St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1954-11-26


officials and members who oppos-
ed his "one-man" methods of run
ming the church. Many of those
busted had belonged to the church
for over so years and helped 1t to
acquire worldwide fame
The 17-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 r. Ming. in association
with his partner, the veteran civil
law practitioner, Loring B. Moore.
1t was the opening gun fired in the
about battle of the petitioners to
be reinstated in the church. This
development could conceivably af-
feet DR.. Jackson's presidency of
the National Baptist Convention
to which he was elected in 1858.
Luxury Parsonage Target
Most explosive issue in the suit
is the luxurious $4,000 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 106
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
Gals, 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 to 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. K.
Williams (1916-194n became the
largest Baptist congregation in
the world, a power in religious,
political and community circles.
jackson Junked Boy Scouts
Many useful church services
that for years had been a source
of pride, were arbitrarily junked
after Jackson took command Is
years ago following his selection
from the pastorate of a 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: a
weekly church herald, Boy
Scout organization that used tc
regularly win city-wide honors for
efficiency and many other pro-
grams.
Irked by persistent demands OF
the plaintiffs for regular business
meetings and submission of finan'
cial reports and audits as re-
quired by church bylaws and
rules. jackson. IL was alleged
gained partial revenge several
years ago when he brought about
the expulsion Of five lifelong mem.
bers of the deacon board. Two OF
the five have since died, repeatedly
of broken hearts over their dismis,
sal from the church they helped
build.
Alarmed at the high handed
manner in which Jackson was run
ming the church. other trustees
and officials, including former
state Senator William f. King
prominent undertaken. Stephen A
Griffin, Fred d Moore and Henry
E. Henderson began initiating de,
mands that the pastor and hi:
hand picked cabinet" adhere
strictly TO church regulations con
corning meetings. elections and &C
countings Of what was being don'
with the money.
Hit Use Of Church Assets
They were greatly concerned
the petition states, over the use o
the church's assets in amounts dis
proportionate TO the total asset!
for the parsonage and its fur
nishings. Consequently they step
ped up their requests that IN
Jackson contingent render 'tru'
and itenized statements" as 20 IN
disbursement OF church funds am
particularly as to the cost Of N
parsonage and its upkeep
These assets in 1851. the pec
ton relates, were worth approx
mAteiy $4,000. including IN
church building At 3ist Street an
South Parkway which Ia valued a
SIS 900. Vacant land surroundinI
fGr,ffru.A nr 60. An