Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-09-27
Iowa City Presbytery Votes
Not to Reinstate Former
Iowa Pastor
VOTE VERY CLOSE, HOWEVER
Presbytery, in Session at West Liberty,
Decides to Transfer the Case to San
Francisco Body-General Belief is
That He Should be Reinstated =
Other Iowa News.
Special 10 Times-Republican.

West Liberty, Sept. 27.-At the adj
journed meeting of the Iowa City Pres
bytery, which was brought to a close
here last night, it was decided not to
reinstate Rev. Monroe Drew, former
Iowa pastor, at one time in charge Of
the churches at Leclaire and Columbus
Junction. The vote was very close, a
majority of one being in favor of not
taking action in accordance with
Drew's wishes. The closing session
began at 1o'clock and was not con-
cluded until 10.
Several members of the presbytery
had been compelled to leave before
the vote was taken, in order to make
train connections on their return
home and what the result would have
been in case thei- votes had been cast
is doubtful There seemed to be a
sentiment among the ministers pres
ent that if the absent members had
voted the man would have been re-
instated.
Transferred to San Francisco.
In addition to voting against re-in-
stating Rev. Drew, a motion prevailed
to transfer the case from the Iowa
City Presbytery to the San Francisco
Presbytery, where it will be taken up
at some time in the future and the
probability is that the man will once
more be returned to the ministry. The
reason for transferring the case is
that Mr.. Drew is at present on the
coast and in the jurisdiction of that
presbytery, and the case can be more
gagged at present in newspaper work.
holding a responsible position on the
San Francisco Chronicle.
The case was brought UP at the reg
ular meeting of the presbytery, which
was held at Montezuma on September
IA, at which time the meeting was adj
journed to meet again at West Lib
erty for the adjudication of the case
Wide interest has been attracted to
the case, because of the publicity diff
ferent phases attained at the time of
their occurrence. Following the Lee.
claire episode, told in the dispatches
few days ago, second case resulted at
Columbus Junction.
Rev. Drew was the minister of the
Presbyterian church at Columbus
Junction for number of years, and
while there he and his wife became
estranged, charges being brought by
the wife in which she stated that he
failed to- properly provide for herself
and her children, and also charged him
with cruel treatment. The case was
taken up by the presbytery and was
given al hearing before that body in
December of 1902, at a meeting held at
Columbus Junction. He was retained
as a suspended member. but in Deem
Der, 1903, at meeting held IN Musca-
tine, he was dropped from the minis
try.
Appealed to Synod.
The case was then appealed to the
synod of Iowa, which met at Fairfield
in october, 1904. The synod directed
that the presbytery modify the order
in deposing the man and to reinstate
him as a suspended member, which
was done. From that time until now
the mans status has been that of a
suspended member of the Iowa City
presbytery, but he is DESTROYS of re-
turning to the work of the ministry,
and was anxious to be reinstated to
full rights as a minister. 1t was for
this purpose that the meeting here was
held, and altho the vote was against
him, it was the consensus of opinion
that the man deserved to be taken back
as he was repentant and had suffered
enough already. The wife has never
appeared before the presbytery, altho
she has been cited to do SO, and there
fore it has been impossible for the
to become perfectly famil-
lar with the merits of the case