Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-19

Christian church. I resigned from thf
ministry he added. The church has
no method Of preserving the status o.
q minister, once he has severed Ms
connection with that particular
church. have never made any state
ment as to whether l would ever e
back to preaching, and l am making
no statement at this time
Denies Denounoins Divorce.
THE startling divorce action OF
I Rev. c. H. Morris against Mrs. Eth
! 81 NcDousaI Morris, assumed new
angle when Dr. Morris made public
a spirited reply TO a statement is
sued by the board of elders Of the
Central Christian church. DR.. Nor
ris' former pastorate.
The statement issued by the board
was to the effect that different mem
bers of the board have on different
occasions heard DR.. Morris denounce
the growing divorce evil, an evil
which he now augments by his own
individual action
Or. Morris retsliated by saying:
LAS to preaching against the d.
vorce evil, I an still unable to re-
member any definite pronouncement
which I made upon the subject
Beard Makes Statement.
The statement by the board was
, based upon Dr.. Morris reported as
T scrtlon that he had not resigned from
the church in order to be free TO be-
Sin divorce proceedings against his
wife, but because Of the Inadequate
salary which the church was paying
him and the necessity for getting out
Of debt. DR.. Morris statement re-
garding his pulpit record on the d.
vCrce evil was made incidently.
After citing ths amount Of salary
paid the minister, the boards state
nent says succinctly:
II he never preached against
such evils as divorce. his salary was
100 high
DR.. Morris Is determined 70 say
nothing regarding his reasons for
suing Mrs. Morris for divorce. He
confined himself TO replying to the
statement OF the elders of his former
church. g..
Says Board Broke Agreement.
when I corrected the statement
that I had resigned looking forward
TO a divorce action, 1t was without
the slightest feeling of malice or
spirit OF vind.ctiveness toward the
Central Christian church. he said.
It was merely in the interest OF
truth.
The Central Christian church is
my church. I expect to continue TO
worship there and to support its
werk-at least, until I am made to
d, feel unwe!cone'
He asserted that he was called TO
q church at Cleveland. O., in March.
1915, upon such arrangements as
amounted to a 5000 increase The
board OF elders Of the local church
unanimously agreed he said, by
'sentleulan's agreement to meet the
| Cleveland offer II DR.. Morris would
remain IN Denver. The following
June, he says, he was informed by
the elders that they could not keep
their part Of the arrangement, A year
later ne was offered an increase Of
$500, he says. which he refused when
he learned that IS per cent Of the
board voted against It.
Oil "Life Pressrver."
! feel sure that the elders will
bear witness that never put my
services on C strictly financial basis
| no added. Nevertheless, even a
minister must pay his honest debts.
The business opportunity which
made 1t possible for me to do this
came az a financial life preserver.'
"John r. Durrstt, chairman Of the
board. said Friday: 5-I',
The Central Christian church
feels that it Is bound to protect itself
In the matter. This affair is deplor-
able, and Is causing many heartaches
I in the church. We feel that It would
have been much better had we been
sppriscd of what was impending be-
| tween DR.. Morris and his wife, SO
that some steps could have been TAX
en- to adjust matters and perhaps
ferestall publicity.
The news Of the divorce action
came to US as a terrible shock. as It
was, ...
Following his statement replying to
that OF the board Of elders. DR.. Morris
said:
This t!ling has gone far enough.
I am sorry now, that have said any
thing at all. From now on I shall
keep assolutaly silent, no matter what
Is said /"
Contest IN Doubt.
According to tins Post, 1t could not
he 1earpad VIII efbnr NJ. Fo.ry. 1850, =
contest the case when 1t comes I'D be-
fore Judge Ira G. Rothaerber.
Tho news of the regrettable family
difficulty into which Rev. Mr.. Morris
has fallen was little short OF a blow
to nnonnbers Of his former charge here
They were mora than surprised, they
were sriev.i and shocked.
Rev and Mrs. Morris were Marie
on June "a, 1903, at Westgore, Hanti
county, Nova Scotia. GRADUATED
from Drake University in 1905, Mr.
Morris came here Jan. 4, 1907. to- his
first charge as pastor Of Contra
Church of Christ, then occupying tn,
building at Third and Church street
His pastorate of nearly nine year,
was successful and he was popular
with his congregation, The member
ship increased from $50 to 750 ant
new church home, Third and MAR
streets, was built during his pastor.
ate.
Honored by State and College.
| Rev Mr., Morris was active, no
only In the local church, but in tn,
J denomination's work of the state Fol
five years he was ON the board Of tn;