The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-10-17
DECISION FAV0RS
THE MINISTER
FAMOUS CHURCH CASE AT
Wilkes BARRE.
Judge Woodward's Opinion in Full.
Question OF Preaching in Two Ian
guages.

Wilkes Barre Oct. l6. Nudge Wood
ward today decided the Welsh Meth
odst Episcopal church case in favor
of the pastor, Rev. II. +. MorSans. 1t
enjoins the warning trustees to open
the church to him for service and re-
frain from interfering with him in his
conduct of the services The costs Of
: the case are placed on the defendants
The trouble in the Welsh Methodist
Episcopal church on the heights be-
gan last spring when the pastor, Rev.
, Mr. Morgans, decided to preach the
evening sermons in the English Ian
guage. Part of the congregation and
four Of the trustees wanted the Welsh
language used in the Sunday evening
service and closed the church On the
pastor, and after some attempts were
made outside the courts to settle it, an
injunction was finally secured TO cCm-
pei Richard B. Jones, Richard Parry
Charles Evans and Evan w. ENars to
open the church for service.
Judge p. L. Rhone represented the
plaintiffs, the bishop of the Methodist
Episcopal church, Rev. Mr.. MOrgans,
and the presiding elder, Rev. MIR. Grlf-
fin, The plaintiffs say the sole pur-
ing is to build up the church and at
tract the young people. Attorneys d.
T.. Baxter and p. A. O'Boyle were for
the trustees who wanted the Welsh
language and held that the church was
a Welsh church built for the Welsh
people and that the Welsh language
should be used exclusively.
THE OPINION.
In his opinion Judge Woodward said:
Where a religious association is en-
tered into and becomes part of a par
tcular sect or ecclesiastical body profess
ing a certain doctrine and faith, it must
submit itself to the rules and discipline
of that organization. We have before us
a digest of the law of the Methodist Epis-
copal church prepared by Bishop S. NJ.
Merrill, and revised and approved by
the general conference. In reference to
the powers of church trustees we quote
the following: "They Uhe trustees) cam
not ALLEVIATE the property of the church
so as to defeat the purposes for which
It was acquired. They cannot prevent
the use of the church editices of the de-
nomination by the ministers appointed
under the authority of the church to
preach the gCspei therein, and conduct
the public worship of God according to
ton The sup eme object of the creation
of the board of trustees, and their first
duty is to keep the church in condition
to he thus used by the ministers regu-
larly appointed. Any personal or gem
eral dissatisfaction that may exist in the
congregation with any preacher Tegu-
larly appointed will not authorize tie
board to close the doors against him, or
to interfere with him in any way in
the performance of his duties"
In a word the right of the pastor to Oc-
cupy the house of worship is secured to
him by the fundamental law of the
church, and if the people cannot hear him
with good conscience, they can only ah-
sent themselves and withhold support,
and this is at their own risk, until a law
full change is made.
In the present case there is no allega-
tion that the pastor of the church has
violated any law, civil or ecclesiastical
His standing as a clergyman of the Meth
odist Episcopal church is unimpeachcd,
and his right 10 occupy the pulpit of the
church is which he has been assigned
cannot be denied. If he has erred in
thinking that it would tend to strengthen
and build up the church that the SER
vices on Sunday evening be conducted in