Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-03
MAY LEAF AGAIN FOR IT
Evangelist Sermons May Be Assign
ed to Him to Do.
MAPLE LEAVES AT MT. RAINIER
Fall Upon Executive Board of
Church of Disciples Of Christ.
His Placards Damaged.


Rainier. Md.-in fact, there may be no ma
pie trees there at all-but there is a big
disturbance in the town, and the why of
| it is found in maple leaves"
Here are some of the maple leaves"
that have stirred up this usually quiet
hamlet and set family against family and
churchman against churchman. especially
Methodists against members of the
Church of the Disciples of Christ:
"Flrst-class hypocrisy is at a premium
today
"Frankness is below par; sincerity sin
full
Honesty is the best policy in the long
run; but the run is SO long-rough, too"
Plans to Leave Tonight.
AS result of these and other SINH
larry melancholic leaves of autumnal hue
Rev. Otto D. Maple. near pastor of the
Mount Rainier Church of the Disciples Of
Christ, expects to leave Mount Rainier
and these parts about IL O'clock tonight
for the west He will leave behind him
friends and foes galore. And perhaps the
end Is not yet, and other leaves may fall,
or Mr.. Maple may leaf again.
The last act of the drama centers about
the Methodist Church of Brentwood. The
members of the Christian Church say
they have wiped their hands of the entire
affair. and, having done things to Maple
posters, they are content to sit back and
laugh. But not SO the Methodists.
This morning reporter for The Star
found Mr.. Maple at the home of Dr. G. b.
Mcintosh Scotchman and a Methodist,
whose household has taken a great liking
for the deposed minister.
Mr.. Maple said this morning that the
good people of the Methodist Church were
trying to get up a movement to have him
preach a serious of union evangelical
sermons. If they didn't hurry up and de-
eide, however, he would have to leave to-
night.
night in all probability anyhow. DR.. Nc
Intosh and Mrs. Mcintosh both said they
hoped he would change his mind before II
o clock comes.
How It Came About.
1t all came about because Rev. Otto d.
Maple is mighty fine orator and talked
his way into the hearts of the members
Of which Mount Rainier Christian Church,
which had just lost its pastor. Rev.
Claude c. Jones, after four years of the
quietest and most harmonious ministering
to the flock.
Mr.. Jones resigned the last Sunday In
May. For several Sundays the Mount
Rainier Christian Church was pastorless.
somewhere in Virginia and came to fill
the pulpit OF this church at Mount
Rainier, having In some way discovered
what was wanting there.
He was not candidate for the place
Everybody said so that Sunday in June.
Everybody was sorry; for he did preach
two splendid sermons, as all agreed. When
he vas about to leave for Virginia the
following Monday he handed in a writ
ten application for the place.
tn}o vi CT
lighted. They at once wrote to him down
in Virginia and asked him for references
He promised to furnish them. but did not
then, but urged that II call was con-
he wanted to know whether he was to
remain in this part of the country or
would have to travel back to Jonesbor-
ough. ILL.,, where his family lives.
Again they asked for the references
He promised to bring them when he
came to Mount Rainier.
References Do Not Please.
Two days later he arrived. The next
day, fateful Friday, July 3, the execu-
tive board of the Mount Rainier Church
wrote to Marion, Ohio, and several other
places, to the addresses furnished by
him. to learn of his past record.
The same day the board decided to
recommend him as the new pastor of the
ratified the boards action unanimously.
Mr.. Maple preached two more fine SER
mons.
The next day replies to the boards
letters arrived-that is, three of them
put in appearance. To two other letters
there was no reply OF the three replies
received. the members of the board say,
two were unsatisfactory, and one wasn't
so bad.
Anyhow. the board at once decided to
tell Mr. Maple that he did not have a
record such as 1t desired of the pastor
of its church. AS he had not formally
accepted the call, the board asked him
not to do so, but to simply disappear
from the scene. The board said. however,
he might preach the next Sunday with
the knowledge that the congregation as
whole would not know what had hap
pened.
Mr.. Maple strenuously denied the
charges against him. He said he would
preach again
His fame as a preacher had in the
meantime spread throughout Mount RAJ
nier.
Methodist Under His Boughs.
Now it so happened that the Brentwood
Methodist Episcopal Church. nearby, had
no pulpit orator at the moment. Its pas
tor having gone on vacation. The con-
gregation had heard of the find OF the
sister church and flocked to hear him
preach. They liked him. too, and were
disposed to be a little envious. tits said.
The next act in the little drama occur
red between Sunday, July L. and Sun
day. July 49, The board of the Christian
Church told Mr.. Maple he must go. He
said he wouldn't unless their charges
against him, whatever they were, were
substantiated.
The result was that July 10 there
was full attendance at the Christian
Church and a public reading of letters
Following this reading Mr.. Maple was
dismissed by an Overwhelming vote Of
the congregation.
Some persons thought that would emo
the matter. 1t didn't. Last week there
appeared on every telegraph pole, lamp
post fence. signboard and conspicuous
tree in the neighborhood noticeable
placard with Rev. Otto d. Naples picture
the most conspicuous thing thereon The
top line read:
Misunderstanding for Hypocrites. Sun
day, August II, at pm, at Firemen's
Hall. Mount Rainier brentwood, by Rev.
o. d. Maple of Illinois,
Farther down was the line saying "A
Warm Welcome" There was also the
announcement that Miss Myrtle Book of
Indiana would sing, and that she was
singer of note.
Then came the best part of the placard.
Il was captiOned: s"Maple Leaves. And
the leaves were those given heretofore.
Silver Offering Asked.
Inconspicuous and at the bottom was the
announcement of a silver offering for the
lecturer. Notwithstanding this last sug-