The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1935-09-28
A Message To The
Public

The meeting thursday nign'
which purported to vote me on
as pastor, 1872 to 1856 was illega
and entirely out OF keeping witt
Baptist usages, as well as will
the order OF the court.
The meeting was ordered by tn
court. (Which court later decided
that 1t had no jurisdiction Owe
the internal affairs of the church
for the purpose OF not voting OF
me as pastor. but to hear thu
charges preferred against me
which charges / was never allow
ed to meet, face to face. with the
accusers.
The court. after recognizing thai
1t had no such Jurisdiction turned
the whole matter back to the
church, to be disposed of accord.
ing to its own rules and regula-
lions. The men who formed them
selves into special committee
and called the former meeting for
the purpose of voting on the dis
continuance of the pastor, were
under charges preferred against
them for violating the discipline
of the Baptist Church. The court
recognized the legality and re-
gularity OF those charges. by grant
ing an injunction against them.
and also by those sustaining the
injunction. at hearing in which
the defendants presented through
counsel their case. Therefore,
when the court saw the wisdom OF
dissolving the injunction, and
turned the whole matter back to
the church, ii was for no other
purpose, than for the defendants
to meet the charges preferred
against them by the church, and
for the church to dispose of those
charges. according to its own
rules and regulations.
The church. in its regular meet
ing. had never called meeting
to vote on the pastor, nor autho-
rized the pastor. nor the attor-
ney, nor the court to take its bust
ness in hand and call such
meeting. II is obvious to every
man, who has any knowledge OF
the Baptist Church as a charter
ed and corporated body. that
meeting participated in as the sup
posed meeting was Thursday night
was irregular and in violation of
the decision of the court.
Many of the people who took
part in that meeting and voted
against me as pastor, were not
regular members or attendants of
the church; and some who were
up and brought in for
the sinister purpose of voting
against the pastor, had not attend
ed the church in four years. The
church records show that the one
who led in making motions against
ne, had not attended the church
'r contributed toward its support
or more than two years.
1t Is appalling to see how little
'egard our people. who claim to
'e Baptist, have for their church
discipline, especially when gang
'ule and mob spirit prevail. as II
lid Thursday night.
Despite the fact that no notice
lad been served on me, regarding
he action OF the meeting, a body
II men proceeded and did dis
and forcefully eject |
ne from the pulpit, while was
rying to explain to them and the
church the error OF their pro-
:edurc.
Not until Monday afternoon fol-
owing, did l receive a registered
etter from lawyer-one Mr..
Roberts, in the Bull Building-in-
orming me of the meeting and the
RENAL or the pulpit.
AS Baptist minister, / can not
With dignity recognize the orders
from a lawyer who Is no
member of the congregation, nor
appointed by the church.
When l was called 10 the church
some years ago, l was notified of
The call and conditions, by the
clerk of the church and chairman
of the deacon board. whom l un-
ierstood to be authorized by the
Mt. Olive Baptist Church. 1 ac-
septed the church In good faith.
There was no lawyer intermeddl-
ng then. and had there been.
would have declined their invita-
ion. as a Baptist minister.
(Signed)
Rev. G. 4. Askew
Sept. "A, 1885.