c. 1997 Religion News Service

MOBILE, Ala. _ The Rev. Henry Lyons’ financial dealings are a “concern,” but the embattled National Baptist Convention, USA, president should be able to hold onto his office, according to a Mobile minister who says he is on the church-appointed panel investigating allegations about Lyons.

“We found that some of the allegations have no substance, some are outright fabrications, and others do not at this time merit the president’s being removed,” said the Rev. Fleet Belle, pastor of the 750-member Rock of Faith Missionary Baptist Church.

Lyons “should survive all the allegations that have been brought to light so far,” Belle said in an interview Thursday (Aug. 21).

Belle said he is one of 18 investigators appointed by the board chairman of the nation’s largest black Baptist denomination to examine reports of infidelity and questionable financial practices by the 55-year-old Lyons. But the St. Petersburg Times has reported that Belle is not on the panel. The pastor could not be reached for clarification.

Belle, a Lyons supporter, said the panel’s deliberations are secret and that details wouldn’t emerge before the denomination’s national convention begins Sept. 1 in Denver.

According to news accounts, Lyons bought a pricey home in St. Petersburg, Fla., with Bernice V. Edwards, former public relations director of corporate affairs for the church. Lyons also is accused of buying Edwards a five-carat diamond ring using $36,000 of church funds.

The allegations surfaced after Lyons’ wife, Deborah, told police July 6 that she tried to burn down the house in a jealous rage. She later claimed the fire began by accident and backed off her accusations of adultery. She still faces an arson charge.

Adding to Lyons’ woes, his first wife, Patricia Triggler, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week that she left Lyons in 1968 because he beat her. Lyons’ lawyer calls the claim “just allegations.”

The 200-member board of directors of the church heard the adultery charges in July and voted to keep Lyons as president, Belle noted. “It’s been dealt with _ it’s a dead issue.”

But the financial allegations, Belle acknowledged, are a “concern.”

The Pinellas-Pasco state attorney’s office in Florida has subpoenaed records of the Baptist Builder Fund, a bank account Lyons maintained at United Bank and Trust Co. Other denomination officials say they had never heard of the fund.

United financed a $135,000 Mercedes-Benz bought earlier this year in the name of Bethel Metropolitan Baptist Church, where Lyons is pastor. And the St. Petersburg Times has reported that Edwards and Lyons used a cashier’s check from United as a deposit on a house they tried to buy together in Charlotte, N.C.

Belle said he has known Lyons since 1982.

“I have had my differences with him,” he said. “But it has not come to the point that I should sever my ties with him.”

Two weeks ago, at a meeting of the National Baptist evangelism board in Minneapolis, Lyons asked forgiveness and acknowledged he “made some mistakes along the way,” Belle said.

“My last visible impression of him was of a very contrite servant who was in a lot of pain because of all the allegations that have swirled around him,” Belle said.

Lyons asked the group to forgive him for “any harm that you believe I’ve done to this convention,” Belle reported.

Several NBCUSA ministers have called for Lyons’ resignation as leader of the 8.5 million-member denomination.

Belle, however, supports Lyons, saying he believes the charges are the work of “certain personalities” whom he would not identify.

“The cause of Christ is insignificant to them,” Belle said. “We’ve got some power-hungry preachers, leaders of denominations, who will stoop to any level to undermine some who are doing well.”

Belle said he will continue to support Lyons unless he hears Lyons himself confess the truth of the allegations.

“There’s not a lot that could change my mind about Henry Lyons because I make room for mistakes and errors,” Belle said. “He has epitomized the best in leadership for the National Baptist Convention.”

Meanwhile, the Associated Press has reported that police in St. Petersburg charged a 52-year-old man Thursday (Aug. 21) with solicitation of murder after he allegedly offered a man $1,120 to murder Lyons.

Police said Dale Hutchins approached a 59-year-old man in a doughnut shop Aug. 12 and requested that he kill Lyons. Hutchins gave the man the money and the man then informed police. The 59-year-old will not be charged with a crime.

Police spokesman Bill Doniel said Hutchins apparently has never met Lyons and racism could be a motive for the alleged request.

Also, a spokesman for Denver Mayor Wellington Webb said Thursday the mayor will fulfill his pledge to raise $50,000 in scholarship money for the denomination, which was part of a deal to entice the NBCUSA to come to Denver for its annual meeting.

On Saturday (Aug. 16) Webb said he wouldn’t raise any money until he was assured it would be used for scholarships. Now, Webb, a longtime member of a NBCUSA church, said the money will go directly to several universities rather than to the denomination.

“The mayor has made a personal commitment to raise the $50,000,” said Andrew Hudson, the mayor’s spokesman. “But with the controversy surrounding Rev. Lyons, he wanted to distance the fund raising from church funds.”

END HELMS