The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-09-12
Western Yearly Meeting Ap-
points a Committee to In
vestigate Serious Charges
Against Orthodoxy.
COMPLAINTS ARE
OF LONG STANDING
SUundness of the Doctrinal
Teachings at Earlham Col
lege Is Questioned by a
Carmel Delegate.

A sensation was created in Western
Yearly meeting Of Friends in session
at Plainfield when a representative
from the Carmel meeting yesterday re-
quested that certain complaints touch
ing the soundness of doctrinal teach
ings in the Earlham college biblical
department be investigated.
1t is an open secret in Richmond
that there have been serious COM
plants against the biblical department
at Earlham college and it is the con-
tention of some of the delegates at
the Plainfield meeting that there
should be house-cleaning.
The request of the Carmel delegates
provoked an animated discussion yes
terday and committee was appointed
to report to the Yearly meeting Friday.
The committee is composed of David
Hadley, of Danville; Edward Wood
ward, superintendent of pastoral and
evangelistic work of the Western
yearly meeting of Bloomingdale; John
Shearman, of Indianapolis; Charlotte
Vickers, of Chicago, and Gertrude Re-
nier.
Morton C. Pierson, of Indianapolis,
named as member of the committee
objected for the reason that he is
financial agent Of the college and John
Shurman was named in his place.
Complaints Heard Before.
Professor Ebert Russell, head of
the Earlham biblical department,
could not be reached today.
The complaints against the ortho-
doxy of biblical teaching at Earlham
college have been current in Quaker
circles for some time. It was known
early this year that current against
Professor Russell had set in and that
some prominent Quaker families were
said to oppose his presence at Earl
ham college.
T. luires made at that time of Presi-
dent Kelly elected the information
that there was no hostility to Profes-
eor Russell in college circles, and a
statement was later given the press in
which the president of the college said
Professor Russell would remain at the
college and not accept a flattering Of
fer to become teacher in leading
college Oh the country.
Old Members Present.
The meeting at Plainfield is distin-
guished by the presence of a number
of members who have attended the
gathering for fifty years Probably the
Oldest person in attendance is Mrs
Asenach Nixon, of Kokomo, who is
nearly ninety-two years old. She has
missed only five of the yearly meet
fngs.
The meeting is being held in tent
on the campus. 1t is recalled that Atty
five years ago at the first yearly meet
ing ever held at Plainfeld, there was
not single tree ON the campus and
that at that meeting an association of
young people was formed for the pur-
pose Of looking after the planting of
trees. But one member of that associa-
tion is now living, Mrs. Hannah Law
renee, of Indianapolis.
Opened With Prayer.
The meeting yesterday was opened
with a prayer service. The clerks, all
of whom served in the same capacity
last year, were George Moore, Lydia
C. Painter, Ella Barrett, Mary o.
White and Frank Stafford. The rol,
call of delegates and ushers was taken
with the usual instructions, with an
additional one, that they take into con-
sideration the matter of some simple
rules of order for the transaction of
business.
Credentials were read for the fol,
lowing ministers from other yearly
meetings: William G. Hubbard, OF
Ohio: Parker Moon and Lyman Co
sand, of Kansas: Charles Sweet and
Arthur Hammond, of Iowa: George
Hartley, of Indiana; George Weeks, OF
Nebraska: Levi Mills, of Wilmington
o.. and Amos Cook. of California, Mr.
and Mrs. Dalton Lewis, of Van Vert
O.. have charge of the music. Charles
Sweet responded to the address of vel
come. The clerk was instructed te
send telegram of sympathy and ap
preciation to William Lewis. of Koko
mo, who has given many years of ser
vice to the church. and who is unable
to be present at this time.
The report Of the printing commit
tee showed that $500 copies of the
minutes of last year were distributed
The contract for this year was let t.
p. w. Raidabaugh. of Plainfield. at I
cost OF $240. A number of nominating
committees were appointed to consid
er routine business transacted this af
tcrnoon
Movement Toward Peace.
The meeting last night was address
ed by William G. Hubbard, OF Colum
bus. O., whose subject was "Tht
Worlds Movement Toward Peace.
Mr.. Hubbard is general superintendent
of the American Railway Literary Tn
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