Evening star., 1867-06-05
LOCAL NEWS.

THE DIFFICULTY IN THE SEVENTH STREET
PREsBYTERIAN CHURCH.-A special meeting
OF the Presby terry OF the Potomac was held last
Friday evening. May 81, at the 7tn-street Pres
byterian Church, tor the purpose of hearing
all the facts connect with the Page donation
to that church, the same having been referred
to the Presoytery for investigation. Rev. u.
NJ. McCampbelI of Alexaudria, was chosen
moderator, aRd Rev. John Chester appointed
clerk. g- #'
There were present on the part Of the Pres
bytery, Rev Dr. Tustin, Rev. DR.. Chester,
Rev w. w. Campbell, Rev. A. A. E. TAYLOR,
Rev w. B. Evans, Rev +. j. Baird, Rev. w.
T.yan Doren, Rev. u. M. McCampbell Elders
7. II Tschiefely, A. De Peugh, M. Munson,
G. E. Lathrope, samuel Kerr, and w. Z.
Waller. sa -
After some discussion as to how the matter
should be Investigated by the Presby terry, DR..
Baird moved that committee, to consist of
three ministers and two elders, be appointed
to confer with the parties interested and report
at .he next meeting some plan by which the
whole matter.co be settled. 7 e a-'@
Mr.. Taylor thought this was very serious
charge, and the Investigation should be Kept
under rule and law. He would regret to see
this matter take the shape of a judicial in vesti-
CATION. an the moral character of these gen.
tlemen investigated. But he did not see how
the matter could be before the Presbytery in
any other way
Dr. Baird thought these gentlemen, Messrs.
Church and Heron, may have acted improp.
erly, but with no intention to do wrong
MI Taylor sand m ne wa wan.sd ted, to &c, at the
words as 'sunmitigared villainy" appeared in
the minority report 10 was certainly moral
question in nvolved. He asked Mr.: Fowler if
he was ready to submit charges and substanti-
ate th EN-. to which Mr.. F. replied he was, and
had the charges in mis- pocket.
Mr.. Taylo then inquired If Messrs Church
and Heron were ready to reply to the charges.
Mr.. Heron replied they were.
Mr.. Evans moved that the investigation be
commenced
Dr. Tustn hoped Mr.. Fowler would not for
q hA hon nrhf rP rin
upon such a course. If there was any one
here who would say that Mr.. Page was salts
fed he thought the matter should rest.
Mr.. Campbell said he had paper signed by
Mr.. Pape dedtcating this property to the
church.
Mr. Lathrop thought Mr.. Page was an old
man, and somewhat childish, and different
persons might 60 to HIM and get different state.
ments.
Dr. Baird hoped the investigation would not
assume the shape of criminal prosecution
until other means had been tried to settle the
matter. He hoped the committee would be ap-
pointed 1t was not for them to settle the
matter, but only to say in what form it should
come before the Presbytery.
The motion OF DIR. Baird was adopted, and
the Chair appointed as the committee DIR.
Bard, Rev. MIR. Taylor, Rev. Mr.. Van Do.
rem. c. i. Lathrop. and w. f. Waller
The meeting then adjourned until Monday
evening, when the Presby terry met at the same
church. for the purpose Of hearing the report
OF the committee appointed at the previous
meeting, on the subject OF the two reports of
the trustees in relation to the finances-at one
of which that of the minority, signed by Mr..
I. L. Fowler, containing charges against two
of the tr rustees, Messrs. J. II. Heron and q. B.
church, Rev. w McOampbeIl, of Alexan-
dria, the moderator, presided, with Rev. John
Chester as secretary. This difficulty having
become a matter of conversation among resi-
dents OF South Wa shngton, Notwithstanding e
the excitement attendant on the night of an
election there was large congregation pres
ent. Rev. DR. Bard. from the committee on the
subject, submitted the report, declaring that
the matter comes within the powers of the
Pres by terry. and that the best interest of re-
IigiOn ana theehurch demands an investiga
non OF the two reports; and they recommend d
that such an investigation be had by a commit
tee, who shall take the evidence of witnesses
and prosecute the case before the Presby terry
said committee to be composed d of three, one to
be appointed by each of the parties signing the
report, and one TO be appointed by the modera- l.
tor; and that pending the examination the par
ties interested be enjoined not to discuss the
questions. DR.. Baird further stated that the
parties bad given their consent TO this course.
DR.. Chester urged that this was not case
for the committee, as il was public, and that
that the case should come up before the Pres
byterV Tonight, and should be pressed to its
conclusion.
Rev Mr.. Henderson concurred with Dr.
Chester, and further said that he had read a
document giving one side of the question: and
that it contained imputations on members OF
the Presbytery, which he was not willing TO
lie under
DR.. Baird urged that the repor, could not be
acte on, and the trial proceeded with as notice
has to be gwen 10 the parties.
The debate on the question of adopting the
report was continued for some time by Messrs.
Iustin. Taylor, and Evans, and the report
was rejected by rising vSte OF in the affr
NATIVE and Tin the negative.
During the debate, Mr. Evans, In speaking
OF publication on the su ubjrct OF the difficulty
as cdr. Campbell's Wedgs of Cold" which
brought that gentleman TO his feet. denying
mat he had any connection with the publca-
ton referred to. ,.#g
DIR. Tustin offered a resolution that Mr. Page
be invited TO sit in the Presby terry, and to make
statement; W hich was agreed to, but the vote
was subsequently reconsidered.
Rev Mr.. Taylor offered resolution that as
grave charges had oeen made ag gainst Messrs
Q. b. Church and J. H Heron by 7. T. Few
Ter, and that the latter had expressed his will =
lingness, to appear and present these charges
before the Presbytery, taat the charges be
heard. .EFaH
The resolution was adopted
Mr. Fowler remarked that all his witnesses
were not present, aud Re was not ready to
proceed with the case as to them, but he was
prepared to make the charges.
The Moderator announced, Ender the rules
that the Presbytery was ready TO sit as ju-
dicial body. .- p. ~
MIR. Fowler asked the privilege of prefacing
his charges with a few remarks, which was
given. He said that he deemed it necessary
before the in vestigatiOn was entered upon to
disabuse the minds OF the members Of certain
Impressions " hich some have labored INDUS
trIouely to create viz: that personal amin osity
had moved him In the matter. No statement
could be further from the truth, for these
I brethren were his personal frie nds, and were
still such He felt that they had done wrong.
that they had dealt a cruel blow to the church
of Christ, but whether Intentionally or not he
would leave for their piety and intelligence to
decide He denied, as had been charged, that
envy prompted him. He wonld not nor could
he envy them, ana there was no canse for
. envy. -
{ The minority report he wrote entirely from
memory ,for the majority, after requiring him
to make report, refused to let him have the
records. In that report he stated what were
his convictions then and what was his belief
saOW and he endorsed that report. He was
rrady 70 prove every tact there stated or i'm
plied. Personal interest, sympathy, kind
II. IS clamored for him to remain silent,
butt would have heen sacrifice to his man
hood. He was appointed trustee without
his knowledge or consent and reluctantly ac-
cepttd the trust and he would guard it's inter.
est " ell; and if when he associated with 9TH
ers he discovered corruption he would thrust
his spear in the CARCASS mp to its very hilt. To
do less he should merit the censure of Chris.
tian men and the scorn and con'enpt of the
Worfd. Whatever action he had taken has
been prompted by conscien tious scruplss and
he had no bitterness in his bosom towards
these brethren. After referring to the respon-
sibiltfes resting on the Presbytery he presented
the charges and specifications. srrl4f rf-4 -.
First ch0rge.-COnduct highly unbSooming