The San Francisco call., 1899-10-08
TWO MEMBERS
ARE EXPELLED
FOR HERESY
Methodists Drop Two
Pastors.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
Qn9 broadway. Oct. Z.


The question as TO whether ministers of
the Methodist Episcopal Church South
should circulate literature written by the
divine healer Dowie came before the corr
ference this morning. Rev. Mr.. Taylor OF
Willows and Rev. Mr.. Reeve of Orland
were called to account for having circu-
lated such literature.
The tracts compiled by DoWie contain
some very satirical references to the po-
sition of the Methodist church regarding
divine healing, and Bishop Duncan asked
the two clergymen whether, after taking
the vows of the church, they thought it
right to circulate literature in which the
teachings Of the church were reviled. The
Bishop suggested that if the two pastors
felt called upon to follow the teachings
of Dowie they should sever their connec-
ton with the church and ally themselves
with the eXponents Of Dowie's doctrines.
Presiding Elder Emery, who brought up
the matter, said he had done everything
in his power to show the two pastors their
error, and failing in that had requested
them to withdraw from the church, but
his overture was not favorably received.
After discussion the Bishop appointed
a committee of investigation, consisting OF
Revs. a. Odom, r. f. Allen and w. Z.
Vaughan. The committee presented a re-
port to the Bishop asking that trial,
committee be appointed.
Rev. ]. ]. M Kenney was appointed
prosecutor and the Bishop announced the
following trial committee: W. J. Mahan
] A Bachelor, D. Bauer, F. NJ. station
". E. Phillips, c. E. Clark, z. j. Need
ham and H. w. Curran.
The trial committee at once went into
secret session, no time for delay being
permissible, as this is the last day of the
conference.
The committee appointed to investigate
the charge of heresy has, under the policy
Of the Methodist Church South, extra
ordinary powers, and its decision is final.
The trial was marked more by sympathy
than by other features, every member of
the committee being more than anxious to
bring about a change of heart in the two
pastors at the bar.
When the charges and specifications
were read both pastors pleaded guilty.
Rev. T. H. B. Anderson of Missouri, who
was present, pleaded hard with the two
ministers to ignore the teaching of Faith
Healer Dowie, who has recently become
involved in a serious scandal in Chicago,
but without result.
The trial was very brief, as there was
nothing to do but act on the pleas of the
arraigned The report presented to the
conference stated that the committee had
investigated the conduct of Revs. Messrs.
Reeve and Taylor and had found them
both guilty of all the charges and speci-
flcations, which consisted of allegations
that the two pastors had, on their own
confession sown dissension in the church,
contrary to the tenets of their religion.
The committee expelled both pastors
from the conference. One reference Of
ticularly offensive. 1t reads as follows:
There was one thing made me laugh at
the whole Methodist position. L can un-
derstand a man some time in uncertainty
sitting astride a fence with one leg on
each side. He will come down. But when
I found the Methodist church sitting not
on top of the fence but underneath it and
on both sides Of it in regard to the funda-
mental ordinance Of baptism 1t struck
me. as the most idiotic performance 1
had ever seen.
''They were quite willing to sprinkle
willing to pour on you; that was all right,
They would dip you once; that was all
right. They would dip you three times.
They would take all these four forms Of
baptism. They would do it any way you
like-onIy become Mah-hah-bone Meth
odist."
The expelled pastors declare that they
are acting in accordance with the die
tates of their consciences. Tomorrow
night the Bishop Will ANNOUNCE the ap-
ference will close.