Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1909-08-27
/ OEFIClAL ACTION OF
BAPTIST BOARD.
son6claj Re,port.

"a. OVtSsas v0tSs -
Report Of the Executive Board q
the Towa-Nebraska Baptist Associa
ton: I
Keokuk. Iowa. Aug. II. Is, 19-Ar
Odicial communication with the name
attached OF the pastor and clerk o.
1. A.e seventh street Baptist church Of
KeokGk was received by the modera
tor and the corresponding secretary
OF this board, giving the information
that upon five charges Rev. NJ. j
Burton, missionary of the Iowa-Ne
braska association had been excluded
from The church
Thereupon the Moderator issued q
call tor the meeting OF the board In
Keokuk and requested through the
corresponding secretary the use Of
the Seventh street Baytist church for
the meeting, for 1t was necessary for
the board to determine il Rev. Burton
had been deprived of his membership
because of un-Christian conduct and
by regular methods of discipline or
whether the action of the church was
hasty, unnecessary or unwarranted in
his case. II the former were the case,
1t would have affected Rev. Burton's
I 6ldAulA6b 0Au Lib pOStttOH a. aafcoioH
airy or il the latter were the case,
1t would be necessary to advise the
missionary and the church as to the
course to pursue.
In response to the letter sent by
the corresponding secretary to the
pastor and to the board of deacons OF
the Seventh street church requesting
the use of the church for this meeting
a reply was received which contained
the names of four officers denying the
board the use of the church for the
investigation.
The Following persons, members OF
this executive board were present in
Keckuk as per the call of the Moder.
ator on August II: Rev. S. Bates,
Moderator, pastor Maple st. Baptist
church, Des Noines, Iowa; Prof. c.
W. Rodgers, clerk, Buxton Iowa: Rev.
d. A. Holmes corresponding secretary,
Davenport, Iowa; Rev. F. G. Boiling,
treas, Centerville, Iowa: Rev. T. L..
Griffith, Des MOines Iowa; Rev. Jas.
Bowies, Enterprise. Iowa.
In Keokuk effort was made to Sc
cure the use OF the church for the
meetings The pastor of the church,
Rev. w. d. Venerable offered the use
of the church for preaching, but it
was refused for any business session.
The board refused the offer just re-
ferred to unless the church were
granted for all sessions
Arrangements were made for hold.
iry the sessions in such places as
would be provided by citizens of Keo-
,kuk
Day sessions were held in the
Eighth street hall; evening sessions
we're held in the Masonic hail.
The executive board accorded to the
church and to Rev. Burton the privi-
lege of as many witnesses as they de-
sired in support OF each side OF the
case.
IN account of the fact chat Rev.
Venerable was the main prosecuting
witness in this case, the board decid-
ed that 1t would not be proper that
he should act in the case as a member
Of this board.
The names of the following were
furnished by Rev. Venerable:
Rev. w. D. Venerable, Mr.. John
Thomas, Mr.. Abraham Yeiser. Mrs.
Ellen Dixon Mrs. Harriet Dade, Mr..
John Woods. Miss Edna X Hender-
son, Mrs. Dollie Henderson, Mrs. w.
d. Venerable. Mrs. Mary Garland,
Mrs. Cassie Wilson. All these ex-
cept the last three We're present and
gave testimony before the board
The following were furnished by
the Rev. Burton:
Mr. Daniel J. Dean, Mrs. D. J.
Dean, Mrs. Mary Smith, Mrs. Emma
Brown, Mr.. Frank Deer, Mrs. Frank
ry Brooks, Mr.. Athel Smith, Mr.. 0. d.
Smith. Rev. w. F. Collins, Mrs Mary
McGinness, Mr.. D. w. Anderson, Mrs.
NJ. J. Burton, Rev. MI. Burton.
All these were present and testified.
Testimony was taken at the session
Tuesday afternoon, Tuesday evening,
Wednesday morning and Wednesday
afternoon.
From the testimony taken the fol-
lowing facts are deduced:
1. That on the night Of July LIST,
meeting Of the board of deacons was
held ct the Seventh street church.
Following is the record of the board
OF deacons upon the records of the
church:
@ The case Of Bro. NJ. ]. Burton was
next taken up for going TO another
place called the Independent Baptist
Mission. A motion prevailed that
Bro. M. J. Burton be summoned before
the board to answer the charges
against him.
(a) Preaching to disorderly con.
gregation. .g
(b) Calling the church disorderly.
(3) Statement that a large number
twenty to thirty OF our members are
found in other church any Sunday.
2. That the board Of deacons in
structed the pastor, Rev. Venerable TO
Notify Rev. Burton to meet the board
OF deacons on the next evening in a
special session.
8. That a special session Of the
board was held on the next evening,
Friday, July 2, but that Rev. Burton
was not present and had not been no
titled to be present. This session was
held in the church basement.
4. That the regular business meet
ing OF the church was held on the
same evening, July 2, IN the auditor
cum, large number being present.
L s., That the following are the main
facts in Ration to this case, OF the
meeting on July 2:
. (a) In the early part Of the meet
ing there was an attempt to discipline
a member of the deacon board, a ma
iority voting against his exclusion.
(b) Growing out Of this action there
was some confusion, during which
time the pastor said he would address
himself to the decent people. At this
time the report Of the deacons In the