West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1893-08-31
EVANGELICAL CHURCH TROUBLE,
4 Very Able and Comprehensive
Article From the Pom Of Rev.
John s. Barefoot, Of
Pennsylvania.
To TuE EpIron ARGUS -

i saw an article OF j. w. Domer's
in the Preston County Journal of
June s2d, 1898, purporting to give
tho cause OF the unhappy situation
in our church, which in its nature,
is so misleading that cannot but
answer him through the columns of
your valuable paper.
lie says IN his article, Gas there
seems to be considerable agitatio On
within the bounds Of Preston county
upon this controversy and TO enable
all to judge intelligcntly as to the
cause that lio at its root, and which
OF the two contcsting factions is
morally and legally right, is the
object of this article"
He then goes back to the General
Conference ~ Buffalo, N. Y, and
among other things he says !:
"Thosc who protested (meaning his
side) against this initial lawless
course (referring to the trial of II.
B. Hartzlcr at the General Confer
ence) have stood unhinchingly by
tho law and discipline of the church
through the controversy until the
present time," etc.
Then he concludes his prelude by
saying that in Pennsylvania there
are upwards OF so. 900 mem bers and
that 10000 adhere to the 30 called
minority (his side).
THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE.
At the General Conference in
Buffalo, N. Y, In 1887, there was
assembled all the Delegates elected
by TIE then 20 Annual Conferences
of the church, including the cx.
ofiicio members OF our Publishing
House, together with Bishops j. J.
Esher, Thomas Bowman and r..
Dubs, as Chairmen of that Confer
ence, making in all 104 persons to
do business for the whole church.
and when fully organized as it was
there constitutes the Supreme Court
OF Law Of our church, as section
"a, page 81 OF our Discipline
declares.
AT this conference there was one
III. B. HIartzler, then editor of the
Evangelical Messe'sger, charged with
"unchristian conduct, Official mis-
conduct and grieyous official offen.
COS as minister and as editor of
our church." See p. 81, minutes
OF Buffalo General Conference Of
1887. In this conference and at
this trial both parties Of the dele.
gates took part, each side putting
in their evidence for eight days
before jury selected by the body
to render verdict. Rememb ber Mr..
Hartzler was = General Conference
officer, and was no delegate but a
representative of our Publishing
House as Editor, and was amoBablc
TO the General Conference for his
"oiilcial misconduct" for he Gen
eral Conference elects all the edi.
tors Of the church papers. AS TO
the protest thst Domer refers to, is
the one made by the minority Of
delegates OF that Conference in
Hartzlor's trial. II was 20 this
effect After they (thc minority
had participated in the trial for
eight days, aud tho Jury bad went
out 10 find their verdict and che
trial closed. owe do protest
against the finding Of verdict Of
guilty" and many other things.
This the General Conference could
not allow, because the Jury was
ordered out, and their verdict had
70 be waited for, however, q verdict
Of guilty was concluded upon and
II. b. Harizler. who bad been edi.
tor Of the Aesssager for eighteen
consecutive years, received q mild
sentence from tho Court as hIlows:
''That he be deposcd from tIe Office
as editor Of the Euangellcal Messsn.
ger" To this sentence Nr Hartz.
Ter and bic followers would not sub.
NIT, but went 60 work during the
remainder Of the sessions OF the
General Conference and formed r.
! publishing company, known as