Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-09-27
|Dr. Williams Denies
Si|encingJuniOrChoir

Reported rumors spreading thrugh-
out Richmond that the Junior Choir
of Fourth Baptist Church had been
silenced following a disagreement be-
tween its leader, Mr.. Mitchell Bev-
erly and its Pastor Rev. F. WV IL
liams was denied by DR.. Williams.
The failure of the Junior Choir to ap-
pear last Sunday was due to the fact
that it had not received approval Of
| the Church or its Pastor. Rev. Will
liams asserted that this body Of
young people did form choir, and
had appeared a number Of times in
the church as the Fourth Baptist
Church Junior Choir, and were
awaiting the approval of the Church.
Lately they have attempted to ride
slip shod over his head and the au-
thority of the church, appearing in
public under the name of the Junior
Choir of Fourth Baptist Church,
without his knowledge, or the Off
cials. DR.. Williams did not believe
this was done Intentionally but rather
through thoughtlessness on the
part of the choir and its leader. He
expressed himself as being in sympa-
thy with the Junior Choir, and desir-
ing such a choir if it is the wish
of the church and its officers.
On being asked if he had any
statement to make concerning Mr..
Mitchell Beverly's attitude toward
him, DR.. Williams replied that he did
not wish to speak through the press
ANYTHING concerning Mr.. Beverly.
He felt capable of handling the sit
uation without any outside influence.
A few days ago following q
/ church meeting Mr.. Beverly attempt
ed to discuss certain matters that
came up in the meeting with DR.. Will
'liams. He accused the pastor of not al
lowing him to express himself in the
meeting. Rev. Williams refused to
listen, telling the Choir leader that
he did not intend to discuss the mat
ter. Mr.. Beverly then made the re-
mark that he thought the pastor had
played him dirty trick. The pastor,
not being at all pleased, turned
around to see who had called him
dirty, and it is averred that the
officers had to show Mr.. Beverly the
door to prevent a fisticuff.
The following Sunday Rev. Will
liams had every officer present at
the scene to stand up, asking each
one separately did he or did he not
attempt to strike anyone. Each OF
fiicer stated before the Church that
the pastor did not attempt to strike
anyone:
DIR. Williams has been pastoring
for over thirty years, having serv-
ed in five churches, and not once
has his resignation been accepted by
any church he pastored. He came to
the Fourth Baptist Church to fill
the pulpit left vacant bv the death
of Rev. Evans Payne who was one
of the greatest divines in this coun-
try, two years ago from Pitts
burgh, Pa, where he was pastoring
the Rodman Street Baptist Church,
one of the largest in that city.
Mr.. ]. Mitchell Beverly, leader
of the Junior Choir of Fourth Bap-
fist Church, Wednesday, made the
following statement to the Planet:
Appearing in the Planet under date
| of Saturday, September 10th, is an
| article the caption of which is "Pas-
tor Silences Junior Choir in Church
Controversy" as this article is credi-
ted to proponents of Mitchell Bev-
erly, I wish you would say to your
readers that have had no converse
ton with you directly or indirectly
concerning the church affair which
7 consider purely a church matter.
am not interested in the source
of your information but wish to say
that have not asked anyone to serve
| as spokesman for me. The article IS
published by you does not do justice
to either side. -.
J. Mitchell Beverly will make his
own personal statement at the proper
time and place and not through the
Richmond Planet"
(Signed) ]. Mitchell Beverly.