The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1903-09-04
JOE B. ERWIN
SUSPENDED.
Well-KnOwn Preacher Admits
That He Has Been Drink
ing to an EXcess.-Will
be Tried at MurfreesbOrO.
Saws the Nashville American:

Says the Nashville American:
Rev. Joseph B. Erwin, pastor of
Elm street Methodist Church, one of
the best known members of the T n
nessee Conference, is to be tried at
the approaching conference in Muir
freesboro on the charge of drinking to
excess Such was the decision of a
committee of inquiry, which investl
gated the case Saturday morning, the
committee simultaneously recommend
lug clemency In view of DIR. Erwin s
long and useful services in the minis
try and his infirmities To the latter
are ascrlbed the necessity for the
course prescrib bed.
While there have been rumOrs cur
rent In the city that DR.. Erwin re-
cen tly has been emperate, these
have not become generally known, ana
the statement will come as a great
surprise and sincere regret to the
many friends in Tennessee OF the I'M
fortunate minister. Those who know
him best in Nashville, however, be.
lleve his case one to occasion sincere
sympathy rather than one to merit
extreme punishment.
COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY CALLED
The rumors affecting mis- sobriety
are of recent origin and have been
strictly confined to small circle.
Monday night there was meeting at
Elm street Church, the meeting being
attended by the pastor, the presiding
elder and the Official members OF The
church At this meeting the rumo1s
were discussed unotficlally. The result
of the discussion was the committee
meeting Saturday, which was official.
the church law in matter OF this kind
requiring the presiding elder to ap.
point committee to inquire into and
determine the truth of rumOrs such as
were in existence about DR.. Erwin.
Those composing the committee were
Rev. Il. B. Chappell, Rev. l.. X.
Amis. Rev. F. E. Afford, Rev. K. r.
JONES' Rev H. b. Blue, Rev. W. L.
Haggard and Rev. George L. Beale.
The committee met ut Elm street
Church Saturday morning at CLOCK,
the Presiding Elder presiding, and Mr.
Beale acting as Secretary.
Rev. j. A. Orman represented DIR.
Erwin. not as attorney, but as friend,
IN view of the latters deafness.
MAKES FRANK STATEMENT.
A number of witnesses had been
summoned and were present, but DR..
Erwin made frank confession that he
had at times drunk spirltuOus liquors
to excess, having begun their use oigi
nally under the prescription OF ply
siclans for pulmonary affection.
The committee had no authority to
try the case. but simply to inquire
into the rumors and determine
wheUner trial was necessary or not,
the final adjudication being left with
the conference which meets at Muir
freesboro Oct. Z.
On the strength of DR.. Erwln's state
ment to the committee it was decided
that trial was necessary and Dr. Erwin
was suspended from all the functions
of the ministry until the ensuing
sessi on OF the conference. This com
mlttee also appealed to the conference
TO use great clemency in adJudicating
the case.
The action of the committee Is
to what is known as arrest
ing his character.
As the conference will meet now in
a few weeks, the vacant pupil Will
simply be supplied until a pastor is
assigned there by the con
ference.
DIR. ERWIN s RECORD.
DIR. Erwin Is one OF the best known
ministers in Nashville. He is son
Of a distinguished minister OF the
Methodist Church, Rev. A. II. Erwin,
and has been a member OF the Tennes'
see Conferan 70 since 1870 When only