The New York herald., 1921-09-26
STRATON CALLS HIS
FOES SLANDERERS
Preacher Says They Must
Prove Charges or He Will
Force Retraction.
RESIGNATION TO BE ASKED
Opponents of Calvary Pastor
Hold Secret Meeting to
Outline Action.
RESIGNATION TO BE ASKED

The Rev. John Roach Straton, pastor
of Calvary Baptist Church In West
Fifty-seventh street, preached last
night in defence of his pastorate and
against the church members who seek
his resignation on the grounds his
sermons are "salacious" and that he
has wasted" church funds. His reply
to these charges followed less than
twenty-four hours after the anti
Straton faction had held a secret meet
ing in the Hotel Marie Antoinette to
map out a plan Of attack.
The accusations, DR.. Straton said.
are Outrageous slanders. and the men
who put them in the newspapers knew
they were slanders." He will give his
accusers a chance to prove their state
ments, he declared, and II the charges
are not true he will make them re-
tract. The pastors vigorous denials
and his counter charges. directed at
"the defeated president of the former
board Of trustees" appeared to please
his congregation, and his sermon was
interrupted frequently by applause.
About forty members of Calvary Bap-
It's. Church deserted DR.. Straton yester-
day and went to hear DR.. r. s. Mac
Arthur. pastor emeritus Of Calvary. In
the Old First Baptist Church. Seventy
ninth stree: and Broadway. DR.. Mac
Arthur recently asked to have his name
omitted from Calvary Church pro-
grammes.
The meeting at the Marie Antoinette
was held Saturday night What action
was taken none Of the persons present
would reveal. but 1t Is understood that
resolutions were adopted with the OBJ
ject of forcing DIR. S.raton to quit.
There has been criticism OF the subjects
which the pastor has selected for his
Sunday night talks, and his recent SER
mon on the Arbuckle case and the
wickedness OF the movies" was said 70
be especially displeasing to certain mem
bers OF the congregation.
DR.. Macarthur and W. II. Trabue.
former president Of the board OF trus-
tees. were among those present at the
hotel meeting. which was we'll attended.
1t was decided the opposition TO DIT.
Straton was never SO numerous or uni
fled. and that the plan TO oust him was
Of such practicability that definite steps
to force him out OF his pulpit would be
taken within the near future unless he
consents to resign.
No public statement was made. be-
cause the opposition wished to hear what
the pastor had to say when he delivered
his promised broadslde from the pulpit
last night. To-day or tomorrow there
will be something to say" one OF DR..
Straton's opponents said.
In support OF his contention that Cal
vary Church is free from debt and has
prospered financially under his guidance
Dr. Ssraton read a report from the
church treasurer showing the annual
deficit Is decreasing and that this year
there Is prospect OF no deficit. Then re-
ferring TO his critics he said:
1T Is not true. as has been asserted
In the papers. that these friends are
the principal financial hackers OF the
church Some OF them In their day gave
with a fair degree OF liberality. accord
ing to their means, but some. certainly
during this pastorate, were meagre in
their gifts. One of the former officers.
for example. the one who has been most
btlligerent In his TRADES against the
pastor, contributed. even when he was
giving regularly. the large sum Of $l5
year and for the present year up TO
date he has given exactly 81"
Dr. Straton said the so-called op-
position Of 200 members was In reality
only scvcnty-five. and he charged these
scventy-five with trying TO carry a re-
cent church election by voting their
Episcopal wives and other relatives and
friends" They went to the extent OF
.'scndng a Limousine belonging to one
Of their number 10 the Baptist Old
Peoples Home and bringing some OF
the dear old ladies to vote on their
side"