Evening journal., 1910-03-19
DR.. C. A. BAKER IS
OUT OF MINISTRY
Select Number Of Wilmington
M. E. Conference DEGREES
Him Withdrawn Under
CHARGES
COMMITTEE HEARS OF
FRENZIED FINANCIERING

SALISBURY. Md, March is-tt did
not take the "Beiect number" or Jury
Of fifteen ministers OF the Wilmington
Methodist Conference long yesterday
afternoon TO dispose OF the onse OF tho
Rev. DR.. Charles A. Baker, who. fall
ing to appear TO answer the charges
based on his "frenzied financlering''
preferred against him IN October last
and reiterated yesterday, was decreed
to have withdrawn under charges.
which In the language Of the Discipline
is equal 70 expulsion" This verdict,
in other words, means that DIR. Baker
is dismissed from the ministry and
membership Of the Methodist Church
and his parchments as Il minister are
cancelled.
The Select number or jury met IN
the Methodist Church South, DR.. G, W.
Prettyman presiding. Revs. J. p. Otis
and E. L. Hoffecker were counsel for
the Conference and Revs. V. 8. Collins
and R. H. Adams counsel for DR.
Baker, they being assigned by Bishop
Hamilton. The hearing was private
The Revs. W. E. Greenfield and L. u.
Poole were secretaries.
At the outset the charges preferred
on October 20 last. based on DR.. Baker s
financial transactions at St. Michaers
Nd, while pastor there. were read. The
charges accused him of "imprudence,
unministerial conduct, fraud, falsehood
and embezzlement." There were sew
eral specifications of the general
charges.
A question arose as 20 whether evil
dence should be adduced in support Of
charges Of fraud, etc. in DIR. Bakers
financial dealings Finally it was de-
cided to consult Bishop Hamilton on
that point. DR. Prettyman conferred
with the Bishop over the telephone,
and the latter gave his opinion that it
would be sufficient for a verdict OF
withdrawal under charges if il could
he shown that DR. Baker withdrew"
from tho ministry after he had received
a copy of the charges filed against
him This made other evidence as TO
DR.. Bakers financial dealing unneces-
sRry-
District Superintendent Stephenson
showed that DR.. Baker had been sent
a COPY of the charges on October %,
by registered letter. and had been noti-
fed October 30 of the letter in st.
Michaels postohice for him. The next
-Sunday-Dr. Baker preached 2
sensational sermon in St Michaels
Church in which he scored some of
the persons who had complained about
him on Monday he got the registered
letter containing the charges from the
! postofiice, and on November 3 ne sent
a letter TO DIR. Stephenson in which he
! said he had withdrawn from the min
/ istry and membership of the church
| A few days later he left st. Michaels
He was cited by registered letter to
appear yesterday. but didn't respond
After this the "select number formu-
lated the verdict. practically dismiss
/ ing DIR. Baker from the ministry SO
there is no possibility of his parch-
ments being recognized I'm the future
| one of the specifications in the
| charges accused DR.. Baker of dealing
| in stocks on margin, and of issuing
/ FRAUDULENT checks to pay the margins
In this connection Sheftels and Com
pany, brokers of New York, alleged
/ that DR.. Baker sent them a check
which they alleged was bad. TO pay
for his margins. and received from
them their certified check which h'
cashed before the nature of his checl
| was discovered.