The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-13
ELDER HAYS CASE
Contest II tho Presbytery Re-
garding His Acqufttal.
cAlvAaYcHuacH CONTROVERSY
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The closisg days session Of the Prssby-
tefy Of Puget sound Vas mainly con-
summed b. Heht over which more or les
feelsn8 has besn srouseo, and which has
mot Jet hesn concluded, - the case will
b taken 70 the synod on appeal The cir
eumstancs OF The cass are . follow:
EldW Hsys was tried by the Session of
Calvary church for saandsring 8 n. Allen.
another elder Of the church. by assert
ing seat Allan was the publisher Of an
ccscsns nswspapsr. Che Sunday Mercury.
and also had an interest Ia building used
- house Of bod rsputs. Hays vas
unaninsusiy convicted st the Session trial.
Pastor Brsvard D. Sinclair acting
- moderator. Hays then appealed
to the prssbytsTy. which heard
the appeal ct . called meeting and
unanimously reversed the hnding Of
the session. IL also ordered the session 70
rssnstats Hays - 40 elder and to grant
him letters Of dismissal ii he desired, and
also 70 inscribs the findings Of the prssby-
terry upon the records Of the ses-
sion. The church then gave notice
Of sppsai 70 the synod, but during the ten
days within which the appeal could DO
perfected Hays wrote . letter to the
session on the advice Of Prssby serians out
side Of Calvary church, which his friends
claim vas merely intsndsd to soothe any
hard feelings which might have arisen,
and In . spirit Of reconciliation withdraw
any offensive words he might have ut
tered In the heat OF discussion. The men,
bers Of the session viewed the letter In .
Different light, regarding IL - practi-
eaiiy confessing She ofEense Of which he
hod besn accused. He also asked for letter
q withdrawal from Calvary church to the
First church. Calvary church accepted
the confession. forgavs Hays and neglected
to perfect its appeal TO the synod, think
ing that the matter would be then dropped.
At yesterday's meeting of the presby-
terry. when the minutes Of the various
church Sessions came up for approval, OBJ
lection was made TO those Of Calvary
church because they did not show that
the verdict Of the Session on the Hays
matter had been reversed by the presby-
terry. The committee TO which the minutes
had been referred brought in . report
making Q numbsr Of exceptions and
recommendation correcting the omis-
sions OF Calvary church, which were
taken up ssriatim. and all were passed.
Considerable feeling has been aroused
among . few of the ministers Of the de-
nomination who have not hesitated to sx-
press strong views of each others course
and attitude toward themselves, and the
raising Of the question had been antici-
pated. A strong and earnest fight was
made by 8. NJ. Allen In resistance Of the
contemplated action, in which no was
ably supported BY Raw. DR.. Sinclair,
former pastor Of the church. The oppo-
sition was led BY Rev. Drs. Alison, Stew.
art and Whitworth.
When the result had been announced
DR.. Sinclair gave notice that he would file
. protest against the action taken, and
also that he would take an appeal from
the decision Of the prssbyts to the synod.
The minutes Of all the other church ses-
sions we're approved In the main. with
tri6ing exceptions.
The committee on new organisations
reported the organisation of church at
Lopez. The name of the church Of San
Juan was changed 70 Friday Harbor.
In the evening" at s o'clock q missionary
rally was held, at which Rev. A. Thomp-
son. D. D.. Of the First church in Tacoma,
delivered an address on Foreign Mis-
sions." and Rev. w. A. Masksy, d. d., Of
the First church. Fairhayen, delivered ono
on "Home Missions." A good audience
turned out 70 listen to the addresses, which
were very able and intsressing.
At the conclusion Of the rally the con.
Guiding session Of the presby terry was held,
with Rev. DR.. Alison in the chair a. TEN.
porary moderator. Rev. DIR. Sinclair dur
ing the evening recess had prepared his
protest against the action OF the presby.
terry In regard to the minutes of his church
and read IL. 1t was a vigorous paper, deal
ing with the subject in detail, and pro-
tested against the prssbytery's action q
unconstitutional and mischievoua
The rules OF the church say that a pro.
test shall Be recorded II conchsd in de-
corous. respectful Language. and does
not impute unworthy motives to
the presbytery. As soon as DIR. Sin.
clair had finished his paper objection
was made by Drs. Stewart and Ali
son to recording 1t, on the ground that IL
was not respectful. DR.. Alison wanted II
referred to . committee, but several mem.
bsrs who had opposed DE- Sinclair earlier
in the day considered that his protest was
within the requirements. and the vote on
the question OF recording the protest was
10 in favor and 8 against. DR.. Stewart was
appointed chairman of committee TO pre-
pare q reply TO the protest.
The next meeting OF the synod Of Wash.
ing;on will be held At Elisnsburg on the
first Thursday in October. Ellensbure
Was also chosen as the next place of meet.
Ing OF the Puget Sound preshytery