The herald., 1895-10-25
THE CASE TO BE APPEALED
yor Final Decision by the Presbyterian
General Assembly
Los Angeles Delegates to the Synod Were
Not Allowed to Vote
The War Of Words Was Fierce, but the nem-
bers Of the Los Angeles Presby.
terry Expressed Themselves
as Being Satisfied


Associated Press Special Wire
SAN JOSE, Oct. N.-At the Presbyte-
rian synod of California today the COM
mission appointed to investigate the
troubles OF the First church of Los An
geles reported overruling the action OF
the Los Angeles Presbytery in every in
stance and alleging that there WAS not
sufficient evidence to sustain the verdict
of the Los Angeles Presbytery; also that
that body bad made several errors at the
several hearings. The report was adopted
and notics of appeal to the general as
semi bly, was given.
Then followed heated discussion, doz-
ems of members calling on the chair for
recognition to give their views as to the
question whether the report of the COM
mission restored Rev. Burt Estes How
ard to his pastorate. The war of words
ragged fierce and fast and finally Rev. L.
Robinson offered a resolution that it be
the sense of the synod that the Los An
geles Preshytery recognize Rev. Burt
Estes Howard as fully restored to his
ministerial functions. Amid many warm
expressions the synod adopted the resolu
tion, the Los Angeles members not be-
ing permitted TO vote. The Los Angeles
Presbytery members said the adoption
of the resolution satisfied them, as it
u
their appeal to the general assembly. The
synod adjourned sine die.
The action of the Presby terian synod
I in reversing the decision of the Los An
\ geles presbytery as regards Rev. Burt
Estes Howard and the elders the West
min ster Presbyterian church was received
in Los Angeles bv Mr.. Howard's friends
with great pleasure.Eit was.announced on
Tuesday evening that this would be the
probable action of the synod, and when
the news came it was not altogether un-
expected.
The anti-Howard mem bers of the old
First Pres byterian church who now form
the Central church have not lost heart,
however. They propose to continue the
fight and will go to the court OF last re-
sort-the Presbyterian general assembly
of America. They contend that the re-
solution adopted ~ the synod restoring
the Rev. Howard to his pastorats will be
their strongest basis on appeal. They as.
sert that it was error. to use a legal
phrase, to take such action.
They also hold further that while the
actio:; of the synod nullifes the decision
of the presbytery in she matter of the
trial Of Rev. Howard and the elders, it
has no effect as TO the action of the pres
bytery in dividing the First Presbyterian
church into two organizations, and also
dividing the coin obtained from the sale
of the First churcn property. The mat
ter of the division of the FIRST church
will stand, it is true, but the dividing of
the coin is another matter. 1t looks as
though the Howardites had the best end
of that proposition. They have the coin.
The civil courts have decided that they
can legally hold it, alter the presbytery
had ordered them to give up some Of 1t 70
the Central church people and they had
refused.
For a while there will be truce in the
church warfare. Now the general assem-
bly, has got TO go over the whole difficulty
and settle 1t finally, once and for all.