Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-12-29
THAT IS REV. IRVINE'S QUESTION
As 10 So Many Quarrels, In This There
Is Woman at the Bottom
OF H.
SHE is MRS. ELLIOTT, A DIvORCEE
Divorced Persons, Except for Certain
Causes, Cannot by CauOns Of Church
Take the Holy Sacrament

Philadelphia. Dec 29-"Can q bishop
or ought a bishop write detamatory let
ters IN secret IN order 10 inlure any
member Of the ministry? This is the
question that viii be decided at the
meeting Of the board Of inquiry IN thu
case Of Irvine ys, Talbot" said the Rev.
Ingram n. w. Irvine, the plaintiff In
the celebrated case today, IN discussing
the charges which have been made
against him.
my Reinstatement" continued Or.
Irvine, ITS OF secondary consideration
when oOntrasted with the above query,
Of course / wish TO have this unjust
deposition removed, but / wish also
entirely without malice to be vindi-
Gated iu the sight OF God and my
friends"
In discussing the motive for the pre-
sentiment. Dr. Irvine said that 1t was
because he had persistently refused 10
serve communion To- Mrs. Emma D. El-
lioti OF Huntingdon Pa. who IL d.
y0rced. against the wishes Of Bishop
Talbot
Bishop Talbot and I. along with
about 800 other members OF the minis
try" said Or. Irvine. signed the dec
laration which was sent 10 all the bish-
ops and clergy In the United states
and presented to the general conven-
ton Of 1895 and which prayed for more
stringent restrictions n the matter Of
divorce and remarriage,
1.-THE canons Of the church provide
explicitly that a man or woman d.
vorced on any charge, except that OF
adultery, which must be proven be-
yond the bounds OF reasonable doubt,
cannot receive the holy sacrament In
the face OF this Bishop Talbot while
he publicly supported the petition.
Coverty and by secret meetings with
Mrs Elliott, who Is a woman divorced
on the grounds OF desertion, sought to
have her remain In the church.
"NoW, who was the more consistent.
Bishohp Talbot or - Did we not both
OF u.s. sign the petition mentloned2 Is
II not curious that Bishop Talbot, al
though he had written me saying that
Mrs. Elliott was. by canon eX-com-
municated. should by other methods
seek 10 retain her as a communicate
Referring 20 the letter which Bishop
Talbot ls said 10 have written Or Up
John, IN which the former termed DR..
irvine plausible romancer' had
charged that be was deposed for gross
immortality and chat for 20 out Of the
80 years Of bis service 10 the ministry
he was under ecclesiastical discipline"
Dr. Irvine said that Bishop Talbot has
placed himself IN a most awkward
position
THAT letter TO Dr. Upiohn was un-
warranted and cruel" said Or. Irvine.
since II was first of all gross subter-
flge. Il was used secretly as
weapon against me, to deprive me OF
all sympathy, respect and even main-
tenanCe.
in the first place Il Is am utter i'm.
possibility for the allegations 20 be
true The church law requires that a
minister shall not be eligible TO admit.
lance 90 another diocese when leaving
one, unless he bears the letter demls-
sary' This letter shows that the de-
parting minister has q clear record,
6ht bis life is beyond reproach, free
from error IN religion or viciousness in
life, and must be signed by the bishop.
How could l. therefore be guilty OF
the charges made against me2
Bishop Whiietaad Of the diocese OF
AIiNnHNIAt hlHN'l Aulla OF inc NtO-
cese of Easton Nd, the last two
dioceses iu which / served as we'll az
the bishops of an The dioceses IN which
] lived prior TO this, have given me
these letters which secured me the
desired admission 10 new fields.
Bishop Talbot has IN his allegations.
indirectly accused his brother bishops
of fraud upon the church IN their Is
suauce Of these letters TO me The
bishops whose names he quotes IN his
attack upon my character have been
placed ia a position which rejects dis
credit upon their regulations or Bishop
Talbots accusations are absolutely
false-and I know that the word OF
these gentlemen cannot be impugned."
Dr. Irvine said On conclusion that he
is not a member of the Catholic club.
nor has he ever made any accusations
az the club or had words with Dr. Up
John.