Morning journal and courier., 1881-04-11
Monday Moralng, April II, 1881.
DIR. RAafsDELL AVID HIS WIFE.

DIR. RAMSDEIL AND HIS WIFE.
 Rev. Dr. c. B. Ran,sden was tried las
 week by the Washington Presbytery, and th,
 trial was decidedly novel and interesting
 affair. MT. Ramsdell is the pastor of tn, North Presbyterian church in Washington
 and is. in the opinion of part of his con fgregation, s'unequally yoled' to lady wht
 is B member of the Roman Catholic church
 The petition praying for the removal of pr FRamsdell stated that considerable dissatisfac tion existed in the church, which was trace able to the marriage of the pastor with { member of the Roman Catholic Church
 that his action had tended to injure thu
 church spiritually and financially, and should l he continue in charge number of members l would withdraw and unite with other churches, The Presbytery sat as a committee of ths whole for the consideration of this petition The pastors side was first presented by one of the trustees of his church, who spoke ir the highest terms of him and attributed the present prosperity of the church to his ener- gy and executive ability. During his remarks he produced the records of session of the l congregation held year ago, at which the
 charge against the pastor was fully discussed and indefinitely postponed by vote of 66 to 3s. Nothing had ever been shown affecting the pastors integrity, and the movement against him was instigated solely by a desire
 for personal spite. His wife was charming
 and amiable lady, and, although not mem-
 Der of the Presbyterian Church, was in every
 respect Christian In conclusion, he pro-
 .kok ks.sks. k1.,l .T h..
 Ramsdell had assumed the pulpit at the
 church the revenues had steadily increased,
 and it's indebtedness at present was not above
 one thousand dollars An advocate of the petitioners replied and claimed that the church had lost money since the pastors mar riage He disclaimed any intention of being personally hostile to Dr. Ramsden, but thought it was not proper for him to preside over a Presbyterian congregation with wife holding views directly opposite to the tenets of that sect. He acknowledged the good ser vice rendered by the pastor in building up the church, and in his statistics made the figures foot up about the same as those of the previous speaker.
 At this stage of the proceedings Dr. Rams dell asked leave to be heard in his own be- half He began by saying that great many cruel rumors had been circulated relative to his marriage, among others that he had been married in a Catholic church. This he emphatically denied, stating that the cere- mony was performed in the Palmer House at Chicago, H., by the Rev. Mir. Patton, of Princeton College. In reply to questions by
 AL l., okol klzoA his wife was in the habit of going to her own church, well as to the one over which he presided. She also went to ''confession'' to the priest in her own church. Dr. Ramsdell was subjected to rigid examination as to his and his wife's habits in connection with church customs, to which he replied that she pursued the path which she thought led heavenward, and he was doing the same. He would be gratifed to have her join .his church, but if she had other opinions he was not responsible for them. She was good wife as well as a good Christian, and was par ticular about the observance of family wor- ship at their own freside. Dr. Ramsdell's remarks were very affecting at times.
 After Dr. Ramsden had concluded the Pres bytery adjourned until evening. At the evening session resolution was offered con- taining the following: I've declare our sol ennn judgment that no Presbyterian has moral right to marry Roman Catholic lady, * < x for her religious training teaches her to look upon all Protestants as heretics consequently her husbands usefulness as minister is impaired This resolution was until eleven o'clock, and the Pres bytery then adjourned until 9 o'clock the next morning.
 When the session opened the next morning B resolution was introduced declaring in sub- ! stance that the Presbytery did not approve of marriages between Presbyterian ministers and Roman Catholics, but recommending that in the case of pr. Ramsdell the petitioners drop their grievance and labor for peace and ] harmony in the church. The discussion l which followed was interesting and signif- | can't One member of Dr. RamsdelPs church l stated that majority of the congregation de- tired to retain their pastor. Mir. Salmon, 1 ,ne of the petitioners, denied that any perse- ,ution had been carried on against 8 1 former pastor, and disclaimed any in- ;ention of persecution in this case. The speaker was asked by Dr. Sunderland if | t was held that the pastor had commit ed sin by his marriage. In reply he said hat it was not considered either. sinful or immoral, but detrimental to the interests of I he church. Judge Jones, another member ,f the church, said that he did not consider he marriage of the pastor to Roman Cath ,lic lady sufficient cause for dissolution of he pastoral relations. He further stated hat if the petitioners saw fit to leave the hurch those who remained could and would upport it. Rev. MT. Van Doren claimed hat the Church had nothing to do with this ase. The act might be regarded as unwise, ut it could not be put on record as such. A minister might marry ''giddy girl, /" or one ddicted to drink but the Church did not ut a declaration of such cases on record. 1 was for the community to judge these mat srs, and the question was one for MT. Rams ell to consider, and not the Church. If he ,und that his marriage unftted him to per ,rm his ministerial duties he should make it nown, and then the Church could take cog izance of the matter.
 After more discussien and the rejection by le Presbytery of both the resolutions above ,ferred to, pr. Sunderland moved the aE- ointment of committee to prepare re- ort on the subject, and the motion was car ed This committee consisted of five mem ers and a majority and a minority report ere submitted. The majority report was as blows:
 The special committee appointed to draft n the nf al f,,oy, ! rembers of the North church congregation ave respectfully to report that they have iven the most earnest consideration to the 1bject matter of the memorial, which in- olves no less than the question of the expe- iency of the dissolution of the pastoral rela-