Charlotte, Sept. 17—The city today has finished gathering details and was ready to present it scase tomorrow in Mecklenburg Superior Court in opposition to a permanent injunction allowing continuance of services by the “Right Rev. Bishop” C. M. Grace, Portuguese “faith healer.”
Meanwhile, tonight the Bishop continued to conduct his meeting to a crowded tent as his ”house of worship” at Third and Caldwell streets. All during the week he has drawn the usual overflowing congregations.
Called before Judge A. M. Stack to show why the temporary injunction granted by Judge Michael Schenck last Saturday night should not be made permanent, City Attorney Fred Helms was understood to have sensational charges ready to prefer against the “Bishop.”
Among these reports was one calling for deportation proceedings alleging that Grace was detained at Ellis Island at one time, being finally admitted on the ground that he was a minster. This, however, had not been officially confirmed by city commissioners.
Al newspaper in the hands of Commissioner of Safety Robertson also promised to play a part in the hearing. The commissioner had a cop of last Sunday’s New Bedford, Mass., Sunday Standard, which carried the story of Grace’s injunction in charlotte and under it contained a New Bedford story declaring that the “Bishop” was at one time arraigned in court there and pleaded guilty to charges of abandonment of his children, agreeing to pay $5 a week toward their upkeep.
The paper also carried a picture of Grace, which Commissioner Robertson said was an excellent likeness to the “Bishop.”
The case of Grace came suddenly to the forefront here last Saturday morning when a riot squad of the local police force was called out to protect citizens and property when several hundred negroes gathered before the city hall to protest banning the ”Bishop’s” activities.
The ban, however, was placed upon the complaint of local ministered. It was alleged that Grace had been charging exorbitant prices for “sacred” articles he had sold to members of his congregation and that he was planning to baptize 600 negroes at $3 a head, guaranteeing “certain” access to heaven.
The baptizing, however, was allowed following the court order.
It was denied that $3 a head was charged.
From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, September 18, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-09-18/ed-1/seq-1/
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