Missouri Valley times., 1901-06-06
CONeREGATIOnAllSIS
ExpEL PROF. HEBRON
BY a Unanimous Vote Council at
GrinneII Drops Him From
Church and Ministry

OIltillcll UIOpS fliitl IIoUi
Church and Ministry.
LONG LETTER FROM DEFENDANT
refused to Take fart In the Trial sA ying
That lie Knew in Advance That
tire Verdict Wouid Bc Against
/ Grinnell. Ia, June G.-The last act In
the drama of the expulsion of DR..
George d. Heron from the Congrega-
tional church and ministry was carried
out here yesterday. BY unanimous
vote the council called by the Qrinnell
/ church found him guilty on three
counts of the charges brought against
, him and voted to eXpe him from the
church and ministry.
The action Of the council Is embodied
in the resolution which it adopted, and
is as follows:
AT council held In the First Con-
gregatlonal church of Grlnnell, OH the
4th of June, 1901, to consider the right
: to church membership and ministerial
standing of Geo. ID. Heron, the follow
Ing findings were rendered:
That the charge of immoral and I'm
Christian conduct is sustained by the
findings of the court, which at Algona,
on March u, 1901, granted decree of
A
her husband on the grounds Of deser-
/ ton and itlhuman treatment.
The same charge is further sus-
tanned by evidence presented to the
council showing that Geo, u. Herron's
4 manner toward the wife who conse-
Grated her life to the effort to make
him happy, relieve him of care and aid
him In fulfilling what she believed to
be his high calling has been that of
unfeeling and selfish Indifference, and
ut least since 1896 of studied neglect
eliminating In heartless dcscrtion and
the flral tragedy os divorce.
Out OF lila Own Mouth.
! The same charge Is Still further sus-
tained by confession contained In the
paper written by Mr.. Heron in his own
defense and read to the council. In
this paper he denies the right of society
tween man and woman, presents q view
OF the conjugal relation, of parenthood
end the home which Is abhorrent to en-
lightened Christian sentiment, and
which confirms the council in the opin-
ion that this action of Geo. D. Heron
is simply the criminal desertion Of a
worthy wife and devoted mother by n
man who has deliberately falsifled his
marriage vow. In view of these find
ings 1t is
Resolved, That we recommend to
the Grinnell association that the name
of Geo. ID. Heron be dropped from Its
roll of membership.
Resolved, That we express our con-
viction that George d. Heron has for
feited all right to be known by the
churches of our faith and order as a
minister of the gospel. and that he is
by vote of this council deposed from the
Christian ministry
The council was made up of represen-
tatives from eight churches in the vi
cinity of Grinnell. 1t was conserva-
tive and impartial body Of men, and
met with the evident determination to
do its duty. The feeling among the
members now that the trial Is over Is
freely expressed. 1t Is that George d.
Heron is a colossal egotist with mon
strous selfishness which all his plausi-
bility will not suffice to cover up.
Herron's Letter.
The letter which Prof. Heron sent
to the council, explaining his views on
marriage and divorce and declining to
appear before the council, Is dated New
York, June L. 1t is accompanied by an
explanatory note. in which he says:
The letter which follows was written
meet on May 2s, which was the date
sent to me by the first official notice
of the committee. l was just about to
mail 1t to you when another mall
brought me the notice OF the change of
your meeting to June 4. / have let
the letter stand just as 1t was worded
at that time. Since then the marriage
referred to has taken place, although
two days before the time had not been
finally decided upon. and there was
even question of its being delayed for
two or three years"
The original letter Is very long. and
Is characterized throughout by spirit
of resignr tion and candor. Prof. Her
ron appears to hold no resentment to-
ward the ministers or members Of the
Congregational churches of Iowa, AL
though he says he does not know that
he has friend among them. He says
he has been condemned In advance he
knows the council will condemn him,
and he does not see what good 1t would
III.
He believes the members of the coun-
Gil will do what they believe to be
right. He is sure the council will con-
denim him, for reasons stated as fol-
lows:
Let me say at once that If liberal
Interpretation of the civil court course
is to be made the basis of your pro-
cedure, and If refuse to 20 behind
that decree then l do not see how you
can do anything else than establish
the conviction at which you have al
ready arrived, and dismiss me from the
church and it's ministry. might sug-
gest to You that court decree, grant
ing a separation Of this kind, is based
upon techucality, as you must know.
Our laws are so made that man and
woman legally united cannot get apart
save upon some nominal charge of
wrong doing. l did not know the
charge upon which this separation was
granted until l read 1t in the newspa-
pers. suppose 1t was the least charge
upon which such a decree could be is-
sued in an Iowa court. Still l fully
realize that this suggestion has no val
ue whatever as evidence. You have
only the court charge and the decree
to go by, and such abundant evidence
OF appearances as you might gather.
III do not so behind the court decree
and offer no counter evidence l see no
course open to you save to dismiss me
from your fellowship. The burden of
proof, In virtue of all the circum-
stances, rests upon me. and If cannot
or will not prove my innocence. the re-
sponsibiiity is mine. for you have given
me opportunity. And / know that i
cannot escape this responsibility by
any feeling that may have regarding
the .predisposition OF the church to-
ward me-
Views on Marriage.
Prof. Heron wants the council to
Understand that he did not desert his
children. but in the case of an "annul-