The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-28
A PREACHERS COMING TRIAL
Two Letters Which Are Quite Likely to
Soon Lead to Lively Results.
The Complaint ola Brother Pastor WhichWill
Cause Rev. DR.. Utters Arrangement Before
the Northwest Indiana Conference.

| It was in the Spencer House Office, a day or
two since, that sgentleman from Lafayette said
| to Journal reporter: There is some CORE
spondence relating to prominent minister of
the Northwest Indiana Conference you ought to
have"
''Why sop
Because it is the forerunner Of the probable
trial by his brother ministers of a man for years
one of the leading preachers in the Methodist
Church. You remember the church trial and
the expulsion from church fellowship there a
few years ago of the Rev. III. O. Hoffman, of
| Bloomington, ILL., Yes? Well, this coming trial
is one of the results of the Hoffman episode
Hoffman is very popular in Bloomington. His
people, to large number, stood by him, and
when he left the First Methodist Church of that
that place Under the ban of immortality,
many of the wealthy and influential
members of his old congregation went with him.
They gave him assistance in forming indie
pendent church. He is still its pastor. and every
Sunday breaches to large crowds. Hoffman has
friends in the Northwest Indiana Conference
Among them is DR.. Utter, Of Lafayette. The
Doctor visited Bloomington, had close relation
with Hoffman, and preached in his pulpit The
Rev. Mr.. Bennett, of the expelled pastors old
church, wrote these facts to the Rev. j. a.
Claypool. the presiding elder of the Lafayette
district 1t is to this letter and Dr. Utter's reply
thereto refer. wish I could give them to you;
but here is a pointer, use it as you deem best. !"
Following the Gle W, after some difficulty, cop
les of the letters were procured as given bellows
BLOOMINGTON, Ill.,, May 90
Rev. J. H. Claypool. P. E. Lafayette. Ind:
My Dear Brother-At the suggestion of Bishop
Merrill. lay before you the following facts:
l. FL. o. Hoffman was expelled from the
ministry and church by the Illinois Conference
for gross immortality.
e. Fl. o. Hoffman started and is now running
thing called the Independent Church.
g. An announcement appears in our city
papers that Rev. R. D. Utter lof the Northwest
Indiana Conference will preach for him, and
came here to renew old friendship, etc.
A. Then the following appears in the Monday,
May II, 1886, Paragraph, of this city: Sub
stantially this: That Rev. r. d. Utter, on
Sunday, May 16, preached to the congregation
of the Independent Church"
5. Bishop Merrill says that this is 'gross
improperly" and observes rebuke," and that
an explanation of his course" should be de-
handed and given.
g. do not know what steps to pursue or take
in the premises. You can see how Fl. O. Hoff-
man could make capital, or how Rev. f. d.
fellowship. You can see how it might reflect on
the regular pastors members of the Illinois
Conferencell for men of other conferences to
fellowship one which Ithatl, by lthej judgment
of our own conference, we members of the
Illinois Conference? are precluded from doing
recognizing.] You can see how the honor of
our church has been assaulted by this disloyalty
and contempt for its judgments. write this
not intending it for publication in any form,
and not wishing to have it's contents paraded;
h,7f$ hat fno foaf ho in o,fp
and that some of the views taken upon it THE
facts9l may be seen by you. l intend to do
more than lay 1t the facts in the case?l before
you and the proper authorities in this way Re-
spectfully. FL. w. BENNETT.
Note-The author of the foregoing letter must
not be held responsible for any word or words
included in brackets.
LAFAYETTE, Ind. June %.
Rev. j. Fl. Claypool, P E.. Lafayette. Ind.
Dear Brother--A few weeks ago you were
kind enough to show me letter, dated May 90
addressed to you by a Rev. a. w. Bennett, pas
tor of Methodist church in the city OF Bloom
inRton, Ill. Permitting me at the same time to
further obligations. Anent the revelations of
said letter. after a silence so long and SO well be-
hoved, I now respectfully submit few brief
statements:
/. was in the city of Bloomington, as Mr..
Bennett so promptly informs you, on Sunday,
the 10th of May, at which time, by the favor of
courteous invitation, / had the pleasure OF
preaching from the pulpit of an independent
church-an undenominational, not anti-Metho-
dist. organization.
q Be it understood furthermore, that went
to Bloomington for the express purpose of visit
ing the pastor of said church, the Rev II. 0.
Hoffman much esteemed and life long friend.
g. The thought did not once occur to noe, in
my simplicity, that | was doing anything amiss
whereby the equanimity of Mr.. Bennett, or any
body else, should be disturbed.
! f. / had not before met Mr.. Hoffman for at
least ten or twelve years Candor compels me
to say was happy to meet him, and to find him,
as did, at the head of growing church-again
In the ministry, encouraged and sustained by an
intelligent and generous people.
B. An evil hour as you know, dawned upon
Mr.. Hoffman few years ago. He was expelled
from the ministry and membership of the church
by the Illinois Conference. Wherefore, in view
OF this fact and of my visit at Bloomington, Mr.
Bennett in his letter aforesaid, accuses me of
contempt" for the Judgment of said conference,
''disloyalty' to the church, gross improperly,
ETC. Moreover after notifying you how /
deserve "rebuke," he Eliminates an ON
inous threat-meaning it to be understood,
it is supposed, as declaration of his purpose to
take the war-path, and pursue me with his little
hatchetl Excuse me from any attempt to char
acterize letter as brimful of the milk of liber-
atty. Suffice it to say / spurn his accusations.
g. Evidently Mr.. Bennett INDUCES in sus-
picon that do not, in the case of Mr.. Hoffman,
Iully lndOfSe the Juugm0nE OF the ILLINOIS, Con
ference. The heartiness of my dissent from said
Judgment is therefore, cheerfully avowed. Am
also quite ready to dsavow all faith IN the dogma
of infallibility whether Of popes or councils
T. Either my right to dissent from the judg
ment of said conference must be conceded, OF
the infallibility of the conference must be
affirmed; but, if have right to dissent. have
right to express my dissent in any appropriate,
respectful or becoming way.
g. Were l to assume las / do not) that Mr..
Hoffman was justly deposed from the
ministry of the church, Ii. g., that the
Illinois Conference, in its action against
him, was not misled or mistaken, ] could not
ignore the pleasing fact that during these years
of temptation and embarrassment. he has CON