Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1900-06-14

make that statement
However, beg to say that made no
such declaration said the tenure was
indefinite; adhere to that statement.
You cannot point to where tho law
says differently. There is no limita-
tion fixed to the tenure OF office OF |
trustee Of church property in the law
Of tho Methodist Church, South.
l conceded and do now concede that
the Quarterly Conference has tho power
to dismiss any trustee from Office, but
insisted that this was in the nature Of u
judicial proceeding, and that no Quart
erly Conference had tho legal right to
"dismiss' except for causes such AS in
competency, misfnasance, or tnalfoas-
anco, and that the accused party or
parties had the right TO be heard in
their defence.
still adhere to that, and ! maintain
that from analogy this is the only legi-
cal construction that can faitly be Civ
en- to this church statute.
Gentlemen, you must remember that
the law OF the church styles trustee
an officer Of the church. grant that it
Is void Of emolument, but it is vested
with dignity as we'll as responsibility.
Where acceptable parties have been
elected TO these positions, as long as
they are faithful to their trust, it is not
contemplated in tho law Of the church
that thoy be disturbed. Call this life
tenure II you want to, it is the truth.
But the church authorities did not
overlook the fact that trustees might
be derelict, might be robellious might
be incompetent, might require to be
dismissed from Office; hence Quarterly
Conference was given authority to do
this. But how is this to b done? Not
by declaring the oflice vacant-not at
all-but by notifying the recusant off,
cial that at the approaching Quarterly
Conference he would be charged with
official delinquency so that he might
have opportunity Of Wind eating him
self. AT tho proper lime the presiding
elder reads out the question: ''Are
there any complaints?" The preacher
in charge replies: "Such a one, Presi-
| dent of the Board OF Trustees OF Pryor
institute, when requested by me to
make his annual report to the Quartar-
ly Conference utterly refused to do SO,
and | personally notified him that at
the approaching Quarterly Conference
should make complaint against him. ="
If the accused be present, tho issue is
madei il he fails to answer, or defend,
the case goes by default and he is dis
missed. Now that manner of proceed
ing has something OF fairness in it, but
what shall say of gentlemen, who file
charges, try the case out of court, and
when the court convenes, having their
docrees already prepared, their victims
inundated without notice, or considera-
tion, they only await the formality OF a
vote to have their decreos registered,
and "a new slate" of trustees elected
and inaugurated.
But they say ''it was not done in a
corner" Perhaps not, but to use a
slang phrase they certainly "cornered
the job,
But as said shove, these gentlemen
say that the old board was illegal from
two considerations, one Of which wa,
that it contained mem bers who did MOI
belong to the Methodist Church South
} Now it is true the Discipline says tina
all trustees Of Church property shall be
: member members of the Church, wheI
, proper Tpersous can be had, otherwis,
one-third of any board may be elected
= from outside the Church.
! In my former communication | statet
= that the founders and friends of Pryo
= Institute believed it was best to have
. mixed board, if the Church would tol
j crate it, and inasmuch as three men
{ bers, or one-third Of tho board, wer
t elected by the Quarterly Conferene
u frotn outside OF the Church mem bershiI
r and this in the early history OF tn
= school, take it that proper materia
y could not be found in the local membe
l.. ship Of the NJ Z. Church South, an
$ that it was necessary, as we'll as politi
L to draw a portion from outside. "
b must presume in favor of the Quarterl
) Conference doing is duty, unless v
It know to the contrary. That being 1
IF Capt Donaldson, Dr. Byrne and HoI
w. D. Spears were legally elected.
II They were faithful to the school, a
10 intelligent, capable men. They we
e acceptable to ths founders and pAtrol
r; Of the school. In the effort to get r
10 of thom, as woll as the other membs
70 of the old board, the Quarterly Couie
Of ence was, as the lawyers would ss
ultra wires, beyond their authority, al
le their acton is null AMI void. Nc
is the matter being Of so much interest
DO our community, and the action Of {
n Quarterly Conference so void OF consi
30 GRAFTON for the feelings OF the old boa
I'd of trustees, ] was constrained to o.
in init the views contained in my Al
b, communication 70 a distinguished m
ister in tho Holston Conference, "
n occupied a high place In its council
w for his construction of the Law beari
30 on the case, aud | am ploased 70 !