Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-04-11

Has the Only Jurisdiction in Re-
questing the Resignation of
Deacon w. j. w. Cowden.
The opening session of the Wheel
| ing presbytery of the United Presby-
terian church was held at the U. P.
church in this city yesterday. The
meeting occupied both morning and
afternoon session. The attendance was
very good, perhaps occasioned by
the fact that there were one or two
questions of greatest Importance to
be decided during the session. One,
indeed, was the first of it's kind to or
iginate in the history of the church.
The following answered when the
roll'of the Presbytery was called: Rev.
]. H. Littell, of Wheeling; DR.. w. G.
Waddle, of Unity, O.; Rev. w. M. Cole
man, of West Alexander, Pa; DR..
Thomas Balph, of St. Clairsville; Rev.
w. M. Butler, of Cadiz, o.; Rev. j. II.
Spencer, Of Huntsville. O.; Rev. VIM.
M. Hopping, of Uniontown, o.; Rev.
| D. D. Dobbs, of McMechen Creek, o.;
Rev. C. P. Proudfit, of Bellaire, o.;
Rev. o. R. Robinson, of Martins Ferry,
O.; DR.. Thomas Love, OF High Ridge,
O.; r. G. Campbell, of New Athens,
TO-; VIM Innes, of Buchannon Hill, w.
| Va.
Lay delegates-Dr. John L. Dickey,
of Wheeling; T. ]. Henderson, OF
Unity; John A. Clark, of st. Clairsville,
O.; James C. Lewis, of West Alex
ander, Pa; James Coulther, of Har-
risville, O.; William Mcfarland, of
Belmont; Joseph Clemens, of Bellaire;
DIR. J. M. Blackboard, of Martins Ferry
| o.; James Hinckle, of High Ridge, o.;
Thomas McCutcheon, of Roney's Point,
and Thomas Anderson, OF Buchannon
Hill, w. Va.
The greater portion of the morning
session was occupied by the reports
| from the various committees appoint
ed to examine the reports of the varl-
GUS congregations. Directly following
| the opening of the afternoon session
routine business was taken up.
A call from Roney's Point to ]. M
Martin will be forwarded.
A call from High Ridge, O., to W..
S. Wallace, of Sidney, O., was de-
clined.
The finances of the organization
were reported to be in excellent cond1-
ton.
| DR.. Campbell and the Rev. Mr.. Cole
man were appointed committee for
the drawing up of resolutions of re-
spect in memory of the late DR.. j. T..
mcclure. The resolutions were read
and adopted.
The two momentous questions of the
session were taken up Both had been
referred to committee, of which DR..
Balph, of st. Clairsville, was made sec
rotary. A report was made back from
the committee deciding that there was
no vacancy occasioned by the death of
| DR.. Mcclure.
| After a motion has been made and
seconded to adopt the report of the
committee. DR.. Dickey spoke against
adopting the resolutions, saying that
he could not support the motion owing
| to the fact that he and four other
members of the church session had
previously decided that there was
vacancy. The question was not raised
originally by any one member or any
faction in the church, but by the treas
urer, who raised the question whether
he had a right to pay Mr.. Littell his
salary. The session, after careful con-
sideration, decided there was a va
cancy.
The next morning an account of the
action of the session was read by the
Rev. Littell during the service, but
Mr.. Littell said, in closing the an
nouncement, that the session had no
jurisdiction in the matter. The speak
er continued that some bitter disagree
ments were excited within the congre-
cation, and to fortify the position OF
the session Mr.. Cowden wrote to a
number of ministers and lawyers for
/ opinions on the subject. who for the
most part sustained the action of the
session. The session felt it was maxi
! ing church history, as never before
/ had like situation arose in the United
Presbyterian church. Owing to the
Disbursements and unfortunate diner
ences which arose five members OF the
session asked Mr.. Littell to resign in
the quickest possible time. At the
congregational meeting last Wednes-
day the Rev. Mr. Littell, in resolu-
ton which was offered and passed, was
commended for his good work in
the church, continuing him as pastor
and fixing his salary at $4,000
The speaker then continued that an
unsigned resolution was introduced re-
questing the resignation of Deacon w.
IT, w. Cowden, giving as reason that
he had lost his influence for good In
the congregation. 1t was also reported
that second and third resolution
of the same kind, requesting the res
| ignations of Deacons R. K. Giffln and
A NJ Stevenson. were offered.
At this point DR.. Dickey was inter
rupted by The moderator, on the point
that he was depressing from the ques-
ton before the meeting.
DR.. Balph then spoke in favor of
adopting the report, stating that the
committee had looked at the question
in this light. The Office held in the
church by Rev. Littell was a contract
between Mr.. Littell and the congrega-
tion for an indefinite period. The con-
tract was not between the late DR.. Nc
Clure and Mr.. Littell, and it was CO.
pastorate, not an assistant pastorate
| Therefore the death of DR.. Mcclure
did not create a vacancy. Also the
committee determined the action of
the session in declaring the pastorate
vacant was null and void, as they had