Show THAT HAUNTED CHURCH Calamity Has Fallen on the Colored Baptists I PEOPLE TERROR STRICKEN Ghosts of Former Pasters Return Re-turn to Conduct Services I I I Congregation Scattered Because of Superstitious Pear and the Church Will Doubtless Bo Sold The colored Baptist church has been practically broken up and the building secured with so much labor by Rev J W Washington abandoned owing to the supernatural manifestations alleged to have taken place In the past few months When the ghost of Its deceased founder sat in the paws and turned the leaves of the Bible with spectral fingers the congregation grew nervous though It clung to Its meeting place But when another pastor went the way or all flesh in the same building panic seized the worshippers and meetings became an impossibility Two spooks were more than they could stand for Rev Washington came from the East two years ago and took charge of the church which then met in 1 small shack back from West Temple street He immediately set to work to secure a better place for holding servIces He got up possum dinnfers nnd church fairs solicited donatIons from whlto friends and finally gathered together enough money to purchase n lot and twostory frame building on East Second South street near Fifth East The lower floor was converted into an I auditorium and the second story was i used as n parsonage A year ago Rev Washington died from n chronic malady in his room abovo the church His widow remained for n time In these rooms but her friends censed lo visit her and could hardly be Induced to enter the place after nightfall Finally she secured other quarters and moved out Another minister was secured but remained re-mained only two or three weeks He gave as the reason for his departure the lack of financial support but It was whispered through the congregation that he had boen BO disturbed by the apparition of Rev Washington that he would ncf have stayed for any salary In fact some of the brothers and misters solemnly averred that they haft seen Rev Washington stand in the pulpit behind be-hind the new pastor and shake hlu head as some disputed doctrinal point was expounded The third minister Tlev Jeffries came from Butte City and was mulcted with tuberculosis J was announced that he came here chiefly for the benefit of his health During his pastorate the visitations of the dead arc said to have continued The dim outlines of the spool could be seen passing the communion com-munion plate at the night services Thin I disturbed the congregation mOre than did the passing of the contribution box when he was in the flesh The colored people finally ceased lo visit the rooms above the church at all and numybe gan to avoid the building entirely I especially es-pecially after dark About two months ago Kev Jeffries died in the t upper part of the building The congregation broke up and the I building has since been abandoned On one occasion the presiding elder visited the premises In company with a brother minister and saw it is alleged the 1m materIal form of a little girl pass between be-tween him and his companion and go upstairs The elder called attention lo the spirit but the other minister whose spiritual eyes seem to have been nearsighted near-sighted failed lo observe the phenomenon |