Evening journal., 1917-01-05
PASTOR COOKE s
Def IS IGNORED,
ASSAIbS DR.. Watt
Twenty Persons Only At
Meeting; Challenged Min
listers and Laymen Absent
ASKS BISHOP TO GUST
DR.WATT FROM OFFICE

Evidently disgusted with the f6rcl-
cal church trial Of Clayton L. Crew,
trustee OF Wesley NJ. T.. Church. who
was acquitted by a jury OF seven
churchmen from hve outside
churches, on December 10. members
of that church refralned from attend
ing the public meeting called by the
Rev George A. Cooke. the pastor. last
night. Mr.. Cooke had ISSUED chal
lenges right and left IN the Rev. Dr.
Robert Watt. district superintendent:
the Rev. George White Dawson. pas
tor OF Asbury VI. f. Church: Caleb T.
Burchenal and others 10 be present
and present any charges hey might
have against him OF any wrong-doing
This def OF Pastor Cooke was ig-
nored by those invited to prclong the
controversy OF the past fcV weeks at
the church His challenge attracted
but sixteen persons, aside from the
Representatives OF the press and the
pastor himself, who constituted the
chairman
Altogether twenty persons we're
1 present. Not one OF the ministers or
laymon challenged BY Pastor Cooke
was present Despite the fact that
Wesley NJ. L. Church has a member
ship OF $50 persons. there we're but
sixteen persons at the meeting, not IN -
cluding Pastor Cooke and three news
! paper representatives.
! Eight OF the sixteen persons pres
ent. aside from DR.. Cooke and the re-
I porters, were recognized as persons
not connected with Wesley Church.
Thus II all the remainder were from
Wesley, n would mean only eight per-
sons present from that congregation.
After Pastor Cooke had called in
vain for anybody who might desire
70 do so 10 come forward and pre-
sent charges against him. he read O
( lengthy statement purportIng 70 be
explanatory Of the troubles at Wesley
3 Church. He also read a letter %
Bishop William p. Mcdowell, stationed
! at Washington. who has charge of the
! Wilmington Methodist Conference
area, saying he tCooke) "is prepared
to furnish proof OF misconduct" on the
part OF District Superintendent Robert
! Watt. "I believe 7 can convince you
/ that he Is guilty OF conduct that
should depose him from Office without
! unnecessary delay" says Pastor
Cooke. in referring to DR.. Watt
3 DR. Watt. when asked today II he cared
I to make any statement about Pastor
Cookies charges. said he had not seen
/ the letter to Bishop Mcdowell. and
did not care 20 make any statement
anyway. When some of the statements
7 in Pastor Cookies letter were read 10
him. Dr. Watt laughed. but declined
to make any comment or reply.
i Among those absent last night was
]. r. Beckley. who had as a trustee
signed the charges against Mr.. Crew.
. W. T. Nickerson. another trustee, who
signed the charges. was present, as
was J. c. Thompson, of Elsmere. a
member OF Harrison Street NJ. f.
4 Church.
Mr. Thompson's greeting Of Pastor
Cooke furnished the only thrill Of the
I evening, and this came at the close
OF the supposed hearing. Mr.. Thomp-
son, who had remained in the rear OF
the Sunday school room while Pastor
\ Cooke read statements Of the recent
4 case. went forward at the close and
4 shook hands with the pastor, saying,
\ Brother Cooke. You are doing wrong
in having those statements published.
Mr. Cooke hared up at once, saying
ct am not here 20 be criticised. but il
you want to argue that point come
\ around some other time
/ Mr.. Thompson remarked that Jesus
4 Christ was prosecuted while He was
y on EARTH" and Mr.. Cooke replied
\ ''Yes. and His replies have been pub
CONTINUED on Rage Two)