Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-07
AN ALLEGED CONSPIRACY.
Startling Statements Made at the Maryland
Methodist Protestant Conference.

Startling Statements Made at the Maryland
Methodist Protestant Conference.
The Maryland conference Of the Methodist
Protestant church is firmly of opinion that an
organized conspiracy is working to the disad-
vantage Of their denomination and its members
have no hesitation in stating that the Methodist
Episcopal church is doing the conspiring. The
opinion and some facts came out yesterday at
the Methodist Protestant conference now being
held in Baltimore. President Strayer had pro-
posed . division Of the conference into two
parts and the proposition was defeated by o
vote Of 70 to 10. One of President Strayer's
strongest arguments was for more supervisory
influence, something impossible in such q large
conference under the present system. The ne
cessity for this supervision he endeavored to
show.
PRESIDENT sTRAYER's ALLEGATIONS.
"It may not be known to you," said he, ''that
in portion Of this district there is Q we'll
organized plan which is being operated for the
disintegration and disorganization Of the
Methodist Protestant church. A scheme is
working to destroy our church by getting our
larger salaries than they now receive, and when
this plan fails rumors are started that they
want to leave their churches but the churches
to which they desire to 60 will not have them
Thus the attempt is made to break down the
confidence of q congregation in its pastor.
will read you letter written by man whose
name was once on the roll Of this conference
to one OF our young clergymen, and is only one
Of a number Of the same kind.
"The letter runs: Dear Brother: have been
informed that some time last year you con-
templated leaving the Methodist Protestant
church and entering the ministry of another
denomination. Therefore, take the liberty Of
inditing to you this letter. desire to say sim
ply that If you, like myself, have discovered the
weakness of the Methodist Protestant system
and especially the absurdity Of mutual rights
as applied to the practices Of the churches in
the Maryland annual conference and of the con-
ference itself, and desire to enter the ministry
OF the Methodist Episcopal church because you
believe that that church will afford you greater
facilities for usefulness in the Redeemer's
cause. you would be cordially received into the
Wilmington conference. We are in need of men
In our district Several charges are being sup
piled by local preachers, the charges paying
from 1850 to S400. The presiding elder of our
district ls looking for good unmarried man
10 take charge OF an important work. He asked
me to recommend to him an available man.
can secure this place for you. With this send
you q copy of the last minutes of our confer
ence. Read carefully the statistical reports
and notice the increase in value of church prop
erty and members during the past year. If
you desire to correspond with me about this
matter you can do SO without danger Of having
your confidence betrayed"
Continuing, President Strayer said: "If we
are to guard against such insidious work as this
we must have extra supervision, and this super
vision can only be had by having the confer
ence divided
The conference wac very indignant over the
disclosures made by the president, but it would
not agree to division.
At later stage of the proceedings the Rev.
J. I. Murray OF this city spoke in behalf of the
work OF the board of ministerial education.
Rev. L. w. Bates of Georgetown thought
that all ministers receiving over $500 per
annum should contribute per cent and all re-
ceiving less than $500 one-half per cent to the
fund for superannuated claimants but the con-
ference disagreed with him.