Smyrna times., 1892-03-16
The Trouble that Presiding Elder
Wilson Has Raised.

by the action OF HreSldlDg Elder Wilson |
at the last session of the conference,
and which has been a disturbing
element throughout the year, is coming
to direct issue for the conference
which assemblies to-day at Grace
Church, Wilmington
A committee of laymeR have served !
charges upon Mr. Wilson, in which he
is charged with corrupt administration,
lying, political hypocrisy and attempt
ing to employ spies.
In turn, he through three of his |
laymen has formulated charges against |
several of his opponents, among whom !
are Presiding Elder w. l.. 5. Murray,
of the Wilmington district the Revs. |
f. L. Hubbard, Wilmington; Il. f. |
Martindale, of New Castle; Vaughn S.
Collins, of Centreville, Md. j. B.
Quigg, of Northeast, Md; and E. c,
MacNlchol, Sudlersville, Md. John
r. Todd, of Dover.
These charges are said to be utterly
frivolous, and the laymen who signed
them did so at Mr.. Wilson's instance,
without knowing what was in the
charges,
A writer for the Philadelphia Record
of Monday, says of the charges made
against him
He is accused of carrying the prin-
ciples aud methods of a bulldOzing
ward politician into the solemn Coun-
ellis of the church, and to have been
unscrupulously brushing out of his
way any and all ministers who seemed
to stand in the path of his ambition to
capture the chief honors of the confer
ence.
He is accused not only of having
successfully schemed to keep the ear
| of the bishop, but of having his own
pets" and moving the ministers of his
district about Arbitrarily, from pulpit to
pulpit to suit his own whims and dis
likes, irrespective of the faithfulness
and efficiency of their pastOrate. As
au instance, the specific charge is
made that at meeting of some of the
church officers to provide for his own
salary, he refused to recognize the
credentials of many of the duly accred-
tied church representatives aud had
his own supporters on hand to usurp
seats where there was any opposition
to him.
One Of the Methodist laymen of his
district sweaTs that Elder Wilson pro-
missed to write letter to Governor
Reynolds recommending him for Reg
lister of Wills for Kent county, and that
meeting the governor shortly after, he
learned to his great amazement that
Mr.. Wilson had written to Governor
Reynolds soliciting the Office for Col.
E. t. Cooper.
CALLED LIAR AND HYPOCRITE.
This accusation Of lying is accOmpa-
MED by one Of hypocrisy. It is declar-
ed that while Ostensibly champiOning
the cause of the Prohibition party
throughout the state, he really doomed
Robert ]. Reynolds, the Democratic
candidate for governor.
Rev. f. L. Hubbard is accused OF
having broken his vows of temperance
and chastity. Some time ago he was
about three weeks in Paris, i'll health
having been the cause OF his voyage.
> Elder Wilson asserts that during that
time DIR. Hubbard made himself drunk
L with wine, and mailed home TO his
wife the most obscene kind of litera-
ture.
DR.. Hubbard was seen by a Record
: reporter.
"You may be sure" be declared
"that the charges made against Elder
= Murray and myself are untrue. We
shall demand an investigation and we
> will not be afraid OF the result. Elder
> Wilson will find that he has gone toe
far in trumping up charges which b,
we'll knows are false, and making then
: public before their hearing.
! THREATENED TO THROW DIRT.
"SOme time after the beginning O
the differences between Elder Wilson
aRd the Dover district, Rev. Johr
France, pastor Scott Church, Whining
D ton, came to Elder Murray and mysel
? as a friend of Elder Wilson's, and told
r us that Elder Wilson desired US to try
j and cOnciliate his churches. He in
y formed US that if we would not do thi
Elder Wilson threatened to throw dirt
}, Inquiring what this meant, Franc
# informed US that Wilson would ruiz
# our reputation. When we declared
e that he could not find ANYTHING q
0 charges against us, France replied tha
he would not try to prove any charge
3 against us. Some would be sure +
y believe them anyway
! Wilson later prevailed upon tn
! Bishop to remove Mr., Ayres from th
s presiding eldership of Salisbury dis
q triCt to small Delaware church, an
y the blow OF the disgrace, according t,
Ayres' physician, was the cause of hi
:. death.
It Wilson became Presiding Elder G
9 salisbury district, and managed /
J. get another such Office in Dover dis
J. trict Immediately. He secured Saul,
?, bury district for Elder Corkran lieu
r tenant. AS soon as he went to Dove
the trouble began. He has stirred u
: almost the entire district.