Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1954-11-26

historic Ollvet Baptist Church
court suit this week that dema
church monies taken in since /!
gineered the mass expulsion of
officials and members who oppos-
ed his "one-man" methods OF run
ming the church. Many of those
ousted had belonged to the church
for over so years and helped 1t to
acquire worldwide fame.
The l7-page bill of complaint
filed in Cook County Superior
Court, was drawn up for 81 of the
expelled members by nationally
famed NAACP counsel and Uni
versity of Chicago law professor.
Robert X. Ming, in association
with his partner, the veteran civil
law practitioner, Loring b. Moore,
II was the opening gun fired in the
about battle Of the petitioners to
be reinstated in the church. This
development could conceivably az
feet DR.. Jackson's presidency of
the National Baptist Convention
to which he was elected In 1853.
Luxury Parsonage Target
Most explosive issue in the snit
Is the luxurious $35, 900 eight
room parsonage purchased in 1851
by the church for the tenancy of
jackson and his family, This was
a radical departure for a church
which never before during its 100
years OF organization had TO pro-
vide living quarters for its pastor,
The parsonage, located in the ex-
elusive Hyde Park residential dis
trict. contains approximately s23,-
900 worth OF furnishings. also
bought with church money.
Because none Of the former
trustees, deacons and other Off
cials. their wives as well as the
general congregation said TO num-
Der 10000. had ever been invited
as a group to inspect the parson-
age and its premises as Is custom
ary-demands 10 see what the
money was spent for crystalized
into open hostility between Jack
son and the pioneer officials,
These men and women had spent
most OF their lives in the services
Of the church which. during the
pastorship Of the late DR., l.. X.
williams (19i8-l94D became the
largest Baptist congregation In
the world. a power in religious,
political and community circles.
jackson Junked Roy Scouts
Many useful church services
that for years had been n source
OF pride. were arbitrarily junked
after Jackson took command IL
years ago following his selection
from the passionate Of Philadel-
phia church. Among things dis
continued by Jackson. was an Of
fetal branch Of the Chicago Pub.
lie Library. one Of the best re-
creational programs Of any church
that included topflight basketball
baseball and volleyball teams: q
weekly church herald Boy
Scout organization that used &c
regularly win city-wide honors fol-
efficiency and many other pro
grams.
Irked by persistent demands Of
the plaintiffs for regular bushes,
meetings and submission OF finan
cial reports and audits az re
quired by church bylaws ans
rules. Jackson, IL was alleged
gained partial revenge severs
years ago when he brought abou'
the expulsion Of five lifelong mem
beers Of the deacon board. Two d
the five have since died, repeatedly
Of broken hearts over their disrnis
sal from the church they helpet
build
Alarmed at the high handed
manner in which jackson was run
ming the church. other trustee
and officials including forne
state Senator William r King
prominent undertaken. Stephen a
Griffin. Fred ID Moore and Henri,
p Henderson began initiating De
nands that the pastor and hi
"hand.picked cabinet" adher
strictly 10 church regulations con
corning meetings, elections and az
countings Of what was being don
with the money.
hit Tse 81 Church Assets
They were greatly concerned
the petition states. over the use o
the churchs assets in amounts dis
pr0portionats 20 the total asset
for The parsonage and iis fur
nishinEs Consequently they step
ped up their requests that N
Jackson contingent render tn
and iterligsd statements" az 10 IN
disbursement % church funds an
particularly a. 20 the cost % N
parsonage and its upkssp
Ths~e assets IN 1851. the pct
ton relates. we're worth approx
natsly $3.50 OO0. inciu6inK N
church suf1ns 81 3is; STREET an
acu'h PARKWAY w-hirh IL valued .
..--. -. a.