The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-05-28
ADYENTISTS DEFEND
DEPOSING Of ELDER
Declare the Rev. MIR. Jones
Views Were Against Best
Interests of Church.

Reser.ting the imputation that. in de-
priving Elder Alonzo T. Jones Of Gre
dentials as an evangelical worker the
church hal denied him a fair and open
hearing, representatives of the Seventh
Day Adventists' general conference to-
day issued formal statement disclaim-
ing responsibility for having caused the
dissension that has arisen in the ranks
According 10 a committee composed OF
three members of the general conference
committee, former Elder Jones has been
guilty of conduct tending to weaken the
influence of the church organization
plan, and, therefore, his usefulness as
a minister Of the Gospel is at an end.
So far as the Adventist church is con-
cerGed. Jones has not been eXcom-
municated, nor viii he be by the gen.
eral conference. that question being en-
tirely in the hands of the local churCh
at Berkeley California.
Statement Issued.
The statement issued today is IN an
swer to the attack made on the organ
fzation Of the Seventh Day rAdventists
by former Elder Jones at last night 5
session. Deposed as a minister and
shorn of his credentials by the action
Q fthe executive committee two years
ago, he sought this opportunity to at
tack those whose policies he regarded
as opposed TO his own.
The impression he created in the lay
mind outside OF the conference was that
TIE methods in depriVing him of his Gre
uentials were high handed and arbl-
tTary and resembled a star chamber
proceeding Today's statement, which
was authorized by Elders W. ). Wash
hurns W c. White, and George b.
Thompson, Of the general conference
committee is as follows:
While we regret a misunderstanding
occasIOned by Mr.. Jones protest against
the action of the general conference
the credentials granted him by the gen
era1 conference in 1900. we think II is
but fair estate that his attack on ouI
procedure is hardly warranted.
Differed With Church.
''Mr. Jones kas granted credentials Il
represent the church as minister OF
the Gospel He differed with the piar
OF church organization so widely that
II was felt that he could not fully rep
resent the organized work of the Sen
venth Day Adventists.
Consequently he was asked by the
general conference committee, in coun-
ell assembled, 10 return his credentials
His subsequent protest that he was no.
ssiVen fair opportunity 10 present his
protest is hardly warranted, because Et
was granted all that he had requested
namely. rull hearing before all the
delegates assembled in conference
Mr.. Jones still holds his member
ship in the Seventh Day Adventist
Church. He has not been excoulnunf
Gated. but is a member OF a Ioca
church IN California The general con
ference leaves 10 the local churches en-.
tirely the matter of receiving member
ana Of dropping the names kof thos,
who are not considered as in fellow
ship No such action has or viii b,
taken by the general conference"
The morning session Of the conference
was occupied with proposed TeVfsions o
the church constitution. A. q Daniels
president of the general conference an,
h ". C0ttreH spoke on tile need q
establishing a department for eVangeli
cal educational and medical WOrl
among the negroes IN the South, whicl
IS a procedure now being followed b'
both the Episcopal and Methods
churches.