The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1890-05-09

An rlef oaiilne OF bishop nowmans Address
ON the Difficulties in the Church


difficulties In that church, leading up Il
the present unpleaaantness, an account
Of which has been given In the DEMocRAr
Below we give the substance Of the Blsh
ops remarks
The difficulties In the EYangelica
church commenced to some extent p
years ago, when the present venerable
senior Bishop, Esher, was elected
bishop. Ills opposing candidate was
Rev 5 Neitz, very able and eloquent
divine. The relative strength nf the two
was so evenly matched that Esher was
elected only by very small margin.
i There was considerable feeling engender.
cd, and hence some opposition shown to-
wards the elected bishop. Things how.
ever ran ON without much friction until
in 1879, when Rudolph Dubs and Thomas
Bowman were elected bishops by the gem
eral conference In Philadelphia. Duba
being especially the candidate OF those
who were more or less opposed 10 BiHhop
/ Fisher, and, an he has, himself, since con-
tossed 10 three different parties that he
was under the impression that he was
elected 10 put down Bishop Esher, he
seized upon every opportunity public .
and private 10 accomplish that end,
Evidence could be furnished In abun-
dance. Only two years after his election
( lac publicly attacked his senior In office
and years during an annual conference
session, aud led the conference to pass
resolutions consuming Bishop Esher IN his
absence. Later ON the general confer
enee which has final jurisdiction expung-
ed this action from the minutes OF that
conference. Finally al the session of the
I tfan hal Ia.
Pa, In 1888, these matters were brought
before that body and after full statements
had been made, Bishop Duhs WAS cosl-
/ PEELED publicly to acknowledge that lac
had wronged his senior la office In four or
/ five instances, and upon this confession
and implied promises ON his part, matters
were ainicably adjusted, bishop Eeher
even going 80 far for the sake 0f peace
and harmony as to allow a matter 10
stand as Misunderstanding, where the
proof Of wiliull falsehood on the part Of
Bishop Dnbs was In his possession, black
ON white, and other Misrepresentation
were easy of proof. However, instead III
Dubs mending his ways he continued In
his course, especially in difficulties con-
nected with the management OF the mis-.
sionary operations In Japan 10 injure his
senior wherever possible, besides laying
himself open 10 very serious charges COM
eerning his veracity aud chastity. Dubs
had become 30 obnoxious to the majority
Of the church that at the last general
conference held In Buffalo, N. Y. In 1857,
he Was only reelected by majority oi
one vote, and that, after his friends had
engaged In an active personal campaign
for his reelection, and even lac personally
In three instances which can be proven
begged delegates 10 vote for his re-elee-
ton, pleading his former services aud his
family. Since then his conduct became
still more uncomfortable. lie publicly
charged minister and n iayman with
falsiiying cable dispatch and present
ing II In evidence Ia the trial Of John
Hartzler, while II was proven nj his trial
by about thirty witnesses that no dis
patch Of any kind had been presented al
all. In addition he made statements 10
the conferences In Germany and Switz-
erland and In the official papers, which
were proven by some thirty odd Witness
es, TO have been untrue. Besides three
or four private assertions reiterated 10
different individuals were proven 10 be
untrue. In addition 20 all these things
were added the painful rumora affecting
his purity and chastity; 20 that after
trial by fifteen representative men whose |
integrity and intelligence cannot be |
questioned they unanimously suspended |
him from the Office Of the ministry until |
the next general conference which meets |
in 1891.
In addition 10 these things came the /
difficulties Of our Japan mission, which |
resulted In charges being brought against |
II b Hartzler. the former official editor of /
the English weekly organ Of the church. |
OF these charges he was found guilty and /
deposed from office. Then his friends !
organized a Publishing Company and |
made him their editor in opposition 10 1
the official church papers. In this paper |
all manner Of bal things we're said against /
Bishop EsheF aud myself, so that Il WAS /
believed necessary 10 have an examine !
ton in accordance with the regulations /
of our discipline, which examination was
conducted By three elders who exonerat-
ed each one Of us fully from all blame.
However in order 10 bring further re-
proach upon the church, aud 10 keep the
suspended Bishop Duba, his friends ig-
nored these legal examinations and ac-
quittals, and drew up charges against us
principally drawn from our public cor
Tespondence and articles relative 10 the
disturbing faction, and the very faction
against which what we had written was
upon the truthfuinesa Of what we had
said Of their conduct.
Of course having been examined and
honorably acquitted We gave the. sham
trials 10 which We we're cited no atten-
tion whatever and have gone on with our
work as usual and propose TO do 10.
Since these sham trials Is annual confer
ences have been held, all of which have
endorsed us In our position, and of the
25 conferences no doubt 20 will fully en-
dorse our position. There Is no doubt
whatever as to what the coming general
conference will do. Nor IL there any
doubt as 10 what the coming session OF
the board OF Missions viii do. The APP
preparations viii be paid to the confer
ence over which preside, and which IL
the only Oregon Conference Of the Evan
gelical church. The meeting held in
this city will have no more legal stand
ing at the next general conference than
II so many boys had held conference"
on vacant lot somewhere in this city.
THURSDAY MORNING SESSION. NAY @, 1880
/ After the conference was regularly
opened by the bishop, business was
transacted with much dispatch. The
following resolutions were passed.
i Resolved: That the trustees Of the
Oregon conference are authorized 10
contest all conveyance Of property, situ-
ated within the bounds of this confer
ence, that may be attempted by any oi
the men who withdrew from the confer.
ence.
Whereas: Bowersox, g q Polling, +
Bollinger, ii l. Pratt, L s Locke, j NJ
} Dick, A X johnson, J II Hershner, g M
} Plowman, M Beauchamp, Y A Yosi
, and l. Scobert consented 70 and partici
, pated in the disgraceful affair referred "
} above ldisgraceful row at the opening o.
} the SESSION. against the word OF God
the Jaws and order Of our church, anc
having deliberately withdrawn from thii
conference, and
Whereas: This conference by resolu
tions in the name OF the conference, tn,
} above named persons should be deal
with in a forbearing spirit and Christian
manner, should they choose to return
8 and
Whereas This offer was treated will
: contempt, therefore,
Resolved, That G g Polling, Locke
[ Il S Bollinger and J ii Hershner, who's
: conduct was most offensive, aud VIII
! seemed to be leaders in the revolutionar
proceedings, have by their public cor
duct forfeited all the rights and priv