The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-07-01
DR.. DRIVER AND UNION MEETINGS.
The Pastors Statement.

statements made by DR.. Driver last
Sunday morning to his congregation,
and OF his explanation of them to the
city papers to publish at once state
ment of the facts concerning our &C.
tion in regard to the union meetings
without waiting for the return of
Rev. Mr.. Beattie.
THE MINISTER'S ASSOCIATION.
To make clear what follows it is
necessary to state that the Minister'S
association has had, as a body. moth
ing to do with the matter under dis.
cussion. The association is purely
for the personal culture of it's mem
bers, and never discusses or takes &C.
tion on question affecting action as
pastors.
1t frequently happens, however,
that such questions are discussed be-
fore or after meetings of the associa-
tion. DR.. Driver was personally in
vited to attend the first meeting of
the Association after his coming to
the city and asked to join. He has
attended several meetings but has
never technically joined the associa-
tion, not having signed the constitu-
tiod. DR.. Drive has fallen into error
in asserting that the ministers asso-
citation has acted in regard to the
union services, because he was not IA
miliar with our constitution.
DIR. DRIVER AND THE OTHER PASTORS.
At one Of the informal meetings of the
pastors, DR.. Driver being present the
matter Of the Memorial G.. A. r. SER
vice was brought up. 1t was voted
that Rev. Mr.. Works should preach
the Memorial sermon in the Baptist
church, and that the other churches
hold 5 t heir usual services, it being
understood that all who wished to at
tend the Memorial service would be
free to do so. DR.. Driver was chosen
one of committee to communicate
this action to the G.. A. r. post.
The point to be noted here is that
DR.. Driver knew of the action and
could not plead ignorance when he an
nouned the Gladstone memorial SER
vice on Memorial Sunday, planning
a union service of his own in the opera
house. For in the announcement of
the meeting in the Review, it was
stated that other ministers would be
invited. 1t is customary before max
ing announcements of this sort to con
suit the parties interested. But, of
course, DR.. Driver knew that the pas
tors would not 60 into any such service
as it would not only be contrary to
what they had agreed to do, but also,a
direct insult to the G.. A. r.. and the
the church and pastor where the
Memorial service was to be held.
| DIR. DRIVER ALONE RESPONSIBLE.
We are informed that the M. E..
church is in no way responsible for
proposing to shold the Gladstone
memorial on the day set apart for the
G.. A. r. service. For, while the Of
fetal board had voted to hold such a
service, it was left to DR.. Driver to
decide as to the
TIME AND PLACE.
| The ministers met the Monday af-
ter DR.. DRYERS announcement, and
we expected he would make some ex-
PLANTATION, for we did not know but,
after all. he had misunderstood or
forgotten the arrangement made in
regard to the Memorial service. But
he made no mention of the matter,
and we felt that courtesy demanded
that he be given an opportunity to
explain himself before we made com.
plant to one who was comparative
stranger.
When DR.. Drivers letter appeared
in reply to the protest of the G.. A. r.
there could no longer be any doubt
that he had deliberately and know.
ingly done what he had. 1t then ap.
peared he had done what he knew
was contrary to plans agreed upon by
the pastors-himself included.
He broke faith with his brethren
in the ministry, insulted the G.. A.
R. and gave the churches, especially
the Baptist church and pastor, a just
cause for complaint. He said in his
letter he supposed the pastor of the
M. E. church had right to do as he
pleased regarding his services. He
has, when it does not interfere with
the rights of others and when he
does not violate agreements into
which he has entered.
If he had said in his letter, l am
sorry, 1 did not understand the mat.
ter, or l made a mistake; if have
Inadvertently injured or seemed to
injure sanyone, I beg his pardon,
the apology or explanation would
have been accepted in spite of the ap-
parent evidence of bad sfaith
REASON FOR PUBLICITY.
No public notice of the offense
would have been taken unless it had
been necessary to do so in arranging
for Tho upiOn coruicoc