The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-21
WILDMAN MURPHY
LEAVES CHURCH
Provo Pastor Withdraws From
Methodist EpiscOpaIians.
HE GIVES TWO REASONS
LEILICH AND CHURCH GOVERN
MENT INFLUENCE HIM.
Csaecial 70 The Hersld.)

Especial II
Provo. April 20-The quarterly confer
ence OF the NJ. +. church held in Provo
Tuesday evening brought surprise 70
most Of the members Of the church anu
TO the people Of Provo generally.
After the ordinary routine business, re-
ports from the various officers, etc, Sec
rotary Beesley read the following com
municatiOn from the pastor, Rev Wild
man Murphy:
To the Superintendent of the Utah Mis-
sion and Provo Quarterly Conference OF
Dear Brethren:1I hereby tender my
resignation as pastor of this church and
kindly ask you TO allow me to Withdraw
from the lOcal ministry and membership
of the Methodist Episcopal church
4 regret exceedingly to sever our re-
I lations. Nothing could have been more
agreeable than our work in connection
with this church.
1t is an entirely personal matter with
me. and one which relates to the govern
ment of the church which leads me 10
take this step. My action in this matter
has been carefully and prayerfully made.
Wishing this little church every bless
ing | remain.
''WILDMAN MURPHY.
Provo. April 10. 1904
The resignation was filed. as Judge
Kellogg. one of the trustees explained
that he didn't think the church had any
I other authority in the matter. in when
Dr. Talbot. the superintendent OF the
Utah mission who presided. rather agreed
D
if the church had any authority in the
case, he. and he believed the members OF
the church agreed with him, would not
accept the resignation. Judge Kellogg
paid high compliment to the retiring
pastor as minister and as man, -
/ believed that MI. Murphy had been out
ragged referring To his return to the Colo
RADIO. conference last fall by the confer
cnCe held in Salt Lake. from Whlch-the
Colorado conference.-the was returned 70
Provo. upon the urgent demand OF ms
cOngrega tom and he believed the NJ. r.
church in Utah had been outraged by the
removal Of preachers who had done good
Want Good Pastor.
| The question of new pastor for the
church for the remainder of the year was
considered. as Judge Kellogg stated. IN
reply to a question by Dr. Talbot tlat
If he could find good man they Woulu
/ be glad to have him come II not he
/ thought the church would he kept alive
/ by the membeTs-that Sunday school and
! other services would be held. He did not
] want pastor who was not-iu every way
/ a good man. "Shams don't 20 in Titan, y
] said Judge Kellogg.
/ DR.. Talbot expressed himself pleased
at the determination Of keeping up the
! church work and referred 10 some of the
other churches in Utah where there was
more or less difficulty which he had
/ been called upon to straighteu out. when
was one reason for his failure TO meet
with the people I'm Provo sooner. lie
spoke of one church where the pastor
/ had sold all. or some of the furniture,
and pocketed the money. and iuttmsted
/ that he was on the trail of the enteTprls-
/ ing individual.
! Mi Murphy spoke regrctfulIy Of his
! separation from his charge in this city.
/ He thought he had been treated unjust
I ~ in some respects in tho past. but that
was not the cause of his resignation. 1t
was matter of conscience with him re-
gardinS church government. At the close
| OF the conference many OF the COUgregl-
/ ton shook hands with Mr.. Murphy and
the sincerity of their grief over his Tesig-
nation was testified to by their subdued
! demeanor and in some instances by silent
! tears.
MI. EIurphy's Statement.
Mr. Murphy has made friends among all
! classes of people during his residence in
! Provo. and his departure viii be greatly
/ for the future and may remain for some
| time He made the following statement
/ of the cause of his resignation 10 The
| Herald correspondent today;
/ The cause Of my leaving the Methodist
! church Is not on account of any dis
agreement ] have with the doctrines OF
! the church. nor is ii any trouble I haYe
! with DR.. Talbot. the new superintendent
/ OF the Utah mission. for no one could he
more COnsiderate than he has been to-
| ward me. Neither Is the fault with the
| church and people of Provo. for my rela-
ton with them has been nearly ideal in
| every way, and could not be more agree
! able than it has been.
/ But the real cause has been two-fold.
| First. the treatment which the older
| workers of this mission received at the
| hands Of DR.. Leilich, when he was super
! inteudent of our worll-men who had per-
/ formed years N service We're forced out
! OF Utah without one word of recognition
| or real appreciation.
/ Second and primarily. the real cause
| Of my withdrawal is found in. tthe fact
| that I hold views which are not i'm har-
mOny with the government Of the Metho.
! dist Episcopal church. nor the vow l
J would have 10 take If ordained IN eide,
] | believe I'm 70
/ publican form Of government for the
! church as well as i'm civil affairs and I
] do not wish to remain in church and be
| considered disloyal to it."