The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1928-08-03
PREACHER LEE ABOUT to-
FACE SHORT RATI0NS1
His Ex- Communication of Leaders In Powells
Point Church Likely to Alternate Majority
of Congregation and Tie Up the
Purse Strings easal

Prominent and influential
members of rural church imayR
not be so easily disposed Of byi
their pastor; the action of thcl
Rev. James R. Lee, pastor ofl
the Currituck Circuit of Chris-3
tian Churches in reading Robt.'l
Lee Griggs, J. F. Sumrell ands
T. G. Dowdy out of the churchE
at Powells Point, Saturdays
July 2lst is not likely to hold.
The story of the biz church row
in Currituck as told by this newsl
paper last week. was cleaned from \
the minutes of the church meeting.
According to the minutes the church
voted by "slight" majority toi9
withdraw from Messrs. Griggs.
Sumrell and Dowdy-whieh Is -a'.
polite way of saying that the trioi
was ex-communicated.
But, now comes former sherlffA
Robt. Lee Griggs with the declara
tion that out of a membership off
approximately 100 present, barely!
twenty voted for the resolution "A
"whereupon the pastor fixed up the
minutes to suit himself with no re-ai
gard for the facts" Sheriff Griggs,
insists that he and his friends are
not out, of the church by d long
shot and that IL there is any going
ont they will take large majoritysI
of their neighbors with them, leay.ss
Ing the pastor flock too small toll
pay his salary.
This newspaper has no desire tol
mix I'm the scrap and makes newss
of the row because a church row
is always big news. This is a realj
church row In Currituck. 1t has
already reached stage where thef
opposing factions are saying slan-nl,'
derous things about each other. n
You're q This and You're d That j
According to the Griggs factiondi
the Rev. James r. Lee is a man of.t
questionable character who came toi
Currituck under the cloud Of aIi
scandal about five years ago andsl
who has been indiscreet in his reIs
lations with at least one femalsIS
member Of his flock since establish A
Ing himself In Currituck They also.
say he doesn't meet his financiall]
obligations and that his resignationIs
as pastor Of the church was demand13
ed by the official board nearly threeIi
weeks ago. They charge Lee withl1
having been trouble maker ever
since he entered the community and;
that he has offended many proni-
nent citizens. An instance Is citedIs
III which he is said to have declared:
that he wished God would strike1
dead a prominent citizen who would
mt attend his services. Lee is al,
man about 3S years. married and
the father Of four children by his;
wife. 30 -
on the other hand the parsons !,
followers say harsh things about
Sheriff Griggs. declaring that the
whole trouble grew out of the par
sons objection to Sheriff GrigGs'l
addiction to liquor. Sheriff Griggs.l
who was for IL years Sheriff oil
Currituck and one Of the. best and
most efficient officers the county,
ever had. always liked his toddy.s
hut was a thOrOly sober citizen Ain-
til Mr.: Volstead came along, wipedI'
out the good liquor and made the,'
manufacture of White Mule. Rip
Gizzard and poison hootch a bonan-'
IA for moonshiners. Sheriff Griggs. 4
us tteUH. HOfiOfdpit anu "hoiciaHAAf~l
family man. neighbour and citi-,
zen aS one would desire, has had
several unfortunate filings with Pro-,
hibition's peculiar brands Of liquor Il,
he just can't handle this prohibi-i
ton stuff. This gives the parson5
an opportunity to say things about
the ey-sheriff. ,.s
But the x-sherlff Is a man Of
strong friendships and has a large
following In lower Currituck. 'Hca
has been leader I'm social. relig-9
ious. civic and patriotic activities.
and was never accused of lining his
pockets at the expense Of his neigh.
bours. And so we have the unipuel
situation Of parson reading three