Evening journal., 1896-03-12
CLERGY IN CHAOS
Methodist Ministers Upset
BY Designing Brethren.
OLD WILSON WAR RESUMED
His Coterie Charged With six
ing" Bishop Warren.
I'D WILSON WAR RESUMED
WAR PAINT PREPARED FOa DOVER

COrkran Presiding Elder of Easton Dis
trict; DIR. GrIce, Dover District; MIR.
Baker, Salisbury District; and Later,
Mr. Hanna. wilminEton-mr. Terry and
DR.. Murray Both Knocked Out.
"Ohl this will be a quiet session Of
conference, with nothing but reports
and anniversaries, exclaimed a Sussex
county minister when approached by an
EVENING JOURNAL representative last
week in lower Delaware and asked II he
had heard Of any turbulencs among the
Methodist ministers.
This good brother was not the only
one who was found to be entirely limo
cent of one of the shrewdsst plots to tear
up the Wilmington Conferences serenity
that has ever been conceived.
Qalck investigation by an EVENING
JOURNAL representative has brought out
the appended story. most OF which has
developed within the past twenty four
hours and which shows 3 state of affairs
existing among the mlnist ers of Method =
ism on this Peninsula that urDAsses the
Il MuuloLauio buEmoli OF Dut COultIcuCt III
| 1892 In Grace Church, this city.
The Methodist brethren do not seem to
realize what is meant by the scriptursl
prophesy about the house divided against
itself.
Arbitrary Bishop Warren.
While the hostillties are simply a
fresh breaking out Of the wilson
Murray troubles. Bishop 81. w. Warren,
who is 20 preside al the coming sessio u
10 Dover seems to be at ths bottom OF it
all
Bishop Warren is known as an arbi-
trsry man and came near splitting the
/ Wilmington Conferences In two when he
exercised his executive administration
over It's deliberations In Crisfield in 1887
1--WE want no more Bishop Warren, "
said minister OF Wilmington after
that bellicoae session; while Rev. + l.
Hubbard, who had been pushed down In
the country from Union Church, this
city. 'jicked up" the whole business by
shouting II will not go; III farm first "
Many far-sighted ministers therefore
began to shake in their boots when they
heard that Bishop Warren was 70 pre-
side at the session In Dover
FIXED" the Appointments.
As Is well known, a Methodist itineraut
minister is wholly at the mercy OF the
bishop and his cabinet, when he goes to
conference, as TO his place OF residence
and labor for the ensuing year. il is q
matter OF personal liberty and sui sct
very dear and near the heart OF a mi is
ter and his family. The very best Of
them are always subject TO any change
Of mind that the bisnop or his presiding
elders may be victims Of
Therefore. half the Methodist minis
ters of this fair Peninsula were up in
arms, literally when, in 1887,
they heard that B'shop Warren had been
drawn into and become a party to q star
chamber session where the entire list Of
appointments was "fEsd" prior to con
ference.
Hubbard. Murray aud 0 few more Of
the too energetic and enthusiastic boys
were TO be brought up with short turn
and J. a. P. Wilson was to bs msds pre-
siding elder Of WILMINGTON district
This, too, notwithstanding that every
quarterly conference, or nearly so. had
expressed Itself In favor OF Rev N. a.
Browne for presiding elder
The Bishop Knew His Business.
By some means. the plan was dlsoov-
cred and self-cOnstituted committee Of
the most Influential Methodists IN Will
mington boarded c special car, pest haste,
and repaired 60 Crisfsld to block the
scheme. They did not carry Bishop
Warren by storm. however. for be
quickly responded to their importunities
with: II know my business" aud the
committee soon found that it could only
knock out Wilson from Wilmington
district, but Mr.. Browne would under no
circumstances be substituted.
The Bishops Admired Wilson.
Because of his faculty Of squeezing money
from the psopie and returning big col.
leetions He was remarkably successful
In this
A Kent county minister who was found
at his home yesterday, driven in by
stormy weather said TO the reporter on
this point:
"You see there Is q faction OF money-
raisers In the board of bishops who Judge
minister only by the size OF his coliec
tions, and OF course Wilson was way
up, while some Of as fellow down here In
this panic stricken state are away down.
II Is next TO impossible to raise the
benavolencss assessed upon us down here
without open extortion.
bishops Fowler, Warren, Hurst and
Foss are all In this sort of combination
and are in something OF marriage with
the Wilson coterie down here and q sort
Of divorce from the remaining members
of the conferences of whom Or. w. l. s.
Murray is the recognized leader.
Act I-stopped Murray's Transfer.
The FIRST appearance OF an outbreak
this year WAS when the above named
bishops quietly but stubbornly opposed
the transfer OF DR.. Murray to the Phila-
delphis Conference aud completely
spoiled his chance TO become pastor Of
one Of the best Methodist churches in
Philsdelphia-M e Church o. the
Covensnt-Whsre the people were uuani.
nous In their petition for him.
Act II-star Chamber Proceedings.
Within only a few hours the star
chamber scheme Of 1887 has cropped out
sgsin and the Wilson coterie has been
discovered to be designing for further