The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-08
WOULDN'T PREACH HE'LL
P3OTfSTOF 4 MLTHODfST PASTOR
IN NLBRIShd.
Obliged to Leave His Churcl, on Account
of Dissatisfaction with His
Doctrines.


ers a graduate OF the University OF the
Northwest. WIS sent TO Schuyler year
ago against the protests OF some menu
bers who wished their old pastor 10 DE
returned. The malcOntents piOcecded 10
make trouble Tor the new pastor, nut the
proved To be an eloquent and iorcloie
speaker. and drew larger audiences IMAM
the edince would hold. \ new church was
built but about month before lhr con-
ference was held his enemies, reinforced
by dozen members VINO objected TO the
doctrine of no he'll preached 10y MI. Mey-
ers, got up a petition asking that ne ne
not returned for another year. When the
amendments were announced II was
found that Mr.. Meyers had been trans
fcrred. This action OF the Bishop caused
more trouble In the Church. ana appcdls
to the presiding elder ana tile blshop
were mace by his friends, but without
avail Mr.. Meyers declared he would not
be transferred and the Bishop sent his
successor. armed with the necessary l'5hl
papers. The new pastor TOOK possession
without employing any physical force
The dcposed minister has begun the task
Of building up a church of his own in
Schuyler. ard his first services, on sun
day. were largely ATTENDED.
His letter Of declinatlon 10 the presiding
elder oil the district has just been made
public. and the bitter tenor of Do. as well
as tine charges he makes against the 'ec-
closiastical bosses as lc calls the
Church authorities. has created sen-a-
ton in the State. In this letter he gives
the following reasons for his action.
First. / can no longer subject my
thinking to the thoughts Of few sec
tartan bosses who thought their thoughts
a hundred years ago. My motto y, keA-
son Is the lamp in the lisnt or whleh
every man must walk for himself. me
world has outefown the secJariAh lhiuh-
ing OF the centuries past, ana IS now NOV
ing i'm the progressive light OF reason
lamp ia the present day. The pantean
hell Of the past-the pit from Wnich lhe
flames OF fire and smoke assembled MN
gled with the breath or brimstohc anu
the cries and groans OF suffering spirits
is hell no longer reasonable 10 au lnlilh-
ing men and women of this age. 10
pr.ach men into hell who do not DOW
down tC the creed of the Church. a loriiu-
la once possessing a measure OF me- pul
now dead and de aging Is as uniedeoiid-
bic as the mind that pictured IT, W no
made the thinkers of hundred years ago
inf,flible SO that their thoughts possessed
a p.iOr and Interchangeable principles, anu
then LETT all future thinkers 10 the fate
of their human weakness! DID Cod lie
dii ii the old doctrine De true.
us the creed of the Methodist Church
an fufallihle rule2 II IL is. then AN other
creeds are wrong. for n diners from am
others. MethCdism teaches that there are
Christians in most churches. but when
o.
Methodist Church they are rejected unless
they believe wha, Meih0dism teaches;
from which the conclusions inevitably iol-
lows. christianity Is not Christianity un-
less u is Labelled Methodist. But says
the jealous but misguided advocate Of
church cieeds. 'Methodism numbers mil
lions. Yes. so did the Roman Govern
meut. but tie Roman Empire played IT'S
last act ana stepped of trc stage. Num-
Der does not pioyr .nfallibility. Truth Is
small and desu.ses show. but moves quiet
lv ard unausu.oiously forward 90 the con-
quest Of the world. Creeds must shake
of their dead leaves before their branches
can produce ripened fruit 10 save and
bless the world. Churches. like nations,
mast move in the direction or ultimate
truth or die and decay with the past.
As water. standing still, stagnates ana
produces living organism. so Churches. re-
fusing 10 move forward. Will die, and from
their efete body will rise new organism
instinct with the breath OF broader ana
clearer light. Good is good no matter
whether 10 is found IN character Dulideq
by Church creeds or built by personal
recognition OF duty and right with
faithful allegiance to the same. Men are
not all or their way TO the bottomiess pit
who do not bow down 10 crtcds compos-
ed by q few Chalmers OF inialilpuity. Us
Abraham Lincoln in the bOttomless PIT
Where are the greatest men OF this na-
ton? Was Gen. Grant ever on record OK
the Methodist church, Where are Clay.
Sumner. and Webster? Tell me aud l VIII
be- silent
My second reason for Withdrawing is
this. MethOdism Is controlled by Il set OF
ecclesiastical bosses. and all undcrerddu-
ates are their tools. All ordinary preach
ers are instantly crushed 10 death unless
they salute the pope. All kinds OF chicah-
cry and inndclly are prdctctu ny the
leaders under the cloak OF ecclesiastlcal
.NHH ID
stands upon the platform az every con-
ference. sharpcned and ready TO decapl-
tate every preacher who prostratcs not
himself TO the gods. Unless they become
professional bcggars they are immediate
Is relocated 10 the rear. The man OK
brains must seek his field for himself.
while the beggar rides his circuit gather
ing supplies Tor bosses Millions OF dol
lars annually are collected and carried TO
foreign fields 10 build UP personal enter
priscs at the expense Of privatlOn. SUI
leung, and bcggary in our nome couh-
where is the 10000 ship bought and
paid for by the American people ANA plac-
ed In the waters of the Congo by Taylor
for the purpose OF establishing trading
posts? What have been the results Of
s30O.00O begged of ,he children and poor
OF this country and sent 20 Bulgaria;
What Of the millions sent 20 China2 The
Chinaman.' said Or. MaNueld 20 Omaha,
in a. speech made at Stanton. Neb.. some
years ago. will be "a CAinaman no mat
tor where be- is. or what bee the character
OF his Instruction.. This is doubtless true.
But why send millions Of money needed
by the Door and destitute of this country
TO China TO no purpose We answer. ll
Is 90 keep missionary secretaries IN lu-
crativC positions To this end the popes
of the Church will crush out OF existence
an preachers who do not endorse the
movement Book concerns are run py
this gigantic institution and an preach
crs are required 90 purchase their iltcfa-
ture from them az enormous prices, SO
that the Bishops can come and draw large
salaries. ride I'M Pullman palace cars, stop
al costly hotels and build fine mansions.
All this genres from the seli-sacrihelns
preachers who live for the most part
uuon from 5000 10 1900 a year thousands
OF dollars passed out Of Nebraska during
the hardest times ever seen 10 fields ren-
drring LARGE support 10 the bosses or ihe
Church. while the citizens or .astefh
states were appealed 10 10 assist the
needy to keep from starvation
These are but a small number or lne
reasons | have for withdrawn.
"H. &. MEYER"
New York Sun.
\ u Hrrp