Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-05-26

- THk WRIoHT CASE OSeE MoRE.-E4itors
Leader GExTLElEs, In q series Of "reasons"
in your paper Of this morning signed "Hor-
ace Benton and Others" are some matters
which require an explanation at our hands
As members Of the NJ. E. church having a
just regard for its welfare and the sanctity
Of its ministers, we feel bound by our holy
religion to express what we know to be the
truth, without fear or favor Of wicdkedness in
high places. This we did with regard to the
fitness ofAlpha WighttO resume the Riniste-
rial character, only through the legitimate
channcl ofrepentaace and personal confession
satisfactory TO the people he has 80 deeply
Wfonged. That the resolution that ace have
lost all confidence in him as a minister Of the
gospel is true. We need only refer to his
written confession to say nothing of others,
made st sundry times and at divers places.
But we will only refer to some, made in con-
nection with the investigation by the North
Ohio Conference in September. In his writ
ten address TO the Bishop and the North
Ohio Conference at the time of this trial, he
saYss sthrough my,rmprudence and indiere-
tons my t0Gy IS hedged up" For my sins I
might Be Justly ercladed from tie churcA."-
"All the anguish of lifetime concentrated
10 single hour could not equal the grief
have felt, that have brought areproach up
on her" (the chureh.) 81 fully eoncede that 1
have done wrong" 81 freely confess that
have been guilty Of many things, which
at the time did not think was wrong, but
which new see to be entirely inconsistent
with my high and holy calling"
Other evidence can be furnished Of like
nature Of his loritten acknowledgement of
guilt, as we'll as his admissions in the plea
before the conference, acknowledging three
specifications entire, and the main facts in
the principal charge, also before the official
board while on this station. His words be-
fore the N. o. Conference were, II have suf-
fered her. (the young LADY, "to lead me
where | ought not to go, TO say what / ought
no to say, and do what / ought not have
done" And all Of this uncertainty about
right conduct and action by man of tl0eHty-
three years experience as q travelling minis
teri But this is not all, there seems to be
chronic difficulty in his case in more confer /
ences than the North Ohio, and more places
than one in all Of them. He seems to have
Literally obeyed the commsnd Ofthe Savior.
"When prosecuted in one city fee to anoth-
err" We regret that men can be found so
reckless of the interests OF the church as to
ministry. The gratuitous assertion in the
reasons that we were the warm friends of
Mr.. Wright until the arrival of the present
Pastor" in any sense Of approving his con-
duct, we each and severally deny. None was
more earnest for an investigation long before
this, than these very parties now making
this charge against US.
A yery moderate attention to the truth
would have left out the assertion "that we
did not express the sentiments Of the major
itv of the church and of the community
Such information from those '.folr resigned
members" is truly refreshing. The signif-
icance of the thing is, that these parties
resigned and after urgent entreaties to be re-
tanned in the official relations. Their cour Sc
has kept up the excitement of the Wright
case, which else would have passed away.
The insinuatiOns that the present Pastor
was the instigator of the investigation
strengthened by the charge having been
made through the public prints, before, dU-
ring, and after the session Of the North Ohio
Conference, we reply: First. The present
Pastor has not published q tgord, endorsed or
advised the publishing Of a word concern
ing the matter. The resolutions were drawn
up during his absence without his knOwl-
edge, and introduced into the meeting that
passed them entirely unexpected to him.
Second. In the prosecution of the case of
Alpha Wright he did nothing without the
cooperation of Rev. S. Barkdullihis Presiding
Elder and T. J. Pope of the Bridge st. I
church and concurrence Ofthe entire Official
Board embracing the four names attached
to the "reasOns, ~ in the necessity of the in
vestigation. The following resolution was
passed and signed by all the Official Board
near the close of the Wright trial. embrace
ing all of the four) Resolved, That the
members of the Official Board of the Hano-
yer st. charge n. o. Conference do hereby
approve of the investigation of Rev. A.
Wright's case by Bros. Barckdull, Pope and
Wheeler in causing such an investigation
to be made, they have done what was their
solemn duty to have done under the circum-
stances.
With regard to the present position of Mr.. /
Wright, the decision Of the n. O. Conference
was reversed it is true, but that does not pre-
vent new arrainment on new matter.
With respect to the resolutions being in
sitrrectiondry in their character, we reply the
Methodist Episcopal Church aeeede the right
Of priUGtc Judgment to its hlHblest members,
and we ask the attention of all to the "facts''
of that resolution. In stating these matters
to the public, we have discharged solemn
duty which we owe to the cause of virtue |
and the best interests of our church.
The card stating that only half Of the Off
eial Board were present is not true. All !
were present but three who were out of the |
City, and one who was sick. Every one
concuring in the passage of the resolutions !
The young member referred to was an Off |
cial member in the Methodist Church fifteen |
years ago, and helped make two Of the trus- |
tees who sign lthe reasons.
T. D. MASTERS,
W. A. INeHAM