Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-03-19
Primitive Methodism Misrepreseo,.,

umns OF your valuable paper a,a
published IN Others, appears an a,,,.,
on Primitive Methodism y Witt
my humble opinion does serjons =,
tice to the above church, ard n,s..ss
Its most faithful and able minis,o..
a very improper light.
The article has been read BY mos, y.
these men, and all receive it AZ u
suit, and either treat it with silen, -.
tempt or with the most perfect inai.
nation. Aud especially when Il eor.
before the public with no mama -.
the author has to hide behind a e.
and assails class of men who ocon.
the most sacred and seryitiva - =
positions, and are expected to bs., M
things without murmur or retaliator
Such treatment reminds one n i.
kiss that sent the greatest and grand
est Of teachers into the hands of n.
rabble and the mob.
II changes have to take place in or,
church life, and the conference soo.
that it is to the best interest of eoa,.
work and humanity, let it be dona
honestly and without so much ahu,o
and misrepresentation as appears IL
that article.
cannot believe it is the work n,
anybody well acquainted with the HE
tory of the church or the character n,
the men he so ungenerously assais i,
he never would make such statements
The "secret caucus" as he terms il
held one day before conference, met IA
consider the action of certain Church
which action every minister and sta
tlon thought to be illegal and uncon.
stdutional according to the church din.
cipline, and as the above church was
considered the head Of Primitive
Methodism in the west, and rumorS
were afloat that the said church was
going to "secede, or become indepen.
dent" 1t naturally raised the oues.
ton OF our future as a conference
and on motion, one of the ministers
was appointed to bring the matter be-
fore conference, and after lengthy
discussion by that body, the following
resolutions were carried:
That each minister bring the matter II
considering the adyisahility or otherai.eof
dissolving the western conference before the
quarterly conference OF his respective
charge for action, and report to the third ses.
sion of the general committee.
This was all done in the open con.
ference, which may be found in the
annual minutes of conference, on page
10.
Then why charge this upon The min.
listers. when it was done by the confer,
ence. If "Com" is in any way &C.
quainted with the discipline, he must
know that the ministers did not, and
could not dissolve the conference.
Again he states that This commit.
tee met in llodgeville last week, when
it was found that out of a member
ship of 1900 in the conference, most
Of the small churches, having an ag.
gregate membership of over 900, IA
vored no change, while the larger
churches with over 700 members de-
sired to dissolve the conference rela-
ton and be free, or were Indifferent. A
motion recommending the conference
to continue was lost on tie vote. So
the matter remains pretty near as It
did"
1t is perfectly evident to my mind
that Com" was not at that meeting,
and | am sorry to say that he is not AZ
all particular in his figures. The real
facts are; Is churches reported to that
meeting; IL, with a Membership Of
1914, voted for continuance; :, with
mem bership of 600, voted for disSolu'
ton; and 2, with membership OF
1870, did not vote on the question; 2.
tai, 1864.
These figures are taken from tne
secretary's book and the minutes o.
the last conference, and it may be pos
sible that Com has made sllgn'
mistake without any purpose Wha'.
ever.
The "motion lost on tie vote ne
speaks of, is another misrepresentation
of the whole thing, for the above me-
ton was amended. and carried p tns
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