The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-04-29

! THB GERMAN LUFHERlNn ZIo.
CHURCH, DRPIcULTY,-squlre johnson
had an unusually knotty, case befor
him on Saturday-that OF the State pS
Frederick 1R. Griner. The cbarg'
4 against Mr.. Gyiner is, that he disturbet
the congregation of the German Luth'
eran Zion. Church, in Centre Wheeling
on Sunday, the 2lst inst, OF which Nii'
Griner Is Tor claims to be) memDe'' :.
The case excites an unusual in5ei NJ
among the German peeps ~, a,sSas
I creek. No less than thiEtysnl = tti.a!Ia s -
were subpenaed, and LIZ ~ ~ NsSeS.'
4 before the Justice, III I1ncb shoTt of
;. tI i'Il5gsS The case was set for three
,IItHi.. Inc afternoon was taken up en-
III. 9th the testimony for the prose-
! tiIGy Tor on behalf of the State and
Than this was closed the. further hear
/ ing or the case was postponed until
next Saturday at 2 O'Clock, p. m.
From the evidence given on behaltof
the prosecution, and from what we hear
outside, the general Iaots appear TO be
about the following: There has been for
some months In the congregation re-
ferred TO, schism in regard TO the Min
Ister-a portion ofthe congregation desi-
ring change, the others wishing to con-
tfnie the same one. Latterly the breach
has been growing wider and wider,
until some sixty of the congregation
(which we are told, numbers about one
hundred members,) gave notice of their
intention to withdraw, for the purpose
Of setting up separate church. OF
these seceders Mr.. Griner was one.
Yesterday week, Easter Sunday after
the moring service, that portion OF the
congregation which did not partake OF
and while n they were retiring
Mr.. Griner arose and gave notice
that there would be q. congregational
meeting on the next Sabbath (yester-
day.l The announcement created some
excitement, more 1t appears because
the subject Of the announcement was
one about which there was q. good deal
of latent feeling in the Congregation,
than from anything violent or indecor7
GUS In the announcement itself The
object of the meeting. which MI.
Griner announced is stated to
have been, to determine whether there,
was moi vacancy in the ministry Of
the church, 1t does not appear whether
the object was stated in the announce
ment or not, further than that it vast to
be a congregational or business meet,
ing. The prosecution, claim that the
announcement was made in q loud
tone, that it disturbed the congregation,
and that Mr.. Griner was not a member.
(having withdrawn) and had no right
to make the announcement. The de-
fence claims that Mr.. Griner Is a mem
Der OF the congregation. for the reason
that with the withdrawal OF the sece-
ders was coupled a proviso that 1t was
not to fake effect in any case unless in
all; and that although the vestry struck
off Mf. Griuer's name with a few
others, they had no right to do 1t,
for tile names Of the rest OF the
seceders were retained. They claim
further, and this was shown before
the Justice, that thirty of the
congregation have right, under the
church constitution, to give u business
notice, and that ouch a notice was
drawn mp and signed by thirty menu
bers Of the congregation. This paper
was exhibited on the trial. The minis
ter being present as witness was ask
ed whether this paper had not been
handed him with request to give the
notice, and replied that 1t had not. The
Treasurer of the church testified that
Mr.. Griner had handed him the paper
that morning in the church and re-
quested him to give it to the minister,
but that he declined to do IL ON the
ground that it was the 3ecretary's bust
ness and not his, and had handed the
paper back. It appears that Mr.. Griner
had this paper in his possess
sion when he made the an
nouncement. T. appeared also in
the evidence that Mr.. Griner had
outside OF the door, during service,
which being reported to the Minister,
was torn down by his direction.
To an understanding of the reasons
for calling the meeting announced by
Mr.. Griner, it may be well to state
the circumstances claimed by the
party with or for whom Mr..
Griner acted. More than three
months before these occurrences
took place, the minister gave notice
that his charge would terminate at the
end Of three months. Before the time
had expired, however, u election was
held for a new yestry. The Congre-
gational or seeding party who
claim to be a large majority of the
Congregation, nominated their candi-
dates and elected them, as they sup
posed. But m examination OF
their constitution showed that
the candidates had to be nom
mated by the old vestry, and
the old yestry siding with minister,
nominated other candidates, who, un-
derthts regulation, were declared cleo
ted, though receiving only some seven
or eight votes, the number being thus
reduced by throwing out the votes Of all
who had not paid their pew rents. This
vestry reelected the old minister and
increased his salary. The meeting was
called to consider the legality OF these
proceedings, whether there was not q
vacancy ia the ministry, the Ministers
former call having expired. - s. y
For having made the announcement
in church uuder these Circumstances
Mr.. Griner Is now prosecuted under th(
statute which provides severe penalties
for disturbing or interruptlng religious
congregations while at worship, 80, 80
1N ------ - - .lzSl'i .
Run ovER.-A little, child, whose
name We could not learn, was knocked
down by a horse attached to an express
wagon, Saturday morning, Just in front
of oxfoby & DufEield's jewelry store, on
Main street. The horse was coming
down the hill at full speed, and struck
the child with its knee. Fortunately
the little one was knocked to one side
so that II escaped the wheels No greal
damage was done, though the music
was very lively for a little while. Hs9i Z
NEGRO M1xsTREL Kunkert
Nightingale Opera Troupe, = have. ar.
rived in the city and will give one Of
their elegant entertainments at Wash.
ington Hallthis evening. Everybody in
Wheeling remembers George Runkel
the old favortte, and the great original
Ethiopian, -delineator. See advertise.
ment, and go to, Washington Hall this
evening, but be sure you don't wear {
tight vest. 'i''s.-'' $3.50 :. 7. 4 :
New LIVERY sTARnEs,-Mr. Edward
Young has opened TO- the public hi
,,a,,, I;,,.,1!, l,ta,i Z. -, ITS1S, tyo.t ~