Mexico Missouri message., 1911-09-28
ATTACKS REV. REAVlS.
Makes Charge That He Disrupted
Sunrise Church.

formerly of Audrain county, in
a recent issue of the Clarksvillc
Sentinel. Mr.. Grimes is re-
ported to have said:
II seems that when you are
employed to serve n church, you
proceed TO turn ont the board
and supplaut them with officers
whom You can "handle,i as
soon as you learn You are I'M
able 10 influence the whole
membership of the board as
your cgotisticai disposition may
dictate. VIII You, Sir, tell me
what You have gained by that!
! heard yOu tore a church 10
pieces in Illinois. You disrupt
ed the church at Sunrise, Au-
drain County. And look what
you did in GAINESVILLE. You
went before the members Of the
board Of that church, and urg-
ed them to resign, get down and
out, and afterwards went to
some of them personally. You
berated the board in your SER
mons during that meeting and
said publicly that they must re-
sign.
Some Of them did resign, 9th
ers did not resign, and then on
the night Of your closing SER
vice, you told the people that
you had never asked any Of the
board to resign and that you
were glad that they had back
bone enough to stay as officers
elected by the church member
ship. GAINESVILLE church was
never so disrupted and a gloom
hangs over it that may never
disappear, and you can praise
yourself for this success. And
now look at Paynesville. You
boast of your additions at other
places. Do you ever think of
your subtractions You make
almost everywhere you gol |
have made the statement that
| believed you were doing more
harm than you were doing good.
Look at the members that have
quit coming to church at
Paynesville and at other places
and be honest with yourself and
see what yOu think of it.
| have been a member of the
church here fifty-seven years,
have been deacon about -
years; afterwards was elected
to the eldership and have served
for % years. In all that time
there has never been a charge
made against me by church or
member. | have not an enemy
in this world except yourself,
and two or maybe three in the
church, and now | am out in
the cold world, not allied with
any church, and who is the
cause of it!
On the second Sunday in
July the board met. | was not
with them at that time, and
some one suggested that they
resign and have an election on
the second Sunday in August.
On the fourth Sunday in July
| gave talk on the eldership.
| also told them there was no
scripture for elders resigning
and being elected over again,
and that | would not resign but
II they wanted me out, to pre-
fer charges, and if they would
prove their charges | would get
out Of their way.
On the Second Sunday in
August, one of these young ell
ders made the statement that
all the Offices were vacant, and
they would proceed to elect.
On the first Sunday in Septem-
Der | related what the elders
had done and asked all who III
dorsed their action to stand up
and, Sir, | have been told you
were the first to get up and
about eight OF ten of your pets
got up after you. ] would like
to know why you were so inter
ested about it, if you had moth
ing to do with it, as under
stand you deny having anything
to do with it. You know you
were at the bottom of it all. |
would like for you to review