The age-herald., 1899-02-21
RESIGNATION OF
 BARBEE AND SMITH Demanded by the Methodist Ministers
 of Atlanta. PUBLISHING HOUSE MATTER
The Subject of Warm Debate Among
 the Preachers.
LEGAL FRAUD AND DECEPTION
Alleged to Have Been Used by E. B. Stahlman in Securing the Passage of the Appropriations
 Defended the Agents.

Atlanta, Ga., February 20.-The regular weekly meeting of the Methodist ministers of Atlanta was enliyened by a sensational announcement on the book publishing house.
 Resolutions were adopted demanding the resignations of Messrs. Barbee and Smith, One of the ministers said, in defense or tho men, that the Methodist church had brought the shame on itself by asking for the money and made the further statement that the Methodist Episcopal church had much to do in bringing about the civil war. At the opening of the meeting, Dr. w. L. Stradley, chairman of the Preachers asso- citation, introduced the subject with short reference to the report from Senator Clay, which left the church in an embarrassing position before the world.
 "A gentleman from Nashville" said Dr. Stradley, ''said to me the other day, that this matter is gradually subsiding Tn that city. But we don't want 1t to subside. The ministers meetings and other official bodies should send Dr. Collins Denny, chairman of the book committee, a protest against settling the matter in any way but the right way
 Arrested the Church
 Rev. F. G. Hughes insisted that the United States senate virtually arrested the Methodist Episcopal church south." The publishing house matter brought shame to all Methodists in the south in the way those questions asked of it were evaded during the investigation of the trouble. He sad further:
 That legal fraud and deception were used by the Methodist Episcopal church for securing those funds, was clearly shown to be the opinion of the senate by its actions in the matter, unless the church totally and entirely removed that stigma by positive repudiation of some sort
 Rev. Frank Fake made partial defense of Barbee and Smith, the agents.
 They are victims of the church," he said, emphatically. "They are victims of the greed of the church. The church told these agents that it must have this money from the United States for damages done the Nashville publishing house during the war, amounting with its interest, to several hundred thousand dollars. They were in structed to get this money by any means whatsoever, so that they did not bring dis honor on the church. They did as told.
 shame is on tho Church
 .The shame is that the church should have asked for dime of this appropria- ton. That is how the disgrace came about. Barbee & Smith only acted as the agents of the church"
 When MT. Eakes went further and said that from all he had read of the war, that the Methodist Episcopal church had much to do in bringing about that struggle, de- cided ruffie passed over the meeting. He took a decided stand against eondemning Barbee & Smith without further investiga- ton. He was of the opinion that Barbee & Smith had not been treated fairly.
 Joel T. Dawes then rose to offer some resolutions in the matter. He prefacsd the reading of the resolution by strong pro- test against Rev. Eakes' position. He was equally as decided as MT. Fakes was in favor of giving the publishers a further hearing. He said: '"rhey were using every means to keep their place and protect their names. Nine-s tenths of the people wish their resigna- tions, I believe" The resolutions follow:
 The Resolution Passed Whereas, The discussion and resolution of many of our strongest annual confer ences and the expressed opinion of the great bulk of our loyal membership seem to have little weight In settling the vexed question concerning the payment of our publishing house claim, be it,
 Resolved by the Atlanta Methodist Episcopal Preachers Meeting, That we feel that this mattetr can never be settled until 1t Is settled right, and,
 Resolved, That 1t is our firm convic- tion that the least that can be done is for the book committee to demand the resig- nation of Barbee and Smith, and,
 uRaeolved That a cODy of fhaSa rasolu- tions be forwarded to the chairman of the book committete and the secretary of the college of bishops.
 B. T. FRAZER.
 J. T. DAVIES.
 Professor Mcintosh made an almost start ling speech on the immediate necessity of removing the stigma of deliberate fraud from the Methodist church. He was in favor of demanding the resignation of the book agents. His most verile condemnation, however fell upon the attorney employed by Barbee and Smith, D. B. Stahlman.