Morning journal and courier., 1886-03-04
THE sEAmEN,s BETHEL.

A Meeting of Clergymen and Laymen
 at Center Church Chapel - No
 Charges Preferred Against SuPer1n-
 tendent Thrasher-An Ahimated
 and Interesting DiscussiOn-The
 Conference Passes ResOlutions-The
 Standpoint of Davenport Church I'm
 the Case.
 A meeting of city pastors and laymen was held at the Center church chapel yesterday afternoon, convened at request of the mana gers of the Ladies' Seamen's Friend society, in accordance with a notice published in the daily papers asking for such convention to investigate the alleged charges against Mr. Thrasher, superintendent of the Bethel. The matter at issue is embodied in the card published by the ladies of the society as fol- lows:
 In consideration of the strictures and damaging opinions which have 9een pee made n,rS D 1ns P ing our missionary and superintendent MT. Thrash ban of their M condemnation as man lacking moral tone and not acquitted by them of the charges and
 e takes exception to the finding and action of this church committee as not to be as man, crippling and damaging to the society, through their agent by whom they work. And, we look for support have signiied to us their al ready embarrassed action because of the unre- authorize and for which we are responsible. Resolved, That the Ladies' Seamens Friend SO ciety decline receive the contribution which the Davenport church hold out to them with one hand, while at the time they strike disabling blow the vital part of organization with the other hand.
 tributing Churches to form committee of investi- gution and final appeal by each sending the pastor nresent at meeting to be held in Center church chapel Wednesday afternoon, March 3, at o'clock, at which time the Davenport church and any indl- viduas are requested to make known their accusa- tions charges and objections against the societys agent.
 At the meeting Rev. Dr. Smyth of Center | church presided Rev. MT. Mutch was retary. An interview with Rev. MT. Meserve, pastor of Davenport church, which was pub lished in one of the papers, was read, also letter to Dr. Smyth from Davenport church, in which Davenport church said they made no charges as church against MT. Thrasher. There were present at the meeting Rev. Drs. Smyth Harwood, Todd, Twitchell, McLane, Munger, Rev. Messrs. Samson, Blakeslee, Bray, Mutch, and Dr. Darlington, Deacon Hale and about a dozen other gentlemen. Three ladies were present, Mrs. Booth, presi dent, Mrs Luman Cowles and Mrs. Dr. Nico1, representing the Bethel, and the superintend ent Rev. MT. Thrasher, who by his presence and demeanor seemed to appeal for the full est investigation.
 Dr. Smyth asked what was the pleasure of l the meeting After some desultory discus sion regarding the fact that no one was pres ent to make charges or complaint and that MT. Harrison of the Davenport church: who it Was understood had complained that MT. l Thrasher was not the man for the place, was conspicuous by his absence, the meeting pro- ceeded to talk over the passing of some res l olutions acquitting MT. Thrasher. Rev. Dr. Todd questioned whether this, an informal body, should investigate the case, especially in the absence of all charges witnesses against MT. Thrasher. Abundant opportunity had been offered, but no charges had been presented. It seems to me, con- | tinued Dr. Todd, that the matter is one to be decided solely by the Seamen's Friend 4ociety. We shall only hear one side and it will look like whitewashing affair. Rev. Dr. Karwood agreed with Dr. Todd that this a sef-constituted committee, should not hear the case, and that the meet ing's action might partake of a whitewashing character.
 Rev. pr, Smyth explained that Davenport church had taken action criticising MT. Thrasher, and that the Seamen's Friend so ciety were already hampered in consequence of the action of that church and the pub lished reports.
 Dr. Harwood said that he had lived here twenty seven years and found that the wo- men of the town manage these charitable or ;.anizations better than the men. Let them pass vote of confidence in the management of the Seamen's Bethel. Does anyone ex- pect MT. Thrasher to be thsologian or man of deep scholarship? No; his work re- quires love of Christ and deep common sense.
 The ladies present nodded approval to one another at Dr. Harwood's remarks. Dr. Todd would amend Dr. Harwood's proposition that the ladies be recommended to investigate the reports.
 Mrs. Booth said MT. Thrasher was before the society and the public as suspected man and the society was embarrassed in their action, as their collectors found. We are not willing, continued Mrs. B., to have the affair rest under cloud. I wish, as the society wishes, that the pastors of the churches who aid us by their contributions should aid us so that the society and it's agent be either vindicated or if there were any thing detrimental to the work that it be exposed.
 Rev. Dr. Smyth at this point made gen. eral statement of the status of the case in question and said it seemed necessary that if the society's agent was under cloud in the claim that he was a man of low moral tone, of vulgarity and unfit to be sustained by the churches sustaining the Bethel, that in fair ness to MT. Thrasher and the society the case be looked into. It seemed that there was an issue which the ladies of the Seamens Friend society could not avoid or ignore. Hence the ladies asked to get as a committee. The ladies utterly deny and indignantly repudiate the charges against MT. Thrasher and sustain him thor oughly as worthy of their confidence. The ladies insist that it is but just that the case be cleared up. I sent request to promi- nent accuser of MT. Thrasher to be present. He has had every opportunity to present charges. I am acting on the presumption of MT. Thrasher's entire innocence. MT. Thrash CT has made and the society has male every effort to have the case investigated.
 Rev. Dr. Twitchen asked: Does Brother Meserve acknowledge that the report in the papers was correct?'
 Dr. Smyth said He did acknowledge that it was, in the main, correct report.
 Dr. Harwood-Then it appears that MT Harrison has personal grudge or spite against MT Thrasher.
 Mrs. Booth-It is so.
 gentleman said: Then all the basis we have to act upon is the report in the newspa- Pers.
 MT. Samson to Dr. Harwood-Will you present your resolution?
 Dr. Harwood-I still think it best to do as proposed. We can't pass resolution cen suring MT. Thrasher, nor one censuring MT. Meserve, nor one censuring MT. Harrison.
 Dr. Smyth-Will you present your resolu- tion in writing2 While Dr. Harwood was writing the resolution MT. Thrasher stepped to the president of the society and asked that there be no compromise of the matter. He quieted by the assurance of the pres ident that the society had full and unabated confidence in him, and that this meeting evidently had also, and that it was not 8 compromise. Mrs. Booth then requested Dr. Smythe that the society in it's action des- ignate condemnation in some way of charges made, but not backed up.
 Rev. MT. Bray said that in the pending resolution all should be made clear, that is, vote of confidence in MT. Thrasher's moral character should be passed. I have, con- tinued MT. Bray, always found MT. Thrasher Christian gentleman. have been assisted by him in extra meetings, and have other wise met him and can give him my conf dence.
 Rev. MT. Blakeslee said the public were disposed to put the worst construction on a case of this kind if it were left in the dark or any way suspicious. The matter should be thoroughly cleared up, so that no shadow be left on the work of the society. The matter should be investigated.
 Dr. Harwood-What would you investi- gate! There are no charges before us.
 Mr. Blakeslee-I would have 8 sub-com- mittee appointed to investigate and report in