Middletown transcript., 1909-04-17
LIGHTBduRNE CASE PAPER
Issued Tuesday by Methodist Pastors Of
Wilmington and Vicinity Z

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Wilmington and Vicinity
Members of the Methodist Episcopa
Preachers Association OF Wilmington ant
vicinity, have adopted a paper settinI
forth "the true situation in the contro
versy with Wesley Church, Dover. Thl
paper was lad at the weekly meeting o
the associa'i'n on Monday, by the Rev
DR., G. a. Hill, Of st. PauI's Church, ant
copies we're ordered prepared for the pres
OF Wilmington and the Peninsula to be
distributed simultaneously. The preach.
ere, while issuing the paper as members
Eof the conference. of course have nc
authority8to speak for the Conferences as
body. The paper they have issued is az
/ follows:
In various communications from Dover
to the public press of Wilmington, the re-
cent action of the Wilmington Annual
Conference in the case of A. w. Light
bourne, is referred to the deposition Of
Mr. bsghtecurneS ftom mem m6ssship on
account OF an alleged irregularity in his
credentials" This phrase is not in har.
mony with the truth; and with what pnr.
pose it has been SO persistently used in
these communications from Dover, need
not here be set forth. The truth in Tela.
ton to the Lightbourne credential is, ii
was not irregular but fraudulent and 6cti-
tlous. 1t was proved to be 80 before two
committees, each composed ofas fair and
IndiciaIly minded men as can be found on
this peninsula. The credential is proved
to be fraudulent and fictitious by the
three following facts, to-Wit:
y. Atthe time the credential is dated,
January, 1903, the Fairfield West Congre-
,gational Association, from which The Gre
Dental was alleged to be issued did not
exist that Association having passed out
OF existence years before A. W. Light.
bourne's oredsntial was issued.
"9. The records of the Fairfield West
Congregational Association show that,
while that Association was in existence,
and years before it ceased to exist, the
name OF A. W. Lightbourne was, by vote
Of the Association, dropped from its roll
OF members, The reason why Mr.. Light
bourne was thus deprived OF his member
ship in that Association does NOT appear
iu tue record. But the fact that he was
deprived Of membership in the Associa.
tion, by vote Of the Association, years be.
fire the credential to the Wilmington
Conference was alleged to be issued is |
matter Of record.
3. The name, A. L. Ross; which was
signed to the credential as Registrar OF |
Ae Association, was a pure invention. |
There never was a man named A. E.
Ross, a member of the Fairfield West |
Association. It is also
true that before neither of the Committees
Of the Wilmington Conference did either
Mr.. Lightbourne or his counsel make
any defense Of the credential whatever
In the light of the three foregoing
iacts, established beyond all possibility
II doubt before two committees, the vii.
nington Conference declared that mem.
oership secured by such frand is null |
lnd void. In the name Of truth and
righteousness, what else could it do?-
"The above paper was unanimously /
Idoped by the Ministerial Association of
he Methodist Episcopal Preachers of
and vicinity at their regular
Meeting April 12. The secretary was IN
trueled to give the same to the press of +
be city and peninsula. I
"Thos. R. Van Dyke, Secretary. ,,'39zst Il
Dr. Lightbourne Says Presumptions
When the Rev. DR.. A. w. Lighbourne
Eas told of the tenor OF the paper is sued
y the Methodist ministers this afternoon,
le characterized it as presumption.
at is piece OF pure presumption on
be part of the Wilmington Preachers
leeting or any similar number of men at
ny place or in any part OF the Whining
On Conference territory to make state
lent for which they claim the authority
fthe Conference, ''said DR.. Lightbourne.
It would have been far better for the
Preachers meeting to have
iyen me an opportunity to make state
tent before them before they should for
lulate another verdict. have never yet
cen given that opportunity before any
'ibunal touching the character of this
legged fictitious document. It seems
iat Methodist preachers haye fashion !
constituting themselves into judician
Odies aud summarily disposing of those
no seem in their way or are not congenial I
will make q statement g
sry shortly in full so soon as decision {
court in the matter OF the Dover church 1,
Is been given. then will meet all the &
oints involved, and not until then.'' :