The New York herald., 1871-01-22
THE METHODIST MUDDLE,
The BOOK CONCERN AND ITS ADJUNcTS.
Powers and Duties Of the Book Committee Ae-
view and Explanations Of Some Things in
Lanahans Litigation-Final Action Of
the Committee and Approval Of
the Bishops-A Grand White.
wash-A Mid Protest

the Committee and Approval Of
the Bishops-A Grand White.
wash-A Mild Protest.
The Methodist Episcopal Church Ii the largest
Wealthlest and most important denomination In
these United States. Its system OF church ma.
chinery is the most perfect ever devised for car
rying out the ends proposed, and Its correctional
institutions and interests are without parallel
Whatever, therefore,. affects any interest OF the
Methodist Church aGects, more or less, some eight
or ten millions Of people here who either profess ts
doctrines or affiliate with Its membership. Among
the leading and most important interests OF the
Methodist Church are Its publishing represented
by book concern In this CITY, which has two agents
here and one residing In San Francisco, for the
Pacific coasts and concern in Cincinnati, also with
two agents. The lrsL named concern was estab-
lished In Philadelphia In 1889, and in 1904 1t was
transferred to this city, where, In 1885,
at the time 1t was destroyed by fire.
10 had an accumulated capital Of s2s1, ESQ.,
The Western Book Concern was established In Gin
cinnati in 1920. Branch book repositories. under
the direction Of the book agents In New York and
Cincinnati. have been established In Boston, CHI.
cago, Pitlsburg Buffalo, st. Louis and San Fran
cisco. The net capital OF those concerns ana
branches at the present time is In round numbers,
$1,000 900. The book agents East and West publish
over 1000 different bound volumes and the un-
bound and tract list embraces about 000 the tracts
varying from two to sixty.four pages each. The
books and tracts are in English. German, Welsh,
Swedish, Spanish and French. Since the founding
Of the Concern enterprise In Philadelphia. nearly
seventy-fve years ago, 1t has had but seventeen
agents and assistant agents. The Cincinnati Con.
cern during Its half century existence. has had but
terms OF these men, who are elected or reelected
every four years, is very fair indication OF
THE CONFIDENCE THE CHURCH REPosE
in them and the esteem in which they are personally
held. But besides the book publishing interests,
there also several periodicals published and sus-
tanned by the Church. These number In the aggre.
gate eighteen, including two Quarterlies, four
monthlies, two semi-montnies and the balance are
weeklies. These publications are issued from all
the leading cities in the East Middle and Western
States and the Pacific slope, and one or two in the
South. There are q score Of editors and assistants
employed In the preparation, and over the whole
the General Conference exercises supervisory
powers. But inasmuch there Is an in
terim Of four years between every Gen.
eral Conference during which matters might
arise which should demand ecclesiastical or
judicial investigation, the General Conference dele
gates its supervisory powers to Book Committee,
consisting at present OF fifteen men, These men are
chosen openly by the Conference, and are such as
she Conference and the Church can place implicit
confidence IN. Their powers extend to the suspen-
sion or removal OF any editor agent for oficial
misconduct II they Judge 1t necessary for the inter-
ests OF the Church ana the Concern. The DerSOfete
OF the present Book Committee has already been
given over and over again within the last few days.
because that In the exercise OF tnelr supervisory
powers they deemed they mad cause to suspend The
III % had Es p
TO investigate the charges preferred by hum against
the Book Concern and counter charges preferred
against him by certain ministers and lay ymen OF
knowledged standing In the Methodist Church here
What the committee have done already in this
cas-. has been partially made public The whoLe will
probably never come TO the light In all its bearings.
The committee has held two former sessions In this
city, and investigated the charges or fraud apd cor.
ruptl0n. Their 1rst verdict was that they founu
what seemed to them evidences OF mlsmanagement,
but the particulars were not given In their second
investigation experts were employed Tor about q
month in examining the books and accounts, and
their business was to detect frauds. If any such
The committee also took large amount Of test-
mOny, and the result OF all that they brought in
upon extracted from DR.. Lanalan written pledge
that he you'd accept this verdict aud not repeat
Ss snsas and ga HaS ne a
FALSE WITNESS, SLANDER AND INCOMPETENCE
were brought against MIN, and the committee had
:s ssRsnaa a All n Il III M eGe d. RSsa RS
s 1am his 81 ss s but s9 cut
ant Agent OF the Methodist Book Concern IN New
York for tho time being 1t gave the Doctor, how
the whole concern from top to bottom, and he has
had during all this time several clerks Of his own
'HUNrING FOR MIcEu
This is the fourth turn the Book Committee has
aken to clear up The mystery but so far as tEe pub
It Is more muddled than ever. A few OF the mem
bers OF the committee were determined, from first
10 last In their opposition to any hushing up OF the
oase; but the majority had not back bone enough to
let the light OF day into their investigations, be-
cause, forsooth, acting upon the BisnOps sugges-
tions 1t would drag third parties and reach down
to the moral Character OF the accused and OF Others
no concern at ALL Menoast ministers vVur are nare pro
verbally loyal set OF Churchmen. They bow TO
discipline and to ecclesiastical authority with as
priests do TO their superlors. Hence with many Of
the MEMBERS the say.so OF the Bishop was enough
to decide them In favor Of Quashng all further pro-
yNTQaTGNArE FOR fmn coxxrrrEn
that did not fully Investigate the charges OF fraud
0nd Encouragement in the Concern OF Its session
IN November, 1860, or that without such inyestiga.
ZION 1t should have published such report as 1t did.
The variance between It's two reports has been made
the bases for veryunfair and unustiabie newspaper
attacks upon the character of the committee and the
financial soundness Of the Book Concern. But thus
variance has been perfectly well understood by
those who were inside, though the public were not
apprsed OF the reasons. At tho first investigation in
November, 1863. little or no testimony was taken
except what was presented by Dr. Lanahan and
there were some books shown which seemed to SUBJ
ceased, bookkeeper, was, by mental and physical
innrmity. at times untitled for hts position, aud Ia
his absent moments would make entries which. In
his proper mind, he had TO erase and substitute
rect entries for. His high connection in the Church
was the only cause for keeping him in HIS posltlon.
But he was perfectly guarded against
FALsIFYING HIS ACCOUNTS
and receiving any pecuniary profit therefrou,. And
the committee ascertaned III Ielr second inves
tIgation. the case ofsAr. Hoffman, superintendent
OF the bindery department, looked even more sus-
picous 1t was found tnnt he received regular
salary and also the gold sweepings, which, accord
ing to Doctor Lanaran'S estimate, amounted to five
or six hundred dollars year. 1t appeared that HoI-
man was an expert In his business and the Concern
deemed his services invaluable. He, upon learning
OF this estimate OF his worth, very naturally de.
maded an Increase OF salary, which was refused, on
the ground mainly that II he received IL all his sub
Ordinates would demand and should receive II Also
But upon hts threat to resign, the gold sweepings