Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-03-05
Serious Charges Against Methodist
Minister.

m1n1Sterl
Early during the present week runiors of a
painful aud exciting character were put in cir.
culation throughout different portions of the
city, but more especially in the western aud
northwestern sections. connecting the name of
! the Rev. u. ID. Huston, d. D., in the matter
! OF q erimiaali intimacy with young girl con-
nected with the, Sunday school of st. Paufs
Methodist Episcopal Church South. on West
Fayette street, of which DIR. Huston was the
pastor in charge during the years 1s69-70..
AS these rnmors were speedily supplemented
by Others the excitement increased The
painful subject. affecting not only the good
name OF man whose character has been above
reproach but also to a certain extsnt the In
terests of the denomination to which he was
connected, was much discussed, public senti-
meDt on the question being. about equally di.
vlded, many expressing their convictions of
Dr. Huston's entire Innocence of the grave of
fence Imputed to him. -
Up to the beginning of the present week,
Dr: huston has bad the pastoral charge of
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church South,
corner OF Madison nueand Preston street,
and 1T is proper at this point to state that the
scandal-f such it should eventually prove
has no connection with any OF. the members
of its congregation or Sunday school, but dates
back to'aperiod of some eighteen months ago,
when he was the pastor of st. Paul's Church
South, on West Fayette ST., near Republican.
This editice was erected to furnish accom>
modations for the congregation that. previous
to 1869. worshipped in Winan's chapel, but
under the successful ministrat;on of DR.. Hus.
ton the attendance of worshippers rapidly in.
creased, and during the year 1868 steps were
taken to erect new church, to accomplish
which DIR. Huston labored with the utmost
zeal aod assiduity, and mainly through his in:
dlvldual exertions moneys were contributed;
and the new ediice was SO far completed at
the last session of Conference as to enable it
to be occupied by that body as a place of as
sembling, the lower portion of the building
then only being completed. Afterwards the
work OF finishing the structure was pushed
vigorously, and less than year ago, soon
after DR.. Huston's appointment to Trinity
Church, the edifice was completed and dedi-
Gated. During all this time, and since his
severance from st. Paul's. congregation, DR..
IL. continued to enjoy the highest respect. es.
TEEN and affection of those with whom his
official relations brought him in daily contact,
and his apparent earnestness and zeal in the
cause of the church was subject of universal
comment. 1t is safe to assert that hut few
ministers in this city ever possessed more
completely the entire confidence and respect
OF those congregations over which he was cal
led to preside.
The following particulars have been obtain
ed from authoritative sources: On Friday or
Saturday OF last week young girl, an atten-'
dant pupil of the Western Female High
School, whose name. though known, is for
obvious reasons suppressed, addressed note
to a gentleman acquaintance, requesting him
hne =
note on reaching its destination greatly aston
ished the recipient, who, though Grieved at
the discovery, deemed it his duty to 'commu-
nicate the fact of its having been written to
Professor 11oliingshead, the Principal of the
school. This he did, and on Mr.. Hollingshcad
becoming acquainted with its contents, he in
turn communicated them to the mother of the
girl respectable lady residing in the west
ern part of the city, who was thrown into the
protoundest grief at the discovery. The next
step of the Principal was to expel the girl
from the school, deeming her an unfit asso>
ciate for the otuer pupils.
Hcr expulsion created among her immedi
ate friends considerable feeling, and inquiries
we're propounded to her by her friends as to
the cause of it. To them she represented
that some eighteen months ago she had been
led astray by the Rev. Dr. Huston, while she
was Sunday school scholar of st. PauPs
Church, and since that time had been intimate
with others.
This statement was rapidly circulated, and
on Monday morning the particulars reached
the ears of the prominent members of Trinity
Church, who at once, after consultation with
several Of the leading ministers of the Church
South, commenced an investigation of the
charges agrinst DIR. Huston, which investiga>
tioa has not yet been completed. The COM
mittee have, however, received from the girl
her statement, which does not seem to differ
In any essential point from that above given,
but which, it is proper to add, has not been
as yet corroborated by others, or by any cir
cumstances tending to convict DIR. Huston of
the offence with which be stands charged
1t Is understood that DR.. Huston, when ap-
preached on the subject by one of the reverend
gentlemen conducting the investigation, de-
clared his entire innocence of the crime, ard
verified this by subscribing to voluntary
oath that he was falsely accused
The trial of DIR. Huston by an Ecclesiastic
Court will take place at the approaching ses>
sion of the Conference at Warrenton, Va,
which meets on March, 9th proximo.
Several prominent gentlemen. connected
with Trinity Church, some of whom have
been engaged in the investigation, make the
following statement in reference to the affair !:
Some time last week young lady in this city,
having no connection whatever with Trinity
Church or Sunday School, addressed nots
to male acquaintance, requesting that he
would meet her BY appointment at house of
assignation. The gentleman, on the receipt
OF the note, stated the fact to her school
teacher, the girl was at once dismissed from
the school and the cause stated to her mother.
On being closely Intercepted by her moth.
er as to her disgraceful conduct, she asserted
that she had been led sstray by the Rev. DR..
Huston, of Trinity Church, and gave the
names of several young ladies none of them
having any connection with that church