Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-28
PASTOR DEFIES TRTERS
AND NEW HEARING SET
FOR CASE in CHESTER
Rev. Egidius Kellmayer, Charged
With INSTRUMENTATION, Fails to
Appear Before Presbytery.
Trial on Monday
DEFENSE OF, MINISTER

The trial of the Rev. Egidus Kellmayer,
deposed minister of the Bethany Presby-
terian Church, Chester, has been postponed
until Monday morning, at 10 o'clock. in
Westminster Hall. The minister, who is
charged with characterization, schism and
conduct unbecoming a minister" since he
refuse to stop preaching within a radius
of a half mile of his old charge, did not APP
pear at the hearing scheduled for today,
He Is to be summoned to the postponed
trial by telegram sent today and followed
by written notice served on him by the
stated clerk of the Presbytery, the Rev.
william T. Kruse. of Elwyn The trial
will be held Monday, even If he does not
appear.
The debate concerning date of the post
poned trial waXed warm when some of the
ministers from the Chester Presbytery in
sisted that the trial be postponed until
more ministers were at home, while another
group declared the honor of the Church
demanded immediate settlement" of the
controversy, even If the synod should re-
verse the decision later
ONE DIssENTER.
The Rev. F.. C. Putnam. pastor of the
Radnor Presbyterian Church at Wayne
cast the one dissenting vote against setting
the trial date for Monday He thinks the
Rev. Mr.. Kellmayer should appear before
the Presbytery' to answer the charges, but
he is firm in his assertions that the trial
should be held later
He suggested that the charge might be
brought later that there had been prejudice
in the case If the majority of the men were
not present
Mr.. Putnam was interrupted by Mod.
orator John Graham, of Paoli, who said
that no one should impugn the motives of
the brethren.
ASK IMMEDIATE TRIAL.
The Rev. w. II. Huston, of Clifton
Heights sale that the matter was of such
Importance that 1t should not be postponed
any longer, even If the Synod later reversed
the decision of the Presbytery.
I'VE should do 1t now" he said. "for 1t
is due to the beloved church in Chester,
which should be protected"
Moderator Graham quoted the hymn.
DUTY Demands It," and urged speedy trial.
and the Rev. j. b. Rendell, president of
Lincoln University, offered the resolution
setting the trial for Monday at 10 o'clock.
stating that 1t would go on whether the
Rev Mr.. Kellmayer appeared or not "ac-
cording to the book"
Refusal OF the ousted pastor to attend
Billy Sunday meetings in this city or to
close up his church while another evan
gelistic campaign was being held by the
Nicholson-Hemminger party in Chester and
is alleged in Chester, are the causes OF the
dissension in the Bethany Church which
has ended in the Presbytery's action,
The Rev. Mr., Kellmayer puts different
Interpretation on the controversy. He in
ssts the original trouble started because
he refused to marry a certain young woman
in the church choir which one of the
wealthy members wished him to do
After much dissension he was removed
from the pulpit. Part of the congregation
refused TO abide by the "ousting" decision.
They and the deposed pastor removed to a
tent across the street from the old church.
Meetings have been held there ever since
May.
Ministers this morning declared there was
no serious charge brought against the Rev.
Mr.. Kellmayer, but that 1t was a case of a
square peg in a round hole" and that Ii
was no disgrace to the minister, except that
he now refused to obey the church decision
and cease holding religious services within
the half-mile radius of his old church.