Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-03-25
THE TO WSONTO wv CHURCH
CASE.


CASE.
Recently, in the Court Of Common
Pleas of Baltimore, suit has been
pending and finally determined, which
very largely interests the christian
people, especially the Methodists, of
the whole country. A succinct state
ment Of facts may largely aid us in
forming an intelligent judgment up
( on the decisions of the Court.
About six years ago, during the
pastorate of Rev. j. w. Cornelius,
the Methodist Episcopal congrega-
ton, at Towsontown, Nd, through
building committee, began the erec-
ton of new edifice. AS the
Society was small and the members
of the committee were personally
poor and dead-locked through want
OF harmony, they offered their resig-
nations to the Quarterly Conference,
which body appointed a new board
OF trustees, which constituted the fu-
ture committee. At the head of this
Board, and the chairman of the
Building Committee which it con-
stituted, was James Boyce, man of
large wealth, residing in the vicinity
and member of the Madison Ave.
NJ. E. Church of Baltimore. Mr.. B.
is known to many who are acquaint-
ed with matters of the b. s. o. R.R.
as one OF the largest miners and
shippers of coal in Maryland. Other
gentlemen, highly esteemed in Tow
sontown and vicinity, such as Hon.
II. Ensor, Hon. ID. G.. H. Emory.
Oliver P. Merryman and Henry l..
Bowen, Esqrs., were associated in
this committee, which speedily be-
came an incorporation. Such an ar
ray of names soon gave new impetus
to an enterprise very much needed
but pecuniarily weak. Mr.. Boyce.
in time, advanced money to liquidate
previous Indebtedness and to COM
plete the church, which, through his
influence, was finished tastefully and
gorgeously. The parsonage also was
thoroughly repaired and refurnished,
and finally an immense debt of $685.
600 presented itself to the astonished
Society, 1t had been the intention
of the Pastor and the original COM
mittee to put up good house, finish
the lecture rooms, class rooms, &C..
and await the organization and in
crease of the church for the compile
tion of the auditorium. Such an ar
rangement would have been possible
and practicable; but the new com
mittee, under the influence of Mr..
Boyce and expecting to draw largely
upon his fabulous wealth, proceeded
Immediately to complete the whole
building, as before stated, in the most
substantial and sumptuous STYLE
Shortly after the dedication of the
church, one of the children of the
said Boyce died, and it was current
ly rumored that Boyce would pay all
the debts upon the church and pre-
sent the whole building to the CON
gregation as memorial of the de-
ceased son. Rev. DR.. Sims, Pastor
OF Madison Ave. Church, of which
Mr.. b. was member, made the sug-
gestion, and he and the Pastor and
Mr.. b. frequently talked over the
matter, and it was generally expected
that it would occur. After the pas
torate of Mr.. Cornelius had expired.
it appears that Mr.. Boyce and the
Trustees and the new Pastor began
to disagree. This misunderstanding
grew more and more serious until
Mr.. BOyce sued each of his associates
in the Board as individuals and the
whole of them as corporation for
the amount in detail and in the ag-
gregate, reaching, as before said, all
told, $4,000. In the first suit against
the corporation, the Court held that
the act of incorporation was imper-
feet and invalid. In the next suit
against the individuals, Judgment
was given for $3.50 against EACH
This is additional to mortgage
against each of the four Trustees
held by Mr.. Boyce for $1,000. The
whole amount recovered by Mr..
Boyce, therefore, will be Sill 500, and
the whole amount advanced, $4,000.
In a moral point of view, censure
will follow Mr.. Boyce as man of
dependent fortune-worth probably
millions-fOr entering the Courts to
recover money advanced to a new
and small church membership in
their struggles to secure a respecta-
BILE house of worship. On the other
hand, the members of the Board
of Trustees tacitly assented to all the
expenditures, dHu vert CONSTANTLY III
consultation with Boyce. They made
no protests against extravaganza but
on the contrary, signed agreements
to reimburse Boyce. In strict hon.
esty, Boyce should have been paid, if
the congregation were able-in pro-
priety and generosity, Boyce ought
to have donated the whole amount
he advanced to the congregation.
A ''sAD STORY" comes from the
wilds of Illinois to the effect that