The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-02-09

terly conference of my second year was adjourned
over for the transaction of unfinished business
One item of unfinished business was the filing Of
the various church Boards The presiding elder
was notified of my purpose to nominate other men
to il the places of all of those who protested to
have claims against the church property, and was
invited to be present, as the church could not hope
for peace prosperity with these men as Trustees,
as only two of them lived within the bounds of the
charge, and one of these was not and never had
been church member, and that they would neither
come forward to make good their claims nor cease
their threats to bring suit against the church and
sell it. Accordingly at the adjourned quarterly
conference, held in February, 1882, at which an
unusually large number was present, L then NOM
mated as Trustees, James Boyce, Gideon Herbert,
VIM. M. Isaac, George A. Smith, W. f. Massey,
Thomas Bond and Solomon Shealey, all of whom
were unanimously elected. The four last named
took the places of o. P. Merryman, Henry L.
Bowen, d. Hopper Emory and John T. Ensor.
Now as to the claims of these gentlemen, about
which the editor of the Herald raises such bitter
wall because they were not re-nominated and
elected Trustees of the Towsontown M. Z. Church.
What are the facts in the case? They, as members
of the building committee, with Mr.. Boyce, agreed
to finish the church, after given style and man
ner never sanctioned by the society or the quar-
terly conference, and they further agreed each of
his free will, to bear One-ffth of the amount neces
sary to complete the church in the manner agreed
upon. This was done in writing (Seethe records
in the Clerks office for Baltimore county, Mr..
Boyce advanced all the money and Messrs. Mer-
ryman, Emory, Bowen and Ensor each one indie
pendent of the other, voluntariiy and personally
bound himself to pay Mr.. Boyce one-ffth of the
amount necessary for the completion of the church,
after deducting therefrom all amounts collected
from subscriptions and collections. Mr.. Boyce,
some time after the church was dedicated COM
PEELED these gentlemen to comply with their per-
sona pledges to him. Hence it will be seen that
these claimants were simply made to pay Mr..
Boyce what they Individually agreed to pay him,
and not money loaned the church, and no one knew
better than the editor of the Herald that the
gregation was utterly unable to pay the amount
thus expended. But the editor of the Herald says
Ithwarted the presiding elder in his efforts to
settle these claims. Ho,o thwarted? These claims
were then of fully eight years standing and no
effort had been made to make them good. re-
peat, How did "the minister in charge thwart the
arrangement of the presiding elder?" Was it by
my refusing to nominate the claimants as Trus-
tees? How could this effect the legitimacy of their
claims? for they not in joint security for any
money advanced to the church. Was it by
yfusing to leave Mr.. Boyce out of the Board Or
was it by not consenting to mortgage being
given?
There are other statements in the Herald quite
as misleading as those noticed, such as the denial
of having pleaded limitations against Mr.. BOyce,
&C., but do not feel called upon to pay any at
tention to them, not having had any official con-
! nection with the Towsontown church for nearly
two years. This 1 leave to the present authorities
of that church, if they deem them worthy of their
notice. 1t now remains for the Baltimore County
Herald to prove its false charges against the min
lister and the four Trustees elected to fill the places
of Messrs Merryman, Emory, Bowen and Ensor,
| to wit the "violation of the church Discipline
and of "repudiating claim for borrowed money y
or stand convicted of willful purpose to SANDER
their regulations and defame their characters.
Feb 9.-1tl JAS. n. DAVIS.