The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-07-08
DEACON FALLS OUT WITH PASTOR AFTER
 A SCORE OF YEARS
ROSS H. FAIRFAX ADVERTTSES AGAINST LOAN TO BAPTIST
 CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH
Rev. Morton Would Build
Has Saved $70O to Help Meet Cost of Addition, Would Borrow S2,5OO and Raise $2,5OO Among Church Mem-
 bers-Quarrel Splits Congregation.


 The question which is now disturb ing the usual tranquil state of affairs in the Messiah Baptist church on Arch street is, Shall we have Improvements or no?" The majority of the church say 'yes", but the opposition is 50 strong that it has lead to the insertion of an advertisement in the papers by one of the deacons, which reads: gro all banking institutions and loan as- sociations: hereby give warning not 10 loan any money to the Messiah Bap- list church. If so. you do it at your own risk and against the will of the majority of the Deacons' board, also asajnst the majority of the members Farrar."
 4 prominent worker in the church said this morning to a Farmer res porter: Brother Farrar has absolutely tisement in the papers; if on no other g ound than that of an accepted rule or the church which forbids the adver- tisfng of the affairs of the church. The statement that the intended im- rrovements are to be made against the will of the majority of the congrega- ton is in contradiction to the vote taken at the business meeting held on the first Tuesday in June. when 26 were in favor of the addition to the church and only twelve opposed. At meeting held a week later the min utes Of the previous meeting were ac- cepted by a vote of 23 to IS. The pastor of the church, Rev. W. N. Nor ton. then placed 8 resolution to re- sc:od the action taken, before the con- gregation so that the opposition might have an opportunity to show their ob- 1octions to the proposed Improvements. but the vote showed the same stand ing, 1S voting to rescind and 23 in fa- vor of the action already taken"
 Tho church Is governed by an execu, tive beard composed of two deacons. two lay brothers of the church, and the pastor. The two deacons are Ross H. Farrar. steward of the University club, and E. T. Mavritte, who is connected with the Read Carpet Go. The pastor two members are Charles w. Broad field and William Tut of Stratford. Deacon Farrar and Brother William Tut are the only members of the board who are opposed to the new move ment, the pastor. Deacon Mavritte and Charles W. Broadffeld are strongly in its favor. The board has not yet be- gun any action officially one way or the other, and Deacon Farrar is evi- dently acting at the suggestion of the opposition in the congregation.
 The idea to build an addition to the church on the plot of ground in the rear originated two years ago. last May, when plans were drawn by Arch itect Joseph w. Northrop, and the es- timated cost at that time was $4, 4,000 The Dastor has been an earnest advo- cate of the new section as he desired more room for the Sunday school and a room in which he might receive the members of his congregation, and which could be used for his Bible study class.
 Rev. w. H. Morton will have served as pastor of the church twenty-one years on July 29. He has seen the church grow from a membership of twelve to the present enrolment of J8S. It was through his efforts that the site of the church was purchased and the church itself built. He show ed an excellent business sense in pay ing off all the debts on the property more than four years ago, and has a1- ready on hand over $700 for the new addition. He proposes to borrow f$2,- oG0 and raise a similar amount among the members of the congregation. Deacon Farrar has been active in the church for 20 years.