The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-10-02
GHURCH. : TRIAL,
VETERAN METHODIST FOUND
GUILTY. By JURY.

GUILTY. BY JURY.
For tslanderine' His Pastor in
sEas1ng . Statement in Reference
TO Minnses and Collections.
The St. Matthews correspondent OF
The News and Courier says short
but spicy little trial occurred at
wesley Chapel. M. E. Church,
wednesday morning. 1t is unusual
for man TO speak so disrespectfully
OF his church in general and his own
spiritual adviser in particular as to
make; Che matter sufficiently interest
ing to attract g fair audience.
The Rev. G.. w. Davis, of Bowman
S. c., acted as referee, Martin Manu.
Esq. was the attorney for the COM
,Irnuittee and the Methodist minister.
the Rev. J. n. Thacker. who is now
engaged in this circuit.
MIR. Marvin Murphy, graduate
OF Clemson College, acted as secre-
tarJ and stenographer.
sMr. John Vaughn, of Jamison, was
the defendant and conducted his own
case.
The following is the jist of the
Specifications against the accused as
preferred by a committee composed
OF Messrs. r. W. Murphy D. 3.
wolfe and W. W. Staley, to-wit:
First. That the said John Vaughn
has Yioiated the general rule OF the
n. e. Chucrh, South, by speaking
in sianaereus terms OF those minis
ters who sell the minutes of the an
nuaI Conference to raise the assess
mene laid on the charge for the pub
,ication of said minutes.
Second. That the said John
Vaughn stated at Prospect Church
in February, 1908, in the presence
of several parties, that the preachers
who sell the minutes and put the
money in their pockets. when there
was an assessment on the charge by
the annual Conference to pay Tor
the minutes, and that such Was: Z
rascally piece of business.
There were several witnesses for
the prosecution. who testified sub
stantially that Mr.. Vaughn had stat
ed that it was "rascally piece or
business" for ministers to sell these
minutes.
The defendant offered no tesu-
mony, but made an impassioned anu
aggressive speech to the jury. He
denied that it was slanderous to tell
the truth, and that if he had to lie
TO remain a member Of the Methodist
Church he would get out.
According to Mr.. Vaughn's own
,,tatp,TagYt. the ministers for eight
or ten years have been selling these
minutes and. the injustice should De
stopped.
Attorney Mann, of the prosecu-
tion, made a strong statement, from
the viewpoint of the law and Church
and was caustic and plain IN MS
statements with reference to the de-
fendant's conduct.
Mr. Mann's contention was that the
assessment for minutes is levied by
the district stewards, and that tine
ministers violate no law by seiilns
the minutes. BY way o. INTERRUPT,
tion the Rev. j. H. Thacker stateu
that the money collected from the
minutes was turned over to the COM
mittee on minutes.
The jury, consisting of Messrs. J..
w. Murphy, ]. S. Stabler, Herpert
Axan, Moody Goodwin and james
zeigler, after hearing the arguments,
retired and, after mature dellbera-
ton, brought in verdict Of guilty
on every count in the indictment.
unless the defendant, Mr.. Vaughn,
recants, which is not likely, he Will
he expelled from the Church. he
is an old Methodist veteran. who mas
not only taken great interest IN tnc
Church for many years, but made
mo- ssbones" of his public advocacy OF
the good old-time religion. This
fact makes his spiritual jar all the
more unfortunate.
The Church should speedily settle
whether the presiding elders nave
a right to demand payment 1or
these minutes and at the same time
levy an assessment for their puolica-
tion. This correspondent, an unpre-
tendous and unworthy Methooist
himself, does not believe the Kew.
J. n. Thacker or his fellow minis
ters have been guilty of any dishon-
orable conduct, but no further room
should be left for any doubt about
what is right and reasonable IN the
premises.