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Church Controversy Is RagingOver Smitherman 9s DismissalBy JEAN QUILLEN |inp from which the minister An inner-churoh turmoil at walked out. leaving police to Mount Calvary Baptist Church,quieten the congregation, and a has brought about a vote of in- Sunday church service at which nu*sa! for the Rev. G. E. Smith*.the minister opposed ann«in*e-erman and the^ minister’s ex- n*nt of the Monday night meet-mately 70 church members Issues, however, remain The dispute In the Negro cloudy as to why a part of the membershifrom the church on the soendin* of a M,M educationalthe third in the city.which has largest membership has led to arrest charging a member and a deacon with disturbing church nordismissp is attempting to the Rev. Mr. Smither-Views StatedSmitherman. who hasoeenthe quelling of a bud* pastor of the church sine- 19S9. ding riot inside the sanctuarv. says the group is charging Mm and the expected filing of a with embezzlement, while Dev eurt suit seeking the minister’* rjn James Springer, rewted’.y legal dismissal. temporary chairman of the ’dis-The vote to dismiss the Rev missing group, says, t n e Mr. Smitherman, who is al*o main reason for dismissal is a member of the city’s Bi-Ra that the membershiD Is not bv cial Committee and the Calhoun ing Informed of where church County Anti - Poverty Board, furds are going.” came Monday night. Aug. 8. and The minister says the revolt-Friday night meet- Ing group asked for a repartG. E. Sniithcrniun . . . renter of $tormbuilding loan from Citizens Federal Savings and Izian Association of Birmingham. Smilh-r-man says he presented the group with a statement Iron a local accounting Iirm.A letter from the accounting firm reveals, however, that No books of permanent record were maintained and the sched ules were prepared from copies of pay requisition* and closing statements. Canceled checks and other original documents were unavailable for our examination and we were oth?rwis? unable to determine the correctness of your transactions ” The letter further stated. We. therefore, cannot express an opinion regarding the accuracy o' the attached statements and schedules.”Cautiously backing Springer’s statement is Walter H Pink ard. who identifies himself as a turner deacon and is now ten-o-ary board clerk of the hurch. lie says. We could not cruse anyone of taking funds vhen we don’t know. We are ust dissatisfied.Dismissal Conies The dismissal of the Rev Mr imitherman came at the Mon-lay night meeting when 17' persons voted for dismissal ind two persons voted to retain | him as church minister, according to Springer.The Rev. Mr. Smitherman who lists paying membership of the church at *V persons, claims his dismissal was ao-proved by an illegal group of people and that the meeting at which the vote was taken was illegal since notice of the meet Ing had been announced only the day before.Smitherman says the group that voted was illegal since he had excommunicated. about TO of the group the previous Friday night on a vote by the congregation. He added that for tin- meeting to have been (egal ir his church, a 30-day notice have been given the coo-‘I The charges of disturtmg dchurch worship against Spring U er and Theola Beeman reported- b I ly stemmed from their *t e: Mcmpts Sunday to announce U t Me congregation the pendi ig » • Monday night meeting. The case a C|has been continued in City Re-.si •’» Court until Sept. IS. I
Newspaper Details
Anniston Star
Anniston, Alabama, US
Sun, Aug 21, 1966
Page 25
Full Page
Clipped by
Anniston ..
AL, USA 27 Jan 2017
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