The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-06-29
The Methodist Book Concern Inves-
LEGATION.
NEW YORK. I'M

! A-' HN's'hl "'AlN ~
The Methodist Book Concern Com. held
their closing session yesterday, adjourn
ing in the afternoon sine die. In a very
brief letter, DIR. Carleton offered his resig
nation to the Concern, to take effect i'm.
mediately, stating that he would hereafter
show his reasons for the act to the Con.
cern and the Church. The Concern
unanimously declined to accept it, howev.
er, and adopted II resolution expressive
oil their confidence in the ability, integri.
ty, and faithtuness Of DIR. Carleton, and
endorsing hima Christian gentleman
whose character was above rcprOaCh.
Bishop AmGs publishes his decision, in
which he says that Bishop James and
himselfagrGG in the judgment touching
the law which governs book agents in
the discharge OF their official duties, but
that on the question OF the unrestricted
official right OF the assistant agent to CX-
anime all books and accounts OF the Con-
cern, there has risen conflicting authority.
It seems, he says, from an examination Of
this case, that the assistant agent has not
been permitted to exercise this right.
lie applied to the courts for
aid that he might secure H. Such nm act
must be Judged of in the light Of its sur
ronndings. lie so Judges OF this, and so
Judging, does moi feel Justified in visiting
upon II SO severe II penalty as that In.
fllcted by the committee; that he thinks
the penalty inflicted by their verdict ap-
pears TO him IN bG more severe
than the gravity and impOrtanWnce OF
the complaint Justify, md as he
finds himself at variance with their
Judgment, duty Compels him to say
that he cannot and does not concur In the
verdict OF removing Rev. John Lanahan
from the Office Oi assistant book "gent
of the Book Concern of New York.
Bishop James gives at length his rea-
sons for his decision, and concludes as
follows. "My confidence in DR.. Lana.
han as u Christian brother and minister Of
the Lord Jesus Christ is mistaken, and
my affection for him is undisturbed, My
decision refers only to his official act NJ
agent OF the Book Concern. His act, in
suing out writ Of mandRmus at the time
and In the manner that he did, cannot
approve. The question Is whether 1t Is
sufficient to remove him from office.
cannot decide without hestancy, Tor on
this one point my mind has wavered up
to this moment The prepOnderanCe OF
my convictions Of official duty in the
case requires me, though II Is the most
painful office duty OF my life, in concur.
ring with the committee in their action of
the oath inst, in removing Rev. John
Lanahan from his office, as assistant
book agent, at New York, and hereby
concur that the action of the Bishops Is
final in this matter, and DR.. Lanahan can
not now be again tried on these charges
until the assembling Of tho General Con.
ference, in May 1872, in which the SUI
prome authority OF the church resides.
This conference Is composed Of represen-
tatlves, lay and clerical, of ITO effective
preachers, who constitute the seventy
two Conferences Of the Methodist EpiscO.
pal Church of America. Tho elections to
this body have just commenced, the East
Maine Conference having already chosen
their delegates on the 3lst of May. EleC.
tons will continue to drop In from this
time till the end OF next April. The case
of DR.. Lanahan, Is expected TO form one
of the chief issues before the next Confer
enCc, and 1t will be tho great issue in all
tho elections, so TINT the present action Of
Bishop Ames tends to draw not only the
General Conference, but the whole Church
into active controversy on the Book Con.
Cern troubles. The interest in the matter
is becoming mighty, and will no doubt
bring about ut lCast n full and fair investi.
cation of the much discussed Book Con
Cern frauds,