Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-02-11
THE WAR ON DR.. WILSON.
A Statement In Behalf of the Dover
District Presiding Elder.


scripts of Brothers Bateman and Cow.
gill.
Editor Gazette @ Journal. You possibly
have little or no interest in conference
troubles, but rs certain so.called reli.
Pious paper, devoted TO Christ and His
church" (?) has published such bold mis-.
representations of the presiding elder OF
Dover district and refused to admit the
statements Of his friends, you will
hardly refuse portion of your paper
to one wishing to notice some Of the
movements being made against this
faithful man of God. The appointment
of the Revs. Alfred Smith and w. r.
Corkran, D. D., personal friends of DIR.
Wilson, to the leadership Of Easton and
Salisbury district, respectively, was cal
eulated to arouse certain clergvmen and
hence there was no surprise felt at the
rumored intention of separating these
three elders and making them fight each
other. How successful this work has
been can possibly be described by those
who might have been pursuaded to at
tempt such task.
For considerable period after the
18th Of June, 1891, this so-called re-
ligious paper teemed with perverted
accounts Of the Dover district stewards
meeting, if haply it might create n
stronger sentiment against the Dover
district presiding elder, for the publisher
and proprietor Of that paper had pre-
viously stated that "John Wilson's
power must be broken and certainly
no opportunity could be allowed to pass
unnoticed which seemed to furnish links
for the great (Y) indictment. After the
death of the Rev T. o. Ayers of Della
ware City, newspaper, published in
that town, took up the cudgel, and,
mirabile dictu, promised for while
from the character of its articles, to sur.
pass this so-called religious paper in
abusiveness No sooner had the would
be fish commissioner-great nature
seems to have endowed him pre-cmi-
nently for such position-flung out to
the world his list of charges against a
certain presiding elder" than he, Dill
worth, was awaited upon by the counsel
~ Tor the Wilmington Conference seek
ing proof of one charge against this
"certain presiding elder" According
to the statement made by the editor OF
this Delaware City paper to two mem
beers of the Wilmington Conference, he
gave the said counsel (Y) "abundant
proof that Mr.. Wilson had gone to
various cross road churches on the East.
ern Shore of Maryland and declared to
llliteratc and ignorant people that he,
Wilson, was sanctified, and, therefore
in the estimation of this would-be pro.
tector of the tinny tribe, "could not sin. =
Furnished with such excellent GU testi.
mony, this aforementioned counsel (?)
has sailed forth, breathing threatening
charges Of heresy against the presiding
elder of Dover district.
These are some OF the filings which
are being made, Mr. Editor, against the
Rev. j. A. b. Wilson, d. d., whose sole
crime seems to be that he has been, and
still is, an unparalleled success along all
lines Of church work. AS the Gath an
nual session of the Wilmington Confer
ence approaches, other schemes to de.
stroy DIR. Wilson are fast being dis.
closed. In recent issue of your paper
you have published an exact copy Of a
circular letter which is being circulated
by j. III. Bateman, Alfred Cowgirl and
Q. IL. b. Day, representing the official
board of the First NJ. +. Church, Dover
against the Rev. J. A. B. Wilson, ID. d.
One would suppose that the enemies OF
Dr. Wilson, who, according to their
own printed statements do not "purpose
to enter upon yindictive crusade oil
malignant persecution of the presiding
elder" would be satisfied with this
printed matter, but in number of cases
these Jealous men of God have added
personal notes to the circular. AS your
Dover correspondent did not possess one
of these interesting postscripts and as
they breathe such spirit of Christian
charity and brotherly love, l thought
the readers of your paper might enjoy
reading one or two of them before the
battle begins at conference The first
is from the pen of the chairman of this
wonderful committee and reads as fol.
lows.
M dear brother: Brother Albert Cowgirl
gave me your name and requested me to
write you. We need and desire your hearty
cooperation in the movement indicated III
the foregoing circular. We are informed
the bishop is anxious to do us full justice.
to hear all there is to be heard, but in
order to be heard effectively ii is necessary
that whatever steps we take, whatever
complaints or statements, must have the
sanction and authority of the church. Can
you secure the cooperation of your official
board? Will you aid us also TO the extent
of giving us any other churches in youl
neighborhood who are affected by the evil
administration of the presiding elder, and
also the names of official members of these
churches to whom | can send these circu
lars and from whom we can get informa
tion2 Conference is approaching rapidly
time is flying. The enemy is active and We
must work assiduollsly and earnestly if
we expect to succeed. Very truly yours
tSignedl j. II. BArEMAH.
This is an exact copy of postscript
added to one of these circulars. Not
wishing to be surpassed in usefulness
even by his chief, Albert Cowgirl OF
Dover, Del, has written this sort of .
letter:
DOVER, DEL, Jan. =, 1S92.-Dear Brother
learn from Mr.. Bateman that he has SEM
you the circular of our committee. III,
grievances of the churches in this section
are so decided that we have no trouble in
getting at them, yet we want to show thai
other sections have also trouble with him
as he states everywhere that it is only
Dover and its influence that are dissat
istied. You and others have shown me
that you of --- feel his paw on you
NOW, II we can get your church IN any
official manner to state it and do it soon
and send to us, we will feel obliged. The
church's action may be of two classes
First. Let the board merely pass resoltl-
ton and send il to us through its secretary
that without desiring to enter into any de
tailed statement, it is our deliberate con
viction that the interest of the church de-
mands that at this session of the confer
ence another presiding elder be appointed
for Dover district, and that we are con.
strained to declare that it is our judgment
| it would be misfortune to our district tC
continue Rev. J. A. Is. Wilson as its pre-