Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-05

iative body, board or trustees, board OF
managers, or in an individual, as in the
case Of a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal
Church, consists, think, in a careful
and Jealous oversight Of the manner In
which such power is exercised, and when
ever there Is reasonable cause for suspect
ing an arbitrary and unusual use OF that
power 1t becomes not only the privilege
but also the duty of those affected thereby
to protest against such use or abuse of that
power, not only in the interests of those
who may suffer thereby. but with view to
sustaining the very constitution or law
which confers the power. This protest.
therefore. is made. not only in the defense
Of DR.. Naylor. but also that the law Of
the church. which makes 1t possible for
such action to be taken as that now in
question, may be indicated.
I'VE, therefore, most respectfully but
urgently request" said the letter In con-
clusion that DR.. Naylor be restored to the
position of presiding elder of the Washing
ton district. with view to the restora-
ton Of harmony in our midst, and the
promotion Of the best interests Of our be-
loved Zion."
bishop FOwler's Reply.
Three weeks after the letter and accom-
panying documents had been forwarded
to Minneapolis Bishop Fowler sent a reply
from Wilmington. Del. II was addressed
to Mr.. Alexander Ashley and was dated
April 10. 1894. go
Dear brother" 1t began. "Your letters
Of April and l3 came In due time. The
package Of papers you sent to me addressed
to Minneapolis reached me here April IA.
! did not reply to your letter Of the sth
because / thought every day the package
would come and then l could answer more
satisfactorily or at least more fntelligently.
Besides the non-appearance of the package
there was also the tremendous pressure Of
these conferences. SO that 1t was almost
impossible to give the matter attention.
have now carefully read all the papers
rda nd xtot Sos hot
l am exceedingly sorry to have grieved SO
many brethren. The appointment OF Dr.
Naylor was very carefully considered before
1t was made. / tried to open the way for
him at Fayette Street. Baltimore. but
could not. as I was met by what claimed
to be an Official protest then made the
best appointment for him / could l found
1t necessary to make change in the dis
trict for the good Of the work. OF course.
you have no thought that l will change 1t
back. though you may so desire II. / gave
1t my best attention and most prayerful
consideration. l had not the slightest per-
sonal interest in the case. came to- a
solid conviction that the change should be
made. / retain that conviction. While I
am sorry to have troubled any of the breth-
rem. yet you will allow me to suggest that
II they will as prayerfully do the work
assigned to them as try to do the work
assigned to me l have no doubt that the
church will prosper. Praying God to bless
You. l remain always very sincerely"
Shortly after the receipt of Bishop Fow-
ler's reply. Chairman Ashley addressed him
another letter. dated April 10. After ac-
knowledging the receipt of the bishops
communication Of April 16. Mr.. Ashley
wrote:
Requesting the Bishops Reasons.
while thanking you for the kindly man.
ner In which you refer to the subject mat
ter Of the papers In question. 1 cannot re-
frain from saying that your letter Is I'M
satisfactory In that 1t gives no reasons for
the removal Of DR.. Naylor from the pre-
siding eldership of the Washington dis
trict except that you found 1t necessary
to make change In the district for, the
good of the work 'At ID" -''
THE strongest factor In the protest Of
the brethren against the removal OF DR..
Naylor Is the fact that no reasons were
given either to the doctor himself or to the
church in general for the action taken
What We respectfully request you to do Is
to give US the cause which led You to be-
heve that q change was necessary for the
good of the work. You state that you had
not the slightest personal interest in the
case, which, of course, We believe, but GER
tainly some influence must have been used
by others which caused you to take such
action. Now, We cannot see that the gen.
eral interests OF Methodism in this district
will be served by the removal OF DIR. Nay
lor. and We believe We represent. in this
view of the case, a large majority of the
me mbership. but If you will give us the
reasons which caused you to think other
wise 1t will go far, perhaps. toward allay-
Ing that intense feeling In the church which
the matter has created. .f= i1~1f4
I'VE think II but rea soma le" wrote Mr.
Ashley, In conclusion. that We should have
your reasons for removing DIR. Nayior, and
II they are such as commend themselves to
US We will be more disposed to acquiesce in
your fnal decision. Please let me hear from
you BY return mall II possible.
''Thanktng you kindly for the suggestion
that We 'prayerfully do the work assigned
U.S.. suggestion which is always proper.
and trusting that you will not regard us
too persistent In this matter"
Bishop Fowler still Refuses.
Ten days after the foregoing letter was
mailed a reply was received from Bishop
Fowler, at Albany, where he was attending
the meeting Of the bishops. held for the
purpose of making assignments for the fall
conferences. The communication bore the
date of April "a. I'd ~. ,,s
"Your letter Of the 10Th Is before me-,
wrote the bishop. Its demands surprise
me. 1t has always been my practice to give
myself utterly TO the work while 1t Is ON
hand; and to receive all preachers and lay
men and give them unstinted attention
OF course, this does not involve my violat-
ing the principal of wise administration.
1T Is the first principle in administering
upon brother, when necessary, to do
what Is painful to him, and much more
painful to me to SO do II as to infiict upon
him the least harm. II the removal Is left
as the conscientious act Of the bishop IL
gives the brother the advantage of the
harm being simply a question of the judg-
ment of the bishop, which may have been
misled or misjudged This leaves the bur
den on the bishop, and not on the removed
man. Bit IL the reasons are detailed then
the man Is under the question, without re-
lief 1t Is not wise to give out the reasons
1t is better for me to bear 1t than to load
it onto another. "E# p ::
1T does not seem necessary to make such
statements to people who have no duty or
authority in the case. II you think 1 am
autocratic in attending to business strictly
committed to me, what ought to be thought
Of those who make demands in fields to
which they have little or no relation?
trust you will pardon me for not complying
with your peculiar request. You will allow
me to ask you kindly to accept my judg-
ment in this case. l am sure 1 will do less
harm in this way than in the other way"
Further Action of the Committee.
Upon the receipt of this letter, another
meeting Of the committee was called, at
which, after long and earnest discussion
and due consideration of everything per-
| tanning to the controversy and those en-
gagged in 1t, 1t was decided to allow all the
correspondence in the case, as well as the
official reports Of the action Of the various
churches on the subject of Dr. MAYORS re.
| Toval, to be published. A prominent mem.
! Der of the committee said:
The object had in view in the Duh.