Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-10-16
THE TROUBLE AT THE WESLEY
Satan Al Large In washinstsn.

Asss betsceen the PreacAsr and the Clsss Leedsrs-
TIE Preacher Rengns- The Parent ChareA Don't
ATprore Re Resignotssn- Wtisdrdcos " ctdss
Leaders and a Roc Generally.
Every now and then Satan, In his travels M
and down the earth, makes q stop In Washing.
ton and raises row In some Of the churches.
| The old troubles IN McKendree Chapel, those
| in the First Presbyterian Church, in the First
| Conversational Church, the Seventh. street
| Presbyterian Church. and other church quar-
| Tels. are cases In point where Satan has man
| aged TO get the brethren by the ears. For seine
| the churches here have been running pretty
smoothlyi but he seems to be back for the
winter season, and his mischievous finger Is
already visible.
Wesley Chapel IN. E.) Mission, ON the cor.
ner OF oh and > streets, has been regarded as
one OF the most prosperous charges IN this
District. Under the direction OF Rev. James
u. Henning, II has been the scene Of a number
OF protractsd meetings within the past two or
three years, each Of which resulted in uume-
rcus accessions 10 the sh0rch. Not long since
enough to employ minister without the assist
ance OF the pareat church, (Wesley CnapeL)
II teens, however, dat the spirit Of discard
has entered this little charge, and last Sunday
night the pastor Mr.. HennIng, preached what
he intended a. . farewell sermon. This course
he took. IL is understood, because he had been
the part of the class leaders without Consulting
him; but, on the other hand, II IL alle11ed that
he was m de aware that the class leaders TO-
tended to call meeting to take the inltatory
Steps towards obtaining for the Mission the
services of q young man who could give all
his time and attention to the church.
Last evening the regular pra er meeting was
held, when the pastor OF Wesley Chapel, Rev.
Il. Peytcn Brown. was present, and. after sing
ing an prayer, he read the following paper =
permit me, brethren, as the pastor of Wesley
Chupel, and AL ITS missionary bran ches-cou-
sequently your past0r--to make q brief state
ment of the legal relation this mission (and all
missions sustains TO the parent church. For
clear apprehension Of this point, and all action
strictly eonfoTIned ~ the law in the case. will
prevent trouble and secure peace and harmony
in the church. As q mission you are not sepa.
rate and independent ecclesiastical organize
noni and therefore You can have no legal off,
cial body capable of tnauguratng or consun-
N ating any official action in your mission.
You have no stewards and your leaders can
only be legally appointed by the pastor OF the
parent church; and when thus appointed they
become members OF the OFF, body OF the
parent charge,-for the mission, as sHch, has no
official body, and can perform no official act.
our missionary and your leaders, in virtue OF
their appointment by the pastor Of Wesley
Chapel-for 10 one else can appoint them
While you remain a mission of that charge-are
m ade mem bers of thar Official body, and have
thsiT duties and their rights there. Your mis-
slOnary, If q local preacher, Is amenaols To tae
quarterly conference Of Wesley Chap! for his
moral and Official conduct; and your
d aders responsible for the faithful
perfoT nance of their duties TO the pastor Of
Indt tnelr QntieS see DIS, page
H'l In the economy OF our church the leaders,
as have just read. have their prescribed du-
ues; the trustees theirs, 10 take care OF the
property; the stewards theirs, to attend to the
finances OF the church; and the pastor his. to
see after all the religious services, and pro vide
for all the pulpIts Of his charge;-hs himself
alone, In virtue OF his appointment by the
Bishop CT Presiding Elder, according to the
law of the Church. is pastor of the whole
charge, and responsible 70 the Conference for
his administration; and while he may, as he
r,II M al -.
viseTe, he cannot dirfds this responsibility or
escape the duty Of making all ministerial ap.
pointments within the bounds OF his church,
without being liable to his Conference for NAL
administration. Such briefly, my brethren,
are the respective duties Of the office. bearers of
our Church. and the relation which all mis-.
stons sustain TO parent charges.
And now. my brethren, after this exposition
OF the law OF the Church. to which we are all
minister and people-answerable, what Is my
relation to this mission, and especially TO tn.
questions now exciting you' LIST. alone
am your pastor, and am responsible tor
your ofhcial oversight. This duty l cannot
action of your class leaders, either for the re-
moval or employ ment of missionary or min
ister. being without legal authority-no part OF
a leaders duty-was unwise and unfortunate.
The motives may have been most pure, but
The measures adopted Were certainly iujuoi-
cIous. TO err il human" .. Unmindful CT
tee source of his authority u n inister stafedly
n this place. Brother Henning was indiscreet
and hasty in announcing his resignation. Us
missionary, TO this congregation. As be did
from you, be should no, have res gned 1t 10
you, but 70 me, the pastor OF the church. which
he has not yet done. 1. In view, therefore, Of
their has'y and informal Character, l declare
all these octIons, or preacher and leaders. null
and rOfd; and shall recognize the appointment
of missionary and leaders, tor this mission, by
o. predecessor, as still in fore and binding
upon me. Nor will l, without sufi cient cause,
known TO me, exercise nv la wful authority IN
removing any Official man from his place
n-t
necessity Of removal, either Of minister or
leader. is forced Upon me, / shall
perform my duty. :. But,
my brethren, refusing as 1 now do, in the
aosepce OF sufficient cause, to make any re-
moval OF official men among you, who have
been properly appoInted-and all informali.
uss will gladly correct-or TO make any
change in the present conduct and manage.
ment of the Mission-for in the past few years
you have been uDprecedentedly successful, as
your increase of numbers will demonstrate
the proper manner, will join you in the ef-
fort to secure a pastor from the Baltimore
Conference at its next session.
And now, my brethren, without personal
r-adIT and prayer, and counsel with the most
experienced pastors of our church in this city,
have reached the conclusions and taken the
action i hav just read In your hearing, and
il Is fual in this case. i now exhort every
lover Of Christ and Of this Mission to stand
with me firmly for the maintenance ofthe law,
sLe OlucI, Tue peace anu mOuy VI tuls IN
fam church. Sink all personal preferences and
pTejudices beneath the love Of Christ, the love
of church, and the love Of sous, and may the
God of Peace dwell among and bless and pros
per you. b. PRyToN BROWN,
Pastor Wesley Chapel.
After singing and prayer for some time, the
congregation was dismissed.
1t is understood the five class leaders will
close their connection with the mission, but IL
Is possible that, Influenced by the good advice
gwen by the pastor of tie parent church. Mr..
Brown, they may reconsider their purpose and
try 20 heal the breach, and see if things
cannot be made to work pleasantly in the little
chapel.
"SataL's Kingdom shall come down."
RIVER FR0NT.-Cdrter's Whdrf.-Arrived
Schr. Mary Augusta, Wroten, from Hivrs-ds-
Grace, with 100 tons of coal for W. T.. Brown.
JOAnsOn's WhdrC-Sailed-ScbTs. Montana,
Bearce, for GEORGETOWN. 70 load coal for B5s-
ten; Phebe Williams, SpauldiIg, for Norfolk,
with manure.
R,Iey's OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Ann Matilda,
Beavers, with oysters for Turner & Son:
blaDkbird, Bagley. with oysters for Winfield
4 Weispr. MusOuitO. PVH. LINN ~