Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-03
ZION s TROUBLES
AIRED IN COURT
DARKT0WN CHURCH SCHISM
is DESCRIBED
Two Factions OF African Methodist
Episcopal Congregation Present
Their Difficulties Before
Justice Pierce


In the Zion African Methodist 1pisco-
pal church. S. S. Taft one Of tho
leaders in the factional fight, was ex-
amined before Justice of the Peace
Pierce yesterday on charge Of having
made threats to do injury to the per-
son Of George Brown, ono of the
brethren of the other side.
There were more than q score of the
members of the congregation in court
yesterday when the case was called for
trial, and as each statement was made
by the witnesses OH the stand the
various aged sisters and brothers
chantcd out their appreciative "amcns"
In regular front row fashion.
The trouble in the church started
several months ago when proposition
was made to sell part of the church
property. Brown was one of the leaders
in supporting the proposition, while
Taft was strongly opposed.
The difficulty between the factions
became so strained that a fight ensued
on the church steps. The trouble was
then taken to court and a decision
handed down i'm favor of Taft's faction.
Just before the decision in the case
was handed down the congregation was
ordered to hold a meeting and decide by
sold. 1t was at this meeting that the
trouble occurred which led to Taft's
second arrest
The testimony given by ono of the
brethren on the witness stand yester-
day was as follows:
We'll, ye see, jedge, it happened all
dis-a-way. Dat niggah Taft think he
can run de whole congregashun so he
cum round dat tempul of de gospel and
he tuck up his Sundy duds and he set
down on de frunt seat and squawk out
his "amens' long wild de rest of us.
Dat las for time but bim-by he
got morn more persiminiscus, and he
segashawaits round dat church like he
was the hottest lamb in all de congre-
gashum. He says what we shed do as
if he was de boss, and den we say no
and dere's trouble.
Trouble Well Met
I'VE done amt lookin' for no trouble
none, but when trouble come our way
we meet him wiv a hug and a kiss
and deres scrap OH de front doah step
and den Taft's arrested and den he's
let out of Jail.
when de day for votin' on
whethah we sell de property or not
begins to cum round Brother Brown
meets Brother Taft on de street and
Taft he say to Brown, When you done
hab dat meetin' at de church Abs goin'
to be dare sure An Brown he say,
Don you cum to dat meetin' case
youah amt no reglar member in good
standin' with de Lawd and de preachah
sez none but good membahS cum to
dat meetin'.'
"An' den Taft sez, Use comm to dat
meetin' wild all nah friens an If de
!,
and we bus right into de meetin'.'
"'Youah shoah wouldn't use no gun
shootin' in de church., sez Brown, an
den Taft sez, 'Ef de doah amt open
we shoah is cumin' trough de doah
with gun or suthin' smilatious.'
when de meetin' was ovah de two
is togedder on de steps and Taft he
cum to Brown and he shake his fingah
aggreshiously in Browns face and he
sez, You done got me rested las time
and l done get even wifi you,' and
den a woman take him by de ahm and
move him focibly sway. an dat was
ALL"
But Judge Pierce didn't think the
evidence sufficient and he dismissed
Taft after making the following state
ment:
"These church disputes seem more
venemous than all the other quarrels
put together. A man may gamble and
have a quarrel or he may have a row
while drinking or anything else, but he
always manages to settle his trouble,
but these church disputes manage to
get up more concentrated hell than any
other kind of a row.
"These people claim to be working
for the interests of the Lord, but from
the actions of many Of them it would
seem that they are working for the
devil"