The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-01-21
MEMORIAL BAPTIST
CHURCH AT WAR AGAIN
Deacons Ask Resignation of Pastor Without
Conferring With Congregation That
Brought on Trouble

After five years of a peace
full and apparently satisfactory
ministry internecine war has
again broke out in Blackwell
Memorial Baptist Church in
Elizabeth City and a Board of
Deacons that opened fire upon
the pastor of the church under
cover finds itself under fire
from a congregation that has
dragged the Deacons out into
the open.
The Board Of DeacOns Of which
f. +. Aydlett Is chairman asked
Rev. James II. Thayer, pastor OF
the church since 1921, to resign.
This was done several weeks ago
without the knowledge or approval
of the congregation.
DR.. Thayer agreed to resign. ask.
ing that the DcacOns give him a
reasonable length Of time in which
to look about for a new pastorate.
The DeacOns agreed to this.
A. few days later DIR. Thayer was
visited by a committee Of the Board
of Deacons who asked him to fix
n definite date OIL which his resig-
nation should become effective. All
this without the knowledge Of the
congregation and contrary to Bap.
tist doctrine and usage.
Sunday morning. Jan. 0. DR..
Thayer at the conclusion of his SER
mon called a conference OF the
church and laid the facts before the
congregation, precipitating one OF
the widest scenes enacted In that
church since the days Of the Rev.
Isaac \. Loftin when, lasbed to
fury by the tongue OF L0ftin and
goaded by +. +. Aydlett and others.
the church leaders arose In arms
to drive the editor of Tie Indepo1.
dent out of town.
At the church conference on the
second Sunday in January as many
as four men were on Their feet at
one time shaking their fists at ono
another and talking furiously.
Women wept and ran to and fro.
Children screamed. This is as re-
ported by eye-witnesses who are
now talking more or less freely
about what Happened.
The climax of the conference
came when p. O., Sawyer. h"son.in.
law of T.. +. Aydlctt. took the floor
aid iii a calm and forccfnl eulogy
and defense. ianhsfof pointed to
his fnthcr-in-law and charged i4 so
many words that he was tegpon.
siblc for the present and frequent
other disturbances IN tlle church..
There are abont .8j0n members Of
blackwell Memorial Baptist Church.
Most Of them are plain. humble, un-
pretentiOus folk. Their faith In
God extends to faith in their
leaders in the church and they let
the leaders run the church. Aydlett
is the leader of the leaders. Aydlelt
has run the church for years.
From what this newspaper can
gather Thayer and Aydlett were
never in much accord. DR.. Thayer
is fortnight. fearless. indepen-
dentt spirit who Is a stickler for
the democracy Of his church. He
no authority. In the
church except the body Of the
church itself. Thayer's way Is to
present every problem Of finance
and administration to the c0ngre-
CATION. Aydlett's way is Aydletts
way; Aydlett tells his deacOns that
the church doesn't know WnaC IL
vents: the deacOns are supposed to
do all the thinking for the church.
Aydlett does the thinking for the
deacOns. DR.. Thayer's lot has not
been a happy one, but he has known
for some time that things would
eventually come TO head. And
now they have come to head.
DIR. Thayer will make no state.
mcnt: he doesn't have to: the con-
gregati0n Is with him four to one.
according to his friends. His
friends insist that his resignation
will not be accepted. There are
even those who insist that the
Board of Deacons resign. Aydlett
suggested this, declaring
that if the church couldn't abide by
the acts of it's Board Of Deac0ns it
should get rid of its Deaeons. The
is receiving serious Con-
In the minds Of some Of
the members.