes
4 sion by action which amounts to black
listing him. .... ,r.G . !.
The Hull church, despairing of in
ducing the minister to leave by usinf
ordinary means, brought an action ii
the district court here, asking the cour
to oust him. -
The lawsuit, which probably will gt
to the state supreme court, presents
not only novel questions, but questions
i which have never been decided by al
Iowa court, lawyers say.
But One Precedent. So
{ The only case that has come, up il
the middle western states that Is broal
s enough to afford precedent for thi
one was the famous suit between Bis
hop Bonacum Of Nebraska and Fathe
Bonacum, exercising the. power con
& ferred upon him by the pope, and act
S ing upon which he considered sufficien
reasons, removed Father Murphy fror
his pastorate. The priest refused
!. go. The case was taken thru the eccles
s laStlcal courts OF the Catholic churc
and to Rome where the bishop was UP
& held in his action. =
Still Father Murphy refused to leav
his charge. Then an action was brough
In the state courts to eject him and tn
case went to the supreme court. Th
latter tribunal about four months ag
8 handed down a decision in favor 3
M E9ther Murphy.
The Nebraska supreme court held, /
substance, that the courts have not til
B right to enforce orders Of a church
that it is not for court to say whethe
& a man is entitled to the rewards Q
heaven; that to carry out Bishop Bone
cum g order would be to embroil thi
country in the problem Of relate
B church and state, such as disturbed Eu
g ropean countries for centuries.
Roster May Triumph. &
If the Iowa courts consider the HUI
case parallel with that in Nebrask
then, the Hull church will have som
difficulty in getting rid of the persist
B ent Mr.. Roster. He is ready and will
ing to continue his work, therefore
cannot be said he is refusing to do tn
work Of the church. s's's ss7ssssffs 80
y The nrestion wou11 then annnron+l,