Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-21
KANSAS Church
DROPS NAME Of
APASTOR HERE
Friend of Rev. PerCiyal II. Bar
ker Declares Action Is Un-
fair TO Clergyman.

. city, was ruled out Of the Presbyte-
! rian Church at meeting Of the Ne
osha Presbytery at lola, Kan, yes
terday. This information was re-
ceived here today.
Mr.. Barker is now pastor Of Christ
Reformed Church, at Washington and
. Delavan avenues. The reason given
for the dropping of Mr.. Barker's name
from the Presbyterian Church is for
alleged violation of the Neosha Pres
bytery's decision that Mr.. Barker
should NOT preach in any church dur
ing one-year suspension period that
ended last week.
The consistory of Christ Reformed
Church have received positive as
surance from the judicial committee
of the general assembly of the Pres
byterian Church that the Neosha
Presbytery had no legal right to bring
in decision barring Mr., Barker from
preaching In church Of another de-
nomination. The judicial committee
of the general assembly is the high
est legal body in the Presbyterian
Church.
Mr. Barker came here from Kansas
more than a year ago. Because of
his suspension by the Neosha Pres
bytery there has been some dissen-
sion ia the Chassis of Christ Church.
When seen at the parsonage on
Delavan avenue today, Rev. Mr.. Bar
ker refused to speak of the outcome
of the Kansas meeting.
II. II. Moser is chairman of the fin
ance committee of Christ Church and
a member OF the consistory, the ruling
body Of the church.
IAN Outrage"
This is an outrage" Mr. Moser
said. but is no more than we expect |
ed" The consistory of Christ Church, |
of which 1 have the honor to be a |
member, have in their possession def |
mite Information from the highest jul |
dfcial authority in the General Assem-
bly, of the Presbyterian Church that |
the Neoska decision was illegal.
while the Presbytery Of Neosha |
had legal right, If they deemed the |
facts warranted it, to bring in the
decision that Mr.. Barker had no right
to preach in any Presbyterian
churches during his suspension,
they had no Jurisdiction over him in
regards to preaching in churches of
other denominations Mr. Barker is
filing an appeal from the decision rem
dered yesterday I che General As
Bembly of the Presbyterian Church,
the highest legal body of that church.
1.-The motive behind the entire affair
was absolutely malicious, and in no
sense due to any unethical conduct
during his ministerial career. 1t was
started through a member of the
Presbyterian Church in Coffeyville
He resented Mr.. Barkers frank state
ment that man who assisted in vio-
latingfthe Kansas prohibitory law had
no right to teach a class in Sunday
school. II Mr.. Barker was guilty Of
everything he was charged with, it
would amount to nothing against his
moral character. The charge was ly-
ing and was preferred against Mr..
Barker after he had left Kansas"
mo documentary evidence to
prove Mr.. Barker was guilty Of I'M
truth, but simply the word of one
man, Rev. Edgar L. Combs, against
that of Mr.. Barker. Mr. Combs
wrote Rev. C. B. Condit, member
Of the Newark Chassis, that Mr.. Bar
zer had promised the judicial COM
mission, after his trial January IA, |
1913, that he would not preach again
tor one year. Mr.. Barker denied this
TO the consistory of Christ Church.
The consistory has a letter dated |
February %, 1913 signed by Rev.
Solomon Hilscher, of lola, Kan, in
which he admits that Mr. Barker
made no such promise.
II think that in view Of the fact :
that both Mr.. Hilscher and Mr.. Bar
ker deny and agree that he had
preach, then what good is the word
IF Mr.. Combs?
Every effort that has been made
by the consistory of Christ Church, ,
whether it was for or against Mr..
Barker, has been blocked by some I
one. To give an instance, Rev. {
Combs quoted one price in one letter i
or the testimony given at Mr.. Bar
xer's trial, for which we applied, s
md Immediately followed 1t UP with {
/ second letter doubling the price. {
After We had mailed him check
or the second amount he returned !
he same to us without the evidence s
asked. Then Mr.. Barker himself ap- I
olied to Mr.. Combs for a copy of
the testimony, which is his legal I
light, according to chapter 4. section I
%. laws of discipline, of the Presby-
-erian Church, namely, that both '
parties shall be allowed copies of I
he records at their own expense I
Mr.. Combs also replied to Mr.. Bar E
Ser, refusing his request and return I
ing Mr. Barkers check
Mr.. Barker had been In this city I
ess than a month before a commit
zee from the consistory were sum-
noned to appear before Rev. Otis
rrousdale, Rev. c. B. Condit and !
Rev. Albertus Brock, members of I
he Newark Chassis. They were told
10 go back and tell Mr.. Barker to |
pack his trunk and get out Of town I
hat night, and that we were then
TO explain to the congregation that {
ne had been called home.
Everything that we have said and
lone in order to get any cooperation