The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-08-04
& ,.v. M. j. Burton Sends Lengthy Artl-
Gle to Gate City Giving His
Interpretation Of
Affairs.
HISTORY OF TROUBLE
a, Dated Back to Some Time Ago
ana He Has Been Having
Trouble Since Becom-
ing Pastor.
~ the Editor of The Gate City

10 the Editor of The Gate City:
Dear Sir: You will please allow me
enace in the columns Of your daily pa
nor to give an explanation and facts
concerning the recent troubles at the
seventh street Baptist church (col-
ored.) / know the public has read the
articles that have been printed from
time to time in your paper and the
other paper and they have just got.
fen one side of it because thought as
Il was church troubles to let it re-
main there but see every turn that
Is made the Rev. DR.. Venerable has it
IN the paper and more especially II 1t
Il favorable to him. Now have de-
cided to give the public the other side.
First. The Rey. DR.. Venerable has
heen having trouble with the different
members of the church since he has
been in charge of the church; his
troubles began with Miss Matte Glen.
ms and her aged mother who was
driven from the church and excluded
and then Mr.. d. w. Anderson and Mr.
Ed, Robinson who was treasurer OF
the church. He in making his repor,
in the month of Dec. 1901, showed the
Rev Venerable had overdrawn his sal
ary to the amount of $4,000 and this
report cost Mr.. Robinson his member
ship. The doctor then turned his guns
on Mr.. Anderson, Notwithstanding
that when the dear DR.. was In finan
cial strait Mr.. Anderson came to his
rescue and saved him from an awfu
disgrace by lending him $25 and wher
Mr. Anderson requested him to pay
him. Rev. Venerable went to work tt
bring charges against him to have his
license taken frop him in the meet
ing held the first OF the year, 1909
and he failed at that meeting and Mr.
Venerable also stated that he woul'
\ not get the money and went into cour
and spent nearly that amount to keel
from paying an honest debt.
Again. two years ago when Rev
Venerable came here 1t was through
his influence that Mr.. Anderson wa
induced to do some repairing on 8
church building amounting to owe
$50. They haven't ever paid one penn
Of that and when Mr.. Anderson re
quested that as much as $500 b
paid on his monthly dues 1t wa
through .dr. venerable's influence tn
church refused to pay it. 1t was at
business meeting of the church he'll
January, 1909, when Rev. M. j. Bul
ton, the general missionary for tn
Iowa and Nebraska Baptist Associ'
ton and also member Of this churc
differed on points Of church law, an
from that time on Rev. Venerabl
sought an opportunity to reap venl
geance upon him. His first attemI
was to write letter to the Corinth
an Baptist church of Des Monies IN
slanderous way but he was too COY
ardly to call Rev. Burton's name Il
be would have been arrested for blac
mailing. After Rev Burton saw tt
treachery that lurked in the dispos
ton Of the DR.. he stayed away fro
the church when he was in town Il
he did not care to get into troub
with him but the Rev Mr.. Venerab
continued his work of vengeance ar
on May &c, 1909 Rev. Burton was
town and there is number Of peop
holding service in hall on Nor
Fifth street and he was invited
preach for them and accepted the in
tation. Mr.. Venerable thought tn
vas the time to do him an official
1nry by trying to bring charge again
MIN Off preaching to disorderly peop
AZ the executive board meeting in Da
EXPORT in June last. The board aft
considering the matter. saw that
was only personal feeling in 1t al
motion prevailed to table 1T indefini'
y. This action taken by the boa
DID not please the Rev. gentleman a
ne came home and entered anew
MIS- work Of vengeance on Rev. BIZ
ION. The DR.. surely forgot the CO