Middletown transcript., 1897-04-24
the NEW CASTLE pREsBYTERY

The spring meeting Of the New Castle
Presbytery was held in Forest Church this
week, the opening session being Tuesday
night when the retiring moderator, Rev.W
J.Fitz Simon preached an excellent sermon.
At the conclusion of the sermon an election
was was held, when the Rev. N. II. Miller,
D. D., of Newark. was chosen moderator
for the ensuing year. The Revs. w. F.
Lewis, and W. J. FitzSimon were elected
clerks.
There was large attendance at the ses-
sions on Wednesday. Immediatly after
the opening exercises. Rev. w. F. Lewis, OF
of the Rodney Street Church in Whining
ton, against whom charges Of heresy had
been made, asked permission to make .
statement before his accusers had chance
to formally present the charge. Mr.. Lewis
made himself so perfectly clear and his de-
nial to the charges was SO emphatic that his
statement was accepted by the Presbytery-
! aHa entered npon the records by unani-
| nous and rising vote Mr.. Lewis was warmly
congratulated during the day upon the
prompt adjustment of what promised to be
an unpleasant incident at this session.
The nominations for ministerial dele
gates to the General Assembly which meets
at Winona, Ird., May 10th, resulted in the
election of the Rev. N. Fl. Miller and the
Rev. W. F, Lewis, with the Rev. w. ]. Fitz-
Simon and the Rev. ]. s. Houck as alter
mates. The elders chosen we're D. G. Hud-
son and J. J. Buck, with E. G. Polk and Ed
ward Reynolds as alternates. The reading
of the statistical reports by the moderator
the reports of the various committees occu-
pied the remainder fthe morning session.
The Olivet Church trouble engaged the
Presbytery Wednesday afternoon, when
the pastor, Rev. Mr.. Montgomery offered
his resignation, the committee mag
mani and courteously withheld its report
against him, and on June 18th. at an ad-
journed meeting of the Presbytery, the
Olivet congregation will have an oppor.
tunity to show cause if there be any,
why the resignation should not be accepted.
The difficulty that for two years has dis
turbed the peace of the church, will then
be disposed of.
After other reports were heard the follow
ing resolutions were unanimously adopted
Resolved, That the Presbytery of New
Castle deeply deplores the presence within
its bounds of race track gamblers, who
driven from other States. have under the
protection and sanction of Maryland laws
fastened upon Cecil county, bringing with
them the vice, lawlessness, decentralization,
disgrace and corrupting influences and
agencies that made Gloucester and Guten-
berg synonymous fol infamy.
ut unhesitatingly condemns this worst
species Of legalized gambling as immoral in
its nature, degrading in its associations,
and ruinous in its effects upon individual
characters and public welfare.
sit hereby pledges and extends its sym.
pathy and active support to the citizens of
Cecil in their struggle to overthrow and de-
molish this throne of iniquity.
sit hereby earnestly urges the ministers,
elders and members of its churches
in the territory afflicted with this nefar
ious business to use their utmost efforts as
Christian citizens to free the church from
all participation in the sin, to enlighten,
arouse and direct public opinion and to Sc
cure the nomination and election to the
legislature, session of 1898, of men whose
record, character and attitude to race track
gambling and its attendant evils shall be
guarantee of their faithful and uncompro-
missing endeavor to secure legislation abso- |
lutely prohibiting race track gambling in |
any form in Cecil county.
"This Presbytery likewise urges upon its |
ministers. elders and members in the other |
Maryland counties to cooperate with Cecil |
in this battle for decency and good morals |
by the forth putting of every lawful and |
judicious endeavor to secure the election in |
their respective counties of legislative dele
cations for the session of 1893 pledged to |
promote the enactment of such law for
the entire State of Maryland.
1.-THE stated clerk is hereby authorized |
and instructed to have these resolutions |
published in the various newspapers with |
IN our bounds; TO have them printed and |
forwarded in sufficient numbers to the min
listers and sessions. to be by them presented |
to their respective congregations, and to
send copies to the Baltimore Presbytery and |
to its ministers and sessions inviting their |
cooperation in the securing ofa law pro-
hibitiye of race track gambling in the State |
of Maryland or at least in Cecil county.
The evening service was attended by a
large congregation, Rev. DR.. .Houck and Rev.
J. B. Turner, of Dover, were the speakers,
Mr.. Turner's address ON Missions being one
of the finest ever heard in MiddIetown.
Milford was chosen as the place for the next |
meeting. Many expressions of satisfaction
with the meeting here were heard on all |
sides. The ladies of the church entertained |
the visitors at lunch and supper in the lee
turs room where everything was very invit-