West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1893-12-07
EVANGELICAL Association.
Written tot tn. Argus.

One of the unfortunate thirgs in
the history of the Christian Church
is the present trouble among the
members OF the Evangelical Asso-
citation of churches. 1t has doubt
less been growing for years, aud
not being duly suppressed in time,
it finally broke out with alarming
violence. Sin crcpt into our
churches, and among all classes of
tho members, from the highest to
the lowest, not in all, but i'm many.
Envy, joalousy. pride, personal
ambition, love of pre-. eminencc took
deep root among us. 1t is said by
some that even lust existed aud has
been proven. Carnal elements
came to predeminate and, like the
Corinthians, il broke ont in divis.
ION. The storm is sweeping over
the entire church, and unless arres-
ted will end lns a..1disgraccfcl rup-
ture. l Cor. /: l-3l. Cor. i:
l---23. Read these passages,
2. The SPIRIT. -God says,
"Now, il any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is mono of his"
In this fight the Spirit Of Christ has
been largely. lost. The spirit of
contention, spite, bitterness, strife
animosity, and unbrothcrly feeling
has IN many instances taken tho
place OF love, forbearance, kindness
and forgiveness. Read Ram. 8:
l--39.
3. THE CONDUCT OF many has
been reprchensible. Angry words
have passed. Abuse has been
indulged. Quarrels have taken
place. Churches have been
locked against each other.
Church trials have gone on in the
spirit of spite. Bishops have been
grossly insultcd. Ministers have
been cgged aud their vehicle be.
smearcd with filth. Water has been
thrown from windows OH church
officers. Bitter epithets have been
banded back aud forth. Each
party claim that they are right and
the others wrong. One brother ban
dies another with such language
AS, "Conglomeration of stuff,
vituberatipn, egotism, audacious,
immoral in character, lawless and
outrageous, utterly false and decep-
tive, the vilcst slander and balder,
dash, the effervescence Of his imag-
inative and excited brain, the entire
insinuation is ~ lie and q slander.
vile and slanderous assertions,
acrimonious insinuations, and bitter
Invective." And all this passes
under the pseudonYm of Evangcl-
ical. What q misnomer. Read
Col. 3: Ply.
4. TIE OCCASION for the out.
break Of the volcanic eruption was
at the General Conference in Buff
falo. New York, in 1887. Here
one Hartzler was deposed from the
editorsIIip of the Evangelical 1Ncs.
senger, under some reflections. after
his case had been examined by the
General Conference. Another
I1artzlcr had been recalled, some
time before, MS missionary TO Japan.
There existed personal feeling
between Bishops Elchcr and Dubs.
Some Of the delegates, q minority,
would not acquiesce in the actions
and proceedings OF the General
Conference, and finally voted n
refusal to sign their names to the
minutes. But a large majority
acquiesccd IN tho doines Of the
General Conference.
This minority went ont from the
Conference, organized a Publishing
company, started wee ky paper at
Harrisburg, called "The Evangelr-
cal, ," and claimed 10 be the tho real
true and original Evangelical
Association" and brought suit for
the publishing house at Cleveland, ,
to eject she officers elected by the
General Conference. This suit the
Harrisburg brethren LOST. Bishop
Dubs fell in with this now move
ment. at the Buffalo Conference
no place was offered for tho next
session Of tho General Conference.
So the time was fixed and com nit
toe a0pointcd to qocnre n uIaoo for