Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1909-08-27

Il +,
positive IS to his own statement Q
the matter.
lb) MIR. John Thomas who inter
cepted Rev. Burton testified that Rev
Burton had no chair at the time b
intercepted him.
l. (c) Fully twelve persons testifie'
that Rev. Burton did not have an.
chair at all. ss tt
! s. That after the business meeting
on the night Of July End, Rev Vener
able Aled information against Rev
Burton and wife, as the result o
which q trial was held In the Superio
court Of Keokuk.
/ Note: At this time decision In thi'
| case has not yet been rendered.
| z. That after this trial, number
OF people, members of the Seventh
street Baptist church were notified
by letters In the handwriting OF Rev
Venerable with names Of pastor ant
clerk Of the church attached In the
same handwriting, TO appear befort
the church on the evening of July 30
to answer the charge of false swear
ing, this charge having been prefer
red because they had testified in the
court that Rev. Burton did not come
| toward Rev. Venerable with the chail
in the church business meeting, July
End.
8. That on the night of July 80, an
other business meeting Of the church
was held attended by about twenty
five 1851 persons.
8. That on this night Rev. Burton
was excluded, and also Rev. W. F
Coline, Mr.. d. ]. Dean Mr.. Athel
Smith Mr.. o. d. Smith Mr.. George
Hinch Mrs. M. J. Burton and Mrs
Mary Smith were excluded. Rev. Bur.
ton had not received personal notice
of any new charges and the others
were excluded upon, the charge OF
false swearing as above referred TO,
with some additional charges in in
dividual cases.
10. That the letter sent to the cor.
responding secretary of this board no.
tifying him that this meeting could
not be had in the Seventh street
church was not signed or authorized
by all the parties whose names are
subscribed to 1t.
That in the actions herein refer.
red to the church has acted upon the
advice of the pastor Rev. w. D. Ven
cradle.
II. That the records of the church
and the testimony of witnesses do not
agree with the statements furnished
the moderator and clerk Of the asso.
citation as to the charges upon which
Rev. Burton was excluded
10. That the charges filed with this
board as those upon which Rev. Bur.
ton was excluded do not appear in the
records of the church.
IA. That the following is the record
of the action of the church in the
case OF Rev. Burton:
(a) The report of the board of dea-
cons as given in paragraph 3 of these
findings:
Further as to this the record is:
(a) The case of Bro. NJ. ]. Burton
was next taken up July 30th.
(b) Concerning the discipline of NJ.
J. Burton for starting a church riot.
Note: The above item was adopted
in the motion to adopt the boards re-
port.
Conclusions.
We make the following conclusions:
l. That if Rev. NJ. ]. Burton COM
mitted any offense in preaching for
the new mission in Keokuk 1t was Ger.
tainly not one that demanded discip
line from the church. And If Rev. Ven
cradle deemed this action of the mis-.
sionary reprehensible to this degree.
he should have invited this board
which has the management of Rev.
Burton's work to investigate the mat
ter officially.
p. That the evidence presented to
this board Is not sufficient to prove
single one Of the charges which were
reported to this board,
3. That in taking Rev. Burton and
wife into the criminal court, Rev.
Venerable took action unwarranted so
far as any evidence presented to this
board is concerned and this action
was a fragrant violation OF rules and
customs of Baptist churches gener.
ally.
4. That Rev. Burton was excluded
in manner wholly foreign to the
rules of Baptist churches. Had his
conduct demanded that he be disclp.
lined a council of elders should have
been called to consider the case.
S. That Rev. w. F. Collins, Mr.. D.
J. Dean, Mr.. .Athel Smith, Mr.. O. D.
Smith, Mr. George Hinch, Mrs. NJ.
]. Burton and Mrs Mary Smith who
testified in the court in behalf OF Rev,
Burton and were excluded for false
swearing, were deprived OF their
membership by unjust methods, with
out a trial and upon a charge which
nnuld not he sustained by the EVIL