The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-01-09
WAS THE NEWS
UNFAIR?

" MT atRs
In a recent editorial the Tampa
Times takes the Palatka News TO
task for being what the Times styles
unfair" to the authorities of the
Methodist Episcopal church, South,
when the News, in discussing the
withdrawal of a prominent pastor
from the ministry and membership in
the church at the last melting of the
Florida Annual Conference, said:
"Of course it is no ones business
what the church does with its min
listers, as the minister who takes
the vows of ordination is required
to submit to authority, But in the
case of the Methodist Church,
somehow there would be some ao-
vantage to it in having the public
freed from the suspicion that it did
naat. always give its ministers a
square deal"
The Times then states that "if there
is in the mind of the editor of the
News the suspicion that the great
church that he mentions does not al
ways give its ministers square deal
he is almost alone in that mental at
titude"
The Palatka News yields to no man
or editor in its respect for ministers Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, eth
err in its northern or southern branch.
1t believes them in the main to be
devoted men whose one ambition IS
to serve their Divine Master. He
even goes so far as to believe these
men are Divinely called to the wcrk
of the ministry.
But neither this ambition nor this
call in anyway interferes with min
ister's ambition to serve where he be-
lieves he can accomplish the greatest
good.
Where he shall serve, however, is
left to the presiding bishop and his
cabinet of presiding elders; they are
clothed with autocratic power. They
say to a minister, "Go there" and hi
goes. There is no appeal; he mus
swallow his disappointment and go
or get out.
The News is not alone in this "men
tai attitude" spoken of by the lamp;
Times. The same mental attitude Ii
shared by many of the ministers a
every annual conference of the churcl
after the appointments of the yea
have been read. But as a rule thes
ministers pocket their disappointment
and go to the fields assigned them.
1t is true that many ministers ar
moved who prefer not to go; tia
there is a demand for change fror
the charge; that mans peculia
ability may be demanded at anothe
point. But there are other cases alcC
Here is one of them.
A methodist minister in anothe
state in recent letter to frient
told of sickness in his family and no
under the circumstances it would
great hardship to have to move
he told of the unanimous action of hi
official board and of his memoirs pr
titioning for his return. Then,
quote his letter verbatum, he said:
"The presiding elder and bishc F
knew my case well in all its beac'
ings. My official board and mem
bers had asked for my return. They
(the bishop and cabinet) pretended
the highest possible regard for my
character and ability. The bishop
took me aside twice during confer
ence to salve things over and ey'
plain and apologize, and th2r
dragged me the whole length of tat
state and dropped me in place
with decrease of about 5000 il
salary and standing. Meantime
they tried to buy me off and hull
me up"
OF course this may be an exc 81
tional case, but anyone who has ey'
conversed much with ministers of Il
Methodist Church Immediately aft
the adjournment of conference, W
know that it is lot the only exc =
tional case, and that they occur f.
cuently enough to excite the susr
cion that ministers do not always :
a square deal"
The Times is also reminded tn
this is the church militant and not u
church triumphant of which we We
speaking; and that it's officials, wi
all their spirituality, are but hum;
beings after all, and as such are Ii
BILE to abuse their power.
The News cannot see anything i
consistent in the statement tn
somehow there would be advantai
to the church in having the publ
freed even the suspicion that it d
not always give its ministers squa
- GAal"