Evening journal., 1908-03-21
ELDERS REPORT
CAUSES A STIR
Washington Heights Official
ExceptS to DR.. MOwbray'S
Statement
TELLS OF SOME HISTORY

Presiding Elder A. S. Mowbray's ref
erenee in his annual report to the VIII
mington Methodist Conference to the
transfer Of Washington Heights M. e.
Church to the trustees of Hanover
Presbyterian Church has caused a stir
among some persons In the church who
are familiar with the conditions lead
ing up to the transfer. ]. c. pyle.
who is secretary Of Washington
Heights M. E. Church, to-day discussed
the transfer at length and took excep-
ton to some Of DR.. Mowbray's state
ments.
In reading over the minutes OF the
Methodist Episcopal Conference. now
being held In Asbury Church. this city
as they are from day to day published
IN THE EVENING JOURNAL, 1 could
not help but read and re-read the re-
port Of the presiding elder OF the VIII
mington district" said Mr.. Pyle this
morning. Being alread va party at
interest In the matter, l gave strict
attention to his references to the re-
inarkable transfer Of Washington
Heights
Having been closely connected with
THIS particular church ever since its
hrst inception, and its secretary ever
since its incorporation, am possibly
as well informed as to its history as is
the presiding elder and without desir-
ing Tor a moment to cast any rehec-
tons upon his statements but rather
20 correct them, l am prompted to ask
the favor of your columns for this let
ter.
In regard to the statement In the
report Of the elder that The Washing
ton Heights Church property was pre-
sented to Bishop McCabe, to be dedi-
Gated as a Methodist Church. / desire
TO state that the word presented Is at
least III advised. The beloved bishop
was requested to perform the dedica-
tory services by the pastor of St Paurs
Church, under whose jurisdiction
Washington Heights was then placed.
The plan Of the operation was fully sx-
planned to him beforehand, and he un-
derstood the situation. No congre-
gation,' no trustees no official Of any
sort except the building committee
and no organization. no Sunday
school, and no scholars or teachers
These things he wondered at, but un-
derstood, before he dedicated the
church. There was no question put
either by the bishop the presiding
elder or the pasaor Of the mother
church as TO deed or title, although the
title at that time stood in the name
Of the layman who was responsible for
the bills to the contractors. SO that
we rather take exception to the word
I presented
] Auofr or l., tba ~4,to.,.o,,t th,A ~,
church was reported to the Confer
ence as being without debt This
statement is made in the face of the
following facts: First. that Bishop Nc
Cabe was interrupted no less than four
times in his discourse by the chairman
of the building committee, when the
former tried to take up a collection to
defray the cost The chairman of the
building committee stating that the
debt was arranged. and ahe only thing
we wanted that day was the dedication.
Second. Five days after the dedication
two mortgages, aggregating $4,000,
were executed, and afterwards duly re-
corded Third. At the dedication SER
vices cards were passed among those
persons who had shown a willingness
to help the new cause along and these
CdIub showed lndl the running eA-
penses Of the church would be about
$4,000 a year, Of which amount s1,250
was for interest on mortgages. Fourth.
In the session Of Conference, in POGO
moke City, in March, 1906, the church
was reported as being in charge of St.
Pauls, and in the report Of the presid-
ing elder Of the Wilmington district
the church was glowingly referred TO-
but no mention was made Of the fact
that 1t was without debt Fifth. At
the first Quarterly Conference. held
June 6, 1906. the presiding elder in the
chair, the ressrt Of the building COM
mittee was submitted as also a report
OF the trustees. This report showed
the existence of two mortgages Of the
aggregate amount of $4,000, and the
suane was duly published I'm the daily
press the following day. Sixth. In the
elders report to Conference in Smyrna