Evening journal., 1917-01-17
TISSUE OF LIES' SAYS PASTOR
COOKE TO M. E. CHURCH CHARGES r

the church to see that the discipline
was enforced and to assist the pastor
in every way possible. He has him
dered the enforcement of discipline,
and with malicious intent has injured
the pastor and Wesley Church.
This Is a fragrant abuse Of Office
and betrayal Of trust that should
not be condoned by the Wilmington
Conference. demand that he be
brought to trial FOR these serious Of
fenses.
George A. Cooke.
Complainant"
DR.. Cookies Statement
Their action is not that OF brave
men, and J am not afraid OF cow
ards" said DR. Cooke last night. in
commenting or the charges made
against him and the men who had
signed the charges
Taking objections 70 the published
statement that the Rev. George A.
Cooke nad leen insulted by a Mrs.
McCallister, teacbed IN the Sunday
school OF that church on Sunday last
pli01 - the walk-out OF the scholars
and teachers. member and friend Of
Wesley NJ. E. Church today said
"Wher the school assembled for
their regular session Of Sunday
school Mr. Cooke was presiding as su-
perintendent After calling the school
to order and having the opening
hymns, prayer. etc. Mr. Cooke said:
The teachers Will take charge of their
classes Then said: But first We will
read the lesson responsively.' He
read the nineteenth verse, which was
the opening verse Of the lesson. Some
teachers and scholars responded by
reading the twenty-third verse, which
was the next in the lesson. Mr.. Cooke
then rebuked them for not paying at
tentio1 10 the lesson. saying he hav-
ing read the nineteenth verse, they
should have read the twentieth. The
tone he used was such as TO cause one
to think that he thought they read the
wrong verse on purpose. It was az
this point that Mrs McCalEser, rising
to her feet with an open Sunday jour
nal in her hand said: Mr.. Cooke, you
will notice by the lesson papers that
the twentieth, twenty-frst and twenty
second verses OF this chapter are omit
ted in today's lesson. We read the
twenty-third verse, which WIS the
next following the one you read. In
rather o sneering tone Mr. Cooke re-
piled: oh, Is that soY Yes replied
Mrs. McCallister, and had you studied
the lesson you would have known It.
"sHere, III take no impeltinence iron
you.' At that with one accord the en-
tire school, teachers and scholars. rose e1
masse and quietly left the room witt
! the exception Of Mr.. Cookies cO-wOrkers
| who with himself we're present for th'
first time in about three on four weeks
I five Of whom were former teachers, anC
with the pastor had left their classes
saving they would no longer work witt
/ Mr.. Grew. They, with the pastor, hi
wife, daughter and two young mel
! boarders at the parsonage, remained be
! hind, making about fifteen in all re
manning AS the Sunday school scholars
were leaving the room Mr. Cooke re
1 marked: 'They are we'll trained. IT.
plain to be seen 1t is a prearranged at
/ fair That is all the insult the teacher
offered Mr.. Cooke, and more than ont
i hundred teachers and scholars of respon
sible years. to say nothing of smalle
ones, can back this statement. In speak
ing with Mrs. McCallister a short tim'
| hEO I WNr lNlu luttt uAtHbNAA o. AhNAAiD~
Of several years in Wesley Church, Mr.
Cooke has not paid her one pastoral cal
this conference year, the last time h
was in her home being before last con
ference, when he came after benevolence
and although she and her boys are regu
lar attendants at Sunday school, and tn
discipline plainly states that r. pasto
should visit the homes Of the teacher
and scholars and there talk with then
about the Sunday school, Mr. Cooke ha
not done so. although Mr.. Cooke ha
been pastor Of Wesley Church nearl
three years, and in that time he ha
never uttered a prayer in Mr. McCallis
ter's home. although he had visited ne
when she lay i'll In bed.
'rNow the public at large knows some
thing Of the trials Wesley is goin
Through. What they don't know
that the nerves OF it's people ar
strained almost to the breaking point
Mr. Cooke accuses the teachers an
scholars Of being in sympathy with Nj
C1-ewe. Yes, indeed, we are in sympa
thy with Mr. Crewe. and we admire an
respect him, yea, we love him, and wi
, work for and be loyal TO him until sue
time as he shall be returned 20 u.s.