Smyrna times., 1907-05-15
PREACHER MIXED
HIS LETTERS
Mailed Recorder of Deeds Love Let
ter to Young Woman.
HE DISAPPEARS FROM TOWN


Harrington, Del, May 1O-"What
ever the world may think of my ac-
tlons, | know | have done no wrong
IN the sight of heaven. l never loved
my wife; and God intended Della to
be my affinity"
With this remarkable statement
Rev. Dewitt Maynard Carpenter.
whose infatuation for a young woman
who was his former assistant pastor
in the Apostolic Holiness Union
church, explained the disclosures that
came to the ears of his congregation
through the strange delivery of a love
letter to the wrong person.
By mistake Carpenter mailed to the
recorder of deeds of Kent county a
fervent letter to the woman, and the
recorder, taking a wide Interpretation
Of his official title, recorded the mat
ter and notified the trustees of the
church. Following are abstracts of tn,
letter:
Il am not crazy. God really did it
and YOU know the Holy Ghost wit
messed 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 what
He should do according to our belief
and understanding. He does what He
knows is best, and can never as long
as | live doubt that He married US
and ! suffer torture to live as / am
obliged to live.
"Oh, Della. you now begin to realize
a little OF our relations before God.
only turn to you for comfort and coun
sci and advice as the only wife.
We'll, little wife, from henceforth
we must work together; some way;
some how. ] feel we must not be sep.
arated. | must obey. You have been
given to me by God Himself. love
you, dearest darling. ! love you as a
wife only"
Meanwhile the pastor has left town
for parts unknown. His heart-broken
wife and his two sons, one of whom.
Rollins, II years old, lived with his
parents, have no knowledge of his des
tination.
Mrs. Carpenter expresses sympathy
for her rival, and declares that her
husband cast hypnotic spell over her
to win her affections.
Before his departure, Carpenter
spoke freely of his love for Miss Della
Goodrich who is now in town in the
western part of Pennsylvania.
Whom God hath united let no man
put asunder," he said, speaking of
Miss Goodrich. Il married Mrs. Car.
penter 80 years ago. She was Miss
Viola Pilling. and lived not far from
Johnstown. l thought l loved her be.
fore / welded her, but Immediately af-
ter the ceremony realized had made
mistake | knew that she was not
my affinity. I have always tried to
treat her kindly, but she has known
as well as l that there was not a per.
feet oneness between us.
1T is hard to explain such things TO
persons who do not understand the
ways of heaven, and therefore we did
not mention it to our congregation. I
cannot understand how | made the
of the letters. I was in a hurry
to get them mailed and placed Della's
letter in the wrong envelope That is
all there is to it. The recorder of
deeds, however, had no right to keep
the letter.
He should have sent it back to me
without making it public and causing
all this trouble and misapprehension. I
have decided to go away from here
and that it is best that separate from
my wife. She agrees with he and I
have advised her to try to get a di-
vorce soon. She will probably continue
here for a time, as the congregation
has a high regard for her."