The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-12-01
A ROW AMONG THE RELIGIOUS.
Internal Strife in the Congregation of
Trinity Church.
Unsuccessful Conspiracy to Prove that Mr.
Ashley was not Ordained.

| last nlgnl Nhen II was openly charged tnut ln-
fair means had been used 10 secure the APP
| pOintment of the pastor, Rev. John Ashley, to
another field OF labor: There was gathering
| in the library of the church for the purpose of
| bidding Mr. Ashley farewell, previous to his
| departure this morning for Harrisburg, and
presenting to him II handsome gold watch aS II
| Col. and Mrs. II. VI. Moore, Mrs. DR.. Young,
Mr.. and Mrs. DIn,,lIne, Mr.. Iio>irr, Mr.. Hunt,
M Mes b rhe u.s. senior Mrn ana TnTr Mrs W INA
Miss Beard, Mrs. McCullm, Mrs Chess, Mrs
Hogan, Mr. ". HOLLAND; Mr.; r. Dawson Mr. \.
| ell. Miss Alcock, Miss stafford, Miss NorcrOss, |
| Mr.. TOpham, Mr.. Beckwith, Mrs: w. SCOTT, Mis-.
A. ThelkStom Mr. w. ". Ma ;r MIS-; ;; SnInEr'
| Miss Kate Patching and Mr.. +. NOrCroSS.
| Several of these were aware that the Mctho-
dist clergymcn in conference here last week
| considered matter involving Mr. Ashlcy's
| reputation hut few knew All the circumstances.
| SO quiet were the proceedings, i'll fact, that the
major part of the congregation of Trinity
church had never received an animation thar
| they were concerned i'll an eternal strife wagcd
! by the friends of Mr.. Ashley and his enemies
| course Of the addresses 10y MrAShcyS friends.
| Mr.. j. Dinaline, the chairman of the assem-
| blagc DID, 81 don't think we have been fairly
death with. The Increased membership and
| the advantages that have fol lowed Mr.. Ashley
| connection with the church, should haN" en-
| SilrCd his continuing to he our pastor. We
| know, at least few OF us dO that Mr.. Ash
! ley was damaged in the esteem Of the presiding
| elder, Bishop Bowman. Enemies of his even
went so far rs to cndcaNnr To secure the publ
| cation of Il statement that Mr.. Ashley had no
credentials from the old country us Il minister,
when he had
| right and Just" sau MIR. IL. Phelps, ST. -
| think we have been cheated. ! repeat that we
have been cheated. And fear that by tn"
sudden cno>al of Mr.. Ashley We shall lose
! one of the strong, t pillars Of the church. The
church is now too large for the congregation,
but if Mr.. Ashley were retained,
the congregation. | apprSnend, WOULD
| trust that we will all take this matter to heart
! and treasure it. and by-and-by, when we are
able, ask Mr.. Ashley to come W It'll lis again. Ii
| he don have this church, or some other church
of his own in San Antonio, perlmp in time We
may build him one These remarks met with
| many manifestations OF approval.
| COl. X. NJ Moor" prayed and then made lit
| tie speech III which occurred the following
statements: 81 remember when Mr.. Ashle!
| came here and presented his credentials as II
| Primutiye Methodist. These credentials were
all night but uhcy were somewhat different
| from those We give an'i several persons honest
| ~ believed that Mr.. Ashley wiEo not IL properly
ordained inini,tcr"t the gospel: But to-day |
| saw credentials granted by Bishop Thomas
| Bowman which would place him an elder any
| where in any gathering OF the elders of the
Methodist Episcopal church. MIR Ashley is
sent away from us tor but year. He may
come back TO us at the expiration Of Il year
This MOTE vi doing business is IL feature of our
Methodist system. Clergymen are sent whcr-
! ever the Bishop thinks they can do the most
good Mr.. Ashley. ncI'cvc, il sent where it if
thought he can do the El">t gOod The Bishop
and hts advisers may err, err from ignorance,
| not knowing the situation as we do. This do
not dispute. But ! repeat that the Bishop
| makes appointments with view of accom-
| pliShing the greatest good possible.
| Mr.. Harry W Hodges in the course of his re-
marks in presenting the watch to Mr.. Ashley,
| said: 81 want to call your attention to What
| the Bishop said last Monday night. 1T is Il
| matter Of great difficulty, said he, TO make
proper appointments and sometimes | am
| .flI f #
| congregations. We must hOl q they are for the
| best Those We're his words. Now the sending
of Mr. Ashley to Harrisburg may, be for the
| best but fail to see it. | think he ought to
| have been continued pastor Of this church.
| agree with the gentleman who said we have
been cheated out of him, and ] protest against
| the transaction. This Mr. Falkcnberg OF Gal
| weston may be a very good man and very able
but we didn't want Mr.. Fakenbcrg nor don't
| now; we want MIR. Ashley"
Mr.. Ashley said that he had often thought
| that certain cirCumSt InccS were brought
| abrOut by Il few designing men, but these men
were ovcrruled by God, and all was for the
| best. IL have heGp methodist preacher
| more than ten years said he, land during
| that period purtngs such aS these have been SO
| frequent that have become Injured to them
and am able to control my feelings. well
| remember that dark night, that almost miScra
BILE night, -four months ago when arrived al
vain to find one friend. | remember too the
| first time entered the church that Col Moor"
| took ne 10y the hand and was the first to wei
colllt us - Tue IlISl 10 WtlCOillt
| all others. Rr0thCr !rcady WAS preaching and
but IL persons were in attendance,
| ~ can quite understand your feelings with
| relation TO this clcdCntial business, Us the
Americans would say, and | want to correct
IL statement in this connection made by Il
| previous speaker. He said had been damaged
| Now don think ] was damaged but an at
| tempt was made to damage me and it caused
an examination to be made, and has done me a
world of good" Mr. Ashley made Il very neat
| response to the reScntutiOn address by Mr.
| hodges. After the gathering dispersed MIR.
| Dimane, Col. Moore, M. Hodges and Mr..
! Ashley told the following story in response to
| heterogeneous.
| Some months ago when it waS learned that
| Mr.. Broadly was to be transferred to another
passionate Mr. \. q. Clarke, il member of the
| congregation, recommended that W. : Bryant
an old gentleman represented as having been
Il clergyman i'll California but then in A labama.
| be called to the vacant pulpit. 70 this the
leading members of the church agreed. Mr..
! 5ryant was communicated with, and he replied
| that he could not come at that time. While the
| stewards We're III qIlandarI, not knowing on
| WhOm 10 call, 1t was discovered that Mr., Ashley
was preacher and accordingly he was asked 10
| supply the vacancy. lie accepted, ami under
| ms guidance the congregation grew numerical
| ~ until II become one OF the largest in the city
| Some eight weeks after Mr.. Ashley entered the
| pulpit Mr.. Bryant arrived. without consulting
with all the members of the church, il il al
legged, he visited the other local clergymen ami
| SOlctcd their cooperation, representing that
he was to be pastor of Trinity church. Whil,,
| the conference was in progress here hast week
| he, aided 10y Mr.. \. 6. Clark, who is a steward
| of the church. AMI by Mr.. West, IL member. Gu
| dCaNOred to influence Bishop Bowman to make
J this end the allegation was made that
! Mr. Ashley was not properly ordained
+ minister of the gospel. An Investigation was
made ana the result was most satisfactory to