Milford chronicle., 1907-05-17
THE FALL FROM GRACE
Of PASTOR CARPENTER.

VI liu VII UnIIt LIZ LII
The sect known as the "HOlines
Christian Church" has become strong in
numbers in Harrington and its vicinity
and the one man who had made the
church popular was De Witt Carpenter,
who was ably seconded in his labOrs by
good wife, who has shared his joys
and sorrows for quarter of century.
This happy condition Of affairs ex-
listed up until last week, when the
double dealings Of Mr.. Carpenter we're
revealed by a mistake he made in mail.
ing some letters.
Only q little slip Such as so often
occurs when sending two letters at the
same time. Yet because of this little
slip, Rev. Dewitt Carpenter Of the
Holiness Christian Church OF Harring-
ton has been unmasked.
Mr.. Carpenter married a couple on
Sunday. On Monday he made out a
certificate Of the wedding to be sent to
the county Recorder Of Deeds. He also,
it appears, wrote another letter at the
same time and apparently put the let.
tiers in the wrong envelopes. James P.
Aron the Recorder, at Dover, upon
opening an envelope supposed to con-
tain a marriage certificate was aston
ished when he found a letter, of which
the following are abstracts:
am not crazy, God really did it and
you knOw the Holy Ghost witnessed TO |
our marriage many times more than
any other experience in life / only
have to believe in Him and suffer on
till you, my God given wife, will stop
questioning as to our belief and under
standing. He does what He knows is
best, and l can never as long as I live
doubt that He married US and l suffer
torture to live as l am obliged to live.
Saturday night at the parsonage ---
and -- were married. l send you
the fee. (The full names of the bride
and bridegroom are given) 1
Oh, Della, you now begin to realize
little Of our relations before God. ;
only turn to you for comfort and cOun. )
sci and advice as the only wife.
Well, little wife, from hencefOrth we |
must work together some way some
how. feel we must not be separated.
l must obey. You have been given to I
me by God himself. l love you, dearest C
darling. love you as wife only.
Shortly after Mr. Aron received the y
letter Mr.. Carpenter, who is so years a
old and has a wife and two children, C
arrived at the office and demanded and +,
pleaded for the letter, but the Recorder
thought as a public officer he had a
duty to perform in this matter and L
kept the letter. 4
Then came the trustees of the church = =
headed by Cyrus D. Grant and M. N. y
WEIGH. They could not get the Origi-
nal letter, but the Recorder agreed to es
allow Chancery Court StenOgrapher A. in
L. Massey to take certified copies of it, la
me of which he gave to the trustees. de
That night Mr.. Carpenter offered his at
to Trustee Henry Knox, but
was not accepted, and the preachers do
rial was begun behind closed doors. -
The principal trustees of the Har- -
ington Holiness Church are Cyrus N. -
irant, Frank Weleh, Samuel Hill, Eli 30
,allOway, Henry Knox, Charles Trice al
nd Henry Trice. 80
They dismissed Mr.. Carpenter and
ppointed his wife to succeed him. MIR.
srpeDter has departed for parts un-
nown. {
The new pastor has accepted the Of bre
ce rendered her and will not even of
ave to move her trunk. She showed Tn
Christian fOrtitude through NJ
le greatest of trials that can befall a val
oman. Ha