Evening star., 1897-04-10
A CHURCH IN DISPUTE
Two Denominations Claim Property in
Hagerstown.
Transfer of the Evangelical Church
to the Baltimore NJ. E. Cenfer-
ence south Questioned.

Many members of the Southern Methodist
churches in this city, as well as in Virginia
and Maryland, who have been pleased by
the presentation to the Baltimore confer
ence of handsome church in Hagerstown.
Nd, will regret to learn that steps have
been taken by persons formerly connected
with the church in question to prevent a
transfer of the property to the conference.
At the time the gift was announced to the
conference one of tine members said it was
the best thing for the conference that had
occurred since 1865.
The accession came to the conference
without any effort on its part. The pastor
congregation. church and parsonage of the
Evangelical Church of Hagerstown were
taken bodily into the conference. A week
Previous to the above event the congrega-
uon met and decided upon taking the step
looking to organic union. The pastor Rev.
IL. W. Gross. and one OF the trustees C. D.
Lt very, went to conference to make the
tender of union. The church was organized
eight years ago and has a membership of
10. largely made up of Germans. The
church building and parsonage are valued
al $4,000 Heretofore the congregation had
been AFFILIATED with the central Pennsylva-
ria conference of the United Evangelical
Church. Rev. Mr.. Gross said the sympa-
II les of his people We're largely with the
Southern Church, and as they were already
working under a Methodist form of disci-
pline and church policy, his people desired
a closer afhliation with the Southern
Church. Hence came the offer of union
without solicitation on the part of the con-
ference or its members.
A day or two ago Presiding Elder N
Young and Rev. w. n. Fosselman of Car
llsle, Pa, of the United Evangelical Church
arrived in Hagerstown.
They claimed that all the proceedings
taken to have the church and congrega-
how
cite as authority the discipline of the
United Evangelical Church, which pro
Vides that congregational action dissolv-
ing the ecclesiastical relations of the con-
greSation can be taken only in the month
preceding the regular session of the an
nual conference within whose bounds the
property is located. The congregational
meeting shall be convened by the trustees
uhiesS one-f1fth of the members in good
standing subscribe to a written call for the
meeting. the call to announce what the
meeting is for, and the meeting to be an
nounced on two successive SUNDAYS from
the pulpit and a personal notice to be
mailed to each member A congrega tion
thus convened can by a vote of tWo-thfrds
determine any question of ecclesiastical
correction. and notice of action shall be
gwen 10 the annual conference at its next
session. The discipline also provides that
all persons refusing to withdraw shall he
entitled to have the property appraised and
10 receive their proportion of the worth of
the church property, pro rata, providing
Ihey invest the money SO received in
nited evangelical Church None of these
tn!ngs were done by Rev. Mr. Gross Das-
tor of the church there, contends Presiding
Elder Young
REV MI Gross. when questioned in Baiti-
more relative to the matter, said that the
articles of incorporation of the church in
Hdgerstown did not conform with that
iald down in the Evangelical discipline
ana ah mat 1t does not apply in any way to
elie church property in Hagerstown. The
congregation was, he said, regularly in
corpordted under the laws of MARYLAND
ana under the charter the trustees have
exclusive power TO transfer the church to
" nom they see fit Moreover. Rev. Mr.
Gross contends that the church property
was purchased outright by the congrega
ion from the Evangelical Association. and
mat the United Evangelical Church has
apsoluteiy no claim whatever to this prop
erty - w
Presiding Elder Young is reported to
nave said that another pastor will be sent
10 Hagerstown to take charge of the
church. and the attorney employed by him
stated that in case Rev. Mr.. Gross refuses
10 aunt him TO the church, a restraining
injunction will be asked and in the event
the property is decided to the Methodist
Episcopal Church South conference he will
ne a suit to have it set aside.
bishop wilson OF the Methodist Episco-
pal Church South. was expected to go to
hagerstown this week to make arrange
ihehts Tor the transfer OF the church to his
conference, but he has not yet done so.
Acting under the advice of the attorney.
the II nited Evangelical conference will ap-
point pastor for the church in dispute
TO take the place of Rev. Mr. Gross who
has Joined the Methodist Church. In all
likelihood. Rev. j. w. Mesinger of Balti-
more will be appointed and. after making
a demand for admission to the church and
being refused, legal proceedings will be-
gin.