The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-27
Mayor Hesser, of Fort Scott,
Rises to Explain.
States Why He Withdrew From
the III. e. Church.
OVER A LIQUOR ROW.
Pastor Wood Says 1t Was Nom
Enforcement Of the Law.
Methodist Organization Believes
an Oath Sacred.

nounced that Mayor P. c. HeSSer of this
city has been expelled from the Metho-
dist church because of his failure to
make an effort to close the joints OF the
city. His wife thereupon withdrew
Hesser was elected as a Prohibitionist
and his wife was president of the local
w. c. T. U. He has been a regular at
tendant at the church services.
Mayor Hesser states his position as
follows:
He says that the statement that he
had been compelled to withdraw from
the church was absolutely false; that he
and Mr. Wood could not agree as to the
duties Of a mayor, and that he told ms
pastor that he intended to perform the
duties of his office according to his own
Judgment, and that whenever Mr.. WOOD
thought that his conduct was such as
to bring reproach upon the church ne
was at liberty to drop his name from
the list, and this Mr.. Wood did at the
church service Sunday morning. Mr..
Hesser further stated that, OUTSIDE OF
the pastor, no member OF the church
had ever come to him to cr1tlclSe MS
Rev Wood, pastor of Grace church,
today wrote the following statement or
the church's attitude in the matter:
In order that the community at large
may understand the position of Grace
NJ. E. church in regard to the with
drawal of Mayor P. c. Hesser from its
membership, a plain statement of Meth
odist law seems pertinent at this time.
'And first, it is due Mr.. Hesser to
acknowledge that his withdrawal was,
he claims, entirely voluntary. NO
pastor can force a member to with
draw. The right to a trial by a jury
is maintained zealously in our con-
nection as it is in civil life. Mr.. Hesser
was offered three alternatiVes-f1rst to
perform his sworn duty; second, to
withdraw from the church; third, a
formal church trial OF these he chose
the second, which the church considers
lSx1cr
of guilt
while I believe and preach that man
is a free moral agent and make it my
rule of practice to respect his rights in
all matters of moral choice / cling to
the belief that when a man accepts a
public office his conduct Of that office
becomes the concern of every citizen
and it's criticisms his prerogative.
But more than this when a man vol
unfairly assumes the obligations of a
church he SurrenderS to the duly con-
stituted powers thereof the right to in
sist that his life, public and private,
shall conform to it's doctrines. A church
without rules or whose rules are fear
lessly disregarded can not prosper.
1.-The Methodist church believes that
a mans oath should be sacred. Destroy
it, the man is destroyed. 1t is the cor
ner stone of our institutions, both social
and political Nullify it and the mar
riage relation becomes a farce and the
family ceases to exist. Let the public
officials disregard it, and the will of
InWdTIeQ, ceases
be law and anarchy enSues.
THE people of Kansas have made
laws in regard to the liquor traffic.
They have made ample provision for the
again and again held the validity of
these laws. If we as citizens are not
satisfied with these laws we have legal
and proper recourse. Until we can Sc
cure the repeal of obnoxious measures,
however, it is our duty to observe and
aid In enforcing them.
IF a man can not cOnscientious1y en-
force these laws, he has no right to
perjure himself in order to obtain office.
1t is not the province of a mayor to
make or interpret but to administer
law.
Mr.. Hesser was a member of the NJ.
e. church He had promised to obey
it's rules which held that a mans oath
must be kept sacred. While connected
with that church he assumed the office
Of mayor of Fort Scott, swearing to
support the constitution and enforce
the laws. Instead of so doing I have
been informed on unquestionable au-
thority that he connived at the disre-
garding of the law by agreeing to a
system of license under the guise of
regular and stated fines. OF the exist
ence of open saloons, of their deadly
and damnable work 1 had daily proof.
I urged his duty on the mayor. I cited
the constitution and the law. I pleaded
with him as a citizen, a father and a
Christian. I offered to furnish the evil
dence necessary for conviction myself.
He refused to do his sworn duty, re-
proach was being heaped upon the
church. I reported the condition of
affairs to the higher officials of the
church; they instructed me to offer the
alternative above mentioned and Mr..
Hesser withdrew. Had he failed to do
SO expulsion from the church would
have been inevitable.
LAS church officials we have done our
duty as we have seen it It is not a per-
sonal matter and we wish to prosecute
w n
demanding Mayor Hesser's withdrawal
or amendment we were acting strictly
within our province"
r. K CUSHING BANKRUPT.
Failure offs Western Contractor-C. J.