Evening journal., 1909-04-13

CASE PAPER
issued Today by Methodist
Pastors Of City and
Vicinity
DR.. LIGHTBOURNE
SAYS ITS PRESUMPTION

Members OF the Methodist Episcopal
Preachers Association Of Wilmington and
vicinity. have adopted paper setting
forth the true situation in the contro-
versy with Wesley Church. Dover. Ths
paper was read at the weekly meeting OF
the association on Monday by the Rev
DR. c. A. Hill. OF st. Paurs Church. this
city. and copies were ordered prepared for
the press Of Wilmington and the PENN
suia to be distributed simultaneously. The
preachers. while issuing the paper as
members OF the conference, of course have
no authority to speak for the Conferences
as a body. The paper they have issued ia
as follows:
'In various communications from Dover
to the public press OF Wilmington, tho re-
cent action Of the Wilmington Annual
Conference In the case OF A. w. Light
bourne. is referred to as tho deposition OF
Mr. Lghtbourne from membership ON
account Of an alleged irregularity in his
credentials" This phrase is not in har-
mony with the truth: and with what pur-
pose II has been so persstently used IN
these communications from Dover. need
not here be set forth. The truth in rela-
tlon to the Lightbourne credential is, It
was not irregular but fraudulent and fcti-
tious. It was proved to be SO before
two committees. each composed of as
fair and judicially minded men as can
be found on this peninsula. The ere
Dental Is proved TO be fraudulent and
1 fictitious by the three following facts.
to wit:
Il. At the time the credential is
dated. January 1902, the Fairfield West
! Congregational Association, from which
/ the credential was alleged TO be is
sued did not exist; that Association
having passed out OF existence years
before A. w. Lightbourne's credential
was issued.
-. The records of the Fairfield West
Congregational Association show that
while that Association was In exist
ence, and years before 1t ceased to
exist the name OF a. w. Lighthourne
was. by vote OF the Association. drop
ped from its roll of members. The rea-
son why Mr. Lightbourne was thus de-
prived Of HIS membership in that AS
soclation does not appear in the re-
p cord. But the fact that he was de-
prived OF membership in the Assoc
luAlNUf UN NNAt NA Aut ArhotlhAibils y thh ,
before the credential to the Whining
ton Conference was alleged to be issued
Is a matter OF record.
80. The name, A. H. Ross. which was
, signed 10 the credential as Registrar
Of the Association, was a pure inven-
tton. There never was man named
4 A. S. Ross. a member OF the Fairfield
West Congregational Association. nor
Of any other Congregational Associa-
tion. II is also true that before neith-
er Of the Committees OF the Whining
ton Conference did either Mr.. Light
bourne or his counsel make any defense
OF the credential whatever
In the light Of the three foregoing
facts. established beyond all possible
ty Of doubt before two committees. the
Wilmington Conference declared that
membership secured by such a fraud Is
{ null and void In the name OF truth
j and Righteousness, what else could it
, do2
"The above paper was unanimously
, adopted by the Ministerial Association
of the Methodist Episcopal Preachers
of Wilmington and vicinity at their
Continued on Second Page.