Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-01-04
IRWIN Tells his
+. SIDE OF Story
FORMER RECTOR ANSWERS At
LENGTH THE CHARGES OF
! BISHOP TALBOT.
QUESTION FOR THE
BOARD OF INQUIRY

May or Should a Bishop 1njure Repu-
tation Of a Clergyman in Secret
Prclate's Action on Excommunica-
ton of Mrs. Elliott Scored.
Philadelphia, Dec. 30.-"Can a bishop
or ought bishop write defamatory let
tiers in secret in order to injure any
member of the ministry" This is the
question which will be decided at the
meeting Of the board of inquiry in the
case of Irvine VS.. Talbot, said Rev. In
gram N. w. Irvine, the plaintiff in the
celebrated case, Thursday in discussing
the charges which have beel made
against him.
MY reinstatement" continued DR..
Irvine, lis of secondary consideration
when contrasted with the above query.
OF course, wish to have this unjust
deposition removed, but wish also, en-
tirely without malice, to be vindicated
in the sight of God and my friends
In discussing the motive of the pre-
sentiment DR.. Irvine said that it was be-
cause he had persistently refused to
serve communion to Mrs. Emma D. Ell
lott, of Huntingdon, Pa, who is d.
vorced, against the wishes, of Bishop
Talbot.
Both Signed Divorce Declaration.
Bishop Talbot and I, along with
about 1000 other members of the min
istry," said Dr. Irvine, signed the
declaration which was sent to all the
bishops and clergy in the United States
and presented to the general convention
of 1898, and which prayed for more
stringent restrictions in the matter of
divorce and remarriage.
THE canons of the church provide ex-
plicitly that a MAJ or woman, divorced
on any charge. except that OF adultery,
which must be proven beyond the bounds
of reasonable doubt, cannot receive the
holy sacrament. In the face Of this
Bishop Talbot, while he publicly sup
ported the petition, covertly and by
secret meetings with Mrs. Elliott, who is
a woman divorced on the grounds of de-
sertion, sought to have her remain in
the church.
Nov, who was the most consistent,
Bishop Talbot or I? Did we not, both OF
us, sign the petition mentioned? Is it
not curious that Bishop Talbot, al
though he had written me saying that
Mrs. Elliott was, by canon, exccm-
municated, should by other methods
seek to retain her as communicate"
Calls Upjohn Letter Subterfuge.
Referring to the letter which Bishop
Talbot. is said to have written DR.. Up
john, in which the former termed DR..
Irvine a. plausible romancer,' had
charged that he was deposed for gross
immortality and that for 20 out of the
80 years of his service in the. ministry
he was under ecclesiastical discipline"
DR.. Irvine said that Bishop Talbot has
placed himself in most awkward posi-
ton.
THAT letter to DR.. Upjohn was un-
warranted and cruel,'' said DR.. Irvine
"since it was first of all gross subter-
fuge. 1t was used secretly as weapon
against me, to deprive me of all sympa-
thy, respect and even maintenance In
the first place it is an utter impossible
ity for these allegations to be true. The
church law requires that minister shall
not be eligible to admittance to another
diocese when leaving one, unless he
bears the letter demissary' This letter
shows that the departing minister has
clear record; that his life is beyond re-
proach, free from error in religion or
viciousness in life, and must be signed
by the bishop. How could I, therefore.
be guilty of the charges made against
me?
Bishop Whitehead. of the diocese of
Pittsburg; Bishop Adams, of the diocese
of Easton, Nd, the last two dioceses in
which. served, as we'll as the bishops
OF all the dioceses in which 1 lived prior
to this, have given me these letters
which secured me the desired admission
to new fields.
Bishop Talbot has in his allegations
Indirectly accused his brother bishops of
fraud upon the church in their issuance
Of these letters to me. The bishops
whose names he quotes in his attack
upon my character have been placed in
position which-Seflects discredit upon
their regulations, or Bishop Talbot's
accusations are absolutely false-and l
know that the word of these gentlemen
cannot be impugned."
DR.. Irvine said in conclusion that he
is not member of the Catholic club. nor
has he ever made any accusations at the
club or had words with Dr. Upjohn.
Broke All Records.
New York. Dec. 20.-The United States
played Santa Claus 10 the world at large,
according to reports from General Super-
intendent Joseph Elliott, of the money
order division of the New York post
Office. From December to December
"a, the night before Christmas, no less
than 334.0S4 International orders were
forwarded to other lands from this city,
and these orders called for 81, 667 ,62S. 80.
THE remittances,' said Mr.. Elliott.
"were the largest in the history of the
post Office
Depew to Be Reelected.
New York, Dec. 80. - Senator Chaun-
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