The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-24

The Pastors Version of the Trouble
in the Seventh Presbyterian Church.
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal;
greatly deplore the publicity which the
newspapers have given my recent church
trial. not that have had anything to con-
ceal in the matter, but the odium that VIII
attach to the malicious prosecutors and
myself and thereby incite disrespect
against the authorities of the church, ana
even against the church itself The of
fetal statement given to the press by the
prosecution, and published under date OF
Jan u, contained so many inaccuracies
that are calculated to prejudice public
opinion. that l am impeled to correct some
of them.
AS to the three trials, or, rather the three
prosecutions of the same charges against
me. by the session of the Seventh Presby-
terrain Church (of which Rev. r. V. Hunter
is the stated supply, the first trial was
instituted after / had declined to resign my
office as an elder. under the threat that
eff / did not, charges would be filed ana
fought to the bitter end" Under this
threat, I declined to resign. Charges were
preferred by them against me as being
"a disturber OF the peace and harmony or
the session and the church" trial was
held and although a determined but fruit
less effort was made to prevent the intro
duction of any evidence whatever in my
defense, the session, themselves the jury,
were unable to agree and that farce of a
trial was abandoned. The session then
went before the Presbytery, and, even on
ex parte representations, the Presbytery
declined to decide the matter, referring the
whole case back to the session. Without
q hot for
sake Of peace and harmony in the session.
1 should cease to act ruling elder. In
this judgment they omitted so much of the
original charges as referred to the peace
and harmony of the church. making
Though unconsciously) the real and broad
distinction between the session" and the
church" My appeal was carried TO the
General Assembly, which. by a judicial
construction of the resolution, decided that
l was still a ruling elder in spite of the
two trials
The session, after the General Assemblies
cial capacity. and on the morning of the
last communion services l reminded the
stated supply, who is moderator of the ses-
sion, of the fact, who told me that he did
not so understand the decision, and that the
session did not: after consulting with a
judge at Terre Haute they were convinced.
stated supply, who visited me and inquired
What l was going to do about it," was
informed lHdt Was SOlIlS " ~ liOtlilliSr-ll
was for them. Their chagrin was
soon evident. They filed charges them
selves, in the name of the Presbyterian
Church of the United States" resolved
themselves into a court, themselves gave
the testimony themselves the judges and
the jury, having carefully had the test-
mony taken by a stenographer, and then
very deliberately pronounced deposition and
suspension in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. The number of witnesses who sig
nihed their willingness and intention to be
present and testify TO my conduct and
influence represented upwards Of eighty
families all being members of the Seventh
Presbyterian Church. The number actually
present on the evening first set for the trial
was sixty-eight. The number present the
next evening, although very stormy even
ing was twenty-eight, the first number
representing more than one-half of the
erage Sunday congregation for the past
few months. These witnesses were not
asked to come 10 the trial TO show their
sympathy for ms in my persecution but 10
testify on the side of justice and right. Not
one of this number was allowed to give one
word OF testimony.
The judgment of the session was only
what could be expected under the circum-