Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1872-10-26
REV. HENRY MATHEWS.
Charges AGAINST HIM FALsE-ACTIoN
OF NEWCASTLE PREsBYTERY IN HIS
CASE.

OF NEWCASTLE PREsBYTERY IN HIS
CASE.
We take pleasure in publishing the
action taken by the Newcastle Presby-
terry in the case of Rev. Henry Mathews
late pastor of the Presbyterian Church
at E!kron, Md 1t will be remembered
that this gentleman was accused oy a
negro servant girl with having seduceu
her. As soon as Mr. Mathews was III,
formed of the accusation,h he pronounced
il false and malicious, and demanded al
investigation by his Presbyterian New
ark. Del. This body appointed a COM M
m;ttee of investigation, composed 1i
Dav Iobn Patton, d. d.. Rev ). j.;
V.Ilond;obam. Rev. J. IL. Johns, and
IL U3gh Steele and J. Y. Foulk.
An the testimony in the case was writ
fen ont in full, aud sworn to. AT an
aJ;ourned meeting of the Presbytery,
%aIJ in Wilmington, Delaware, last
' the entire testimony was read and
oonsidered, and the following action was
the result:
II Mathews rests only on the declara-
ton and oath of the woman who has &C
cused him, unsupported by any corrobo-
rating testimony or circumstances what
ever.
Second. That her testimony was ut
terlv unworthy of credence or regard,
for the following, among other reasons :
Because her previous character was
proved by her own admis sion and the
testimony of respectable witnesses tc
have been loose as to her own conduct,
and false aud slanderous concerning
others because her testimony against
Mr.. Mathews destroys itself by being
positively and materially contradictory
IN its sworn statesments concerning the
times and circumstances of the criminal
acts which she charges upon him. On
the one hand she swears that these acts
were limited to three occasions, all with
in a period of six weeks; on the other
hand, with equal deliberation, she sweari
that they extended to many occasions
during period of two years because
her sworn declarations in which she
charges Mr.. Mathews with having gone
with her to Baltimore TO find a board
ing place, have been proved by many
witnesses to hare been false and without
foundation, four or five witnesses testi
fvino that she was brought to the place
iva hack driver from the railroad de
pot. and that no other person accompa
MED her or came 10 the house TO see her
during her stay.
In all their Investigations the COM
,nittee have not met with amy circum
stances, act or word proceeding from
Mr.. Mathews which involves him, or
even seems to involve him, i'll any ap
proach, even to criminal, improper OIL
doubtful conduct toward the person who
accuses him, or toward any other person
whatever. Nor does any person what
ever come forward to offer any substan
tial semblance of proof of the woman
charge On the contrary, one unbrokeI
mass of testimony to the unblemished
and pure character of Mr. Mathews is
afforded us by our long and personal
intimacy with him, by his character and
work as minister Of the Gospel for
twenty-four years, twelve of which have
been spent in Elkton, and during his
whole life from boyhood to the present
hour.
Influenced by these convictions, after
mature deliberation the Presbytery take
the following action
In view of all the testimony concern
ING the criminal accusation made against
Rev. III. Mathews, this Presbytery find
no ground whatever tor preterrlng
charges or entertaining suspicion
AGAINST him, and do declare their con
tinued and abiding confidence i'll him,
and most cordially commend him to his
congregations, to the church and the
public at large, rs worthy of all the con
tidence hitherto reposed in him, and the
affections cherished for HIM, rs fully as
if THU false and malicious charge had
never been made.
The above was passed unanimously by
rising vote, twenty seven ministers
and nineteen ruling elders being present.
-Baitimore Gazette If Monday.
THE ELKroN CLERICAL SCANDAL
Having published some ofthe statements
which have recently appeared IN the pa
pers of Elkton and Cecil, Md, affecting
the character of the Rev. DR.. Mathews,
it is due to that gentlemen we should
publish the report of the Committee ap'
pointed to enquire into the alleged Sc
duction. The Presbytery convened at
New Castle, Del, on Wednesday, and
after the usual preliminary exercises, the
Committee made its report, embodylng
the testimony which it had taken. This
report fully vindicates the character OF
Mr.. Mathews, and establishes the fact
that the colored girl, who uttered the
charges, pursued system of falsehood
throughout.
Here is another instance of the unre-
liability of charges so frequently made
in regard to ministers. There is not a
minister of the gospel in all our broad
land, whose character is absolutely safe,
ifthere be found a bold bad woman to
nsperse it. How frequently have limo
cert men been made to suffer by the
falsehood and cunning of unprincipled
and designing women Not long since
a clergyman in England was assailed by
a married woman. She was a woman
of professedly good character, and en-
;o,i;no, the confidence of her neighbors