Evening star., 1897-03-12
CHURCH COMPLICATION.
Trouble Over the Assignments by the
Methodist Conference.

Methodist Conference.
There is some little trouble in the Metho-
dist Church in this city growing out of the
assignment of ministers at the recent con-
ference held in Baltimore. 1t involves the
congregation and pastor of the Fifteenth
Street Methodist Church, together with
ST. Paul's Methodist Church of Hagers-
town.
Rev. w. w. Van Arsdale has been the
pastor of the Fifteenth Street Church for
the past three years, and the handsome edi-
flee in which the congregation worships al
the corner of 18TH and r streets was begun
and completed during his term of service.
Both the pastor and his wife are very
popular in the church, and at recent
meeting of the cungregat ton resolutions
logistic Of the work he has done and ask
ing his retention in the church were unani-
mously adopted. When the Baltimore con-
ference convened request was presented
asking for Mr. Wan Arsdale's return, and
there was every reason to believe that the
wishes of the congregation would be re-
spected. The matter was taken up on the
last day of the conference, and then 1t was
found that there was some, difficulty in fill
ing the supply for ST. Pauls. Hagerstown.
The congregation of st. PauFs had sent
in the names of three ministers who would
be eminentiy suitable to them. Mr.. Van
Arsdale vas not mentioned IN the list
nor had he been considered in connection
with that appointment. 1t was found, how
ever that there were certain reasons IN
the case of each of the three men asked
for which made 1t undesirable that he
should be sent to Hagerstown. One did
not want to leave Baltimore, one did not
care to go to Hagerstown and the third,
young man, is in charge of new church
that was only recently started, and 1t was
thought he could do better work than
stranger could Bishop Mallalieu cut the
Gordian knot by assigning Mr.. Van Ars-
dale to ST Paul's and Rev. s. R. Murray
to the Fifteenth Street Church.
Mr. Van Arsdale, 1t seems, signified his
Willingness to go to St. Paurs. although
he regretted leaving his charge in this
city, where he had worked SO hard and
where he had made such a warm place
for himself in the hearts of his congrega-
ton. 1t was thought that this would be
a happy solution of the difficulty, but in
the more complicated. The congregation
of ST. PauPs are said to have regarded
Bishop Mallalieu's action as altogether too
arbitrary, and they have rebelled to the
extent of refusing to accept Mr.. Van Ars-
dale.
In a letter received from the officers. of
st. Pauls Church this week Mr.. Van Ars-
dale was informed that the objection was
not against him personally. but against the
action of the bishop in treating their wishes
with SO little consideration.
The matter is in just that position now,
and 1t is impossible to foretell what the
HHdl SettleiHeHe ~ pc- MI. hui / dy VIII
take charge of the Fifteenth Street Church
next Sunday and Mr. Van Arsdale and his
wife will probably vacate the parsonage in
a day or two They will probably go to
Baltimore for visit, to stay until the Inat-
ter Is settled The congregation of the
Fifteenth Street Church were to have given
a reception this evening in honor of the
return Of Mr.. Van Arsdale. but the affair
is off. The ladies Of the church had pur-
chased a handsome brass and onyx lamp
which was to have been presented to their
pastor at the reception, but owing 10 the
change in plans they called at the parson-
age last evening and presented the lamp as
a token of esteem for the retiring minister