The Oskaloosa herald., 1916-06-22

If Oskaloosa. and Mahaska County
ire Mayne Arnold's references.
shalltown two years ago tried to ex
communicate the Rev. Mr.. Short, a
Sioux City minister, but the action
got no farther than publication in
the newspapers. The Sioux City
church people informed the Marshall
town Congregationalist that the Rev
Mr. Short was theirs to do, with as
they saw fit, and that Marshalltown
was showing bad faith in butting in
where they had no business. Mar
shalltown conducted mail order
trial.
'Semi-official approval of the course
taken by the Methodists at Newton by
the Des Moines Register is inexcus
able. The publisher of that news
paper is as well informed on Method
list law as state law, because he has
assisted in making both. He should
understand that the ministers at New
ton violated the spirit of the New
Testament and broke the laws of the
church, which are more exacting con
corning church trials than the laws on
dancing, card playing and horse rae
ing. Nineteen hundred years after
the crucifixion of Jesus Christ emf
nent lawyers have discovered that
He was Illegally tried and illegally ex
ecuted, according to the laws OF the
land and the church.
THE Methodist discipline pre-
scribes the methods of procedure
concerning charges made against g
member, which are based on the plar
outlined in the New Testament. There
is no provision for mail order trial
The brother who is charged with of
fonses against the church or land has
at least three chances for his life, anC
reputation is just as sacred as life
! The trial took place at Newton with
out the necessary preliminary pro
ceedings. No elders and brother!
| have gone to Brother Harding ant
admOnished him to turn from his
! evil ways, if in fact, he is headed tina
way He was not brought before
] the officers of the church for a hear
! ing. His trial at Newton was con
| Quoted by the prosecution solely, anC
on hearsay evidence. Brother Hard
! ing had no chance at the jury as h
! had in the great jury of the STATE
which approved his candidacy by ;
| decided vote. No minister took VI
! his defense as prescribed by tn,
Methodist discipline.
THE ministers at Newton had founC
Brother Harding guilty before the,
went to Newton, and so without look
! ing up the Christian forms of proceed
ure in church trials, they pronounce
| judgment just as the fixed court off
Gals at Jerusalem found Jesus guilt
on charges based solely on prejudice
1t is possible to allow ones prejudic
| to govern the conscience in this ag
of the world. 1t is possible to TAX
steps that are entirely out of harmon
with Christian ethics to further wha
! is considered a righteous cause.
ut is the privilege of the minister
OF the Methodist church to vote a
they please, but it is not their priv
| lege, nor is it in line with the lega
proceedings of their church to convic
a man on the evidence they had be
fore them at Newton. Destroyin
a mans reputation without a hearin
Tense as taking his life by irregula
| proceedings. The hearsay evidenc
on which the Methodist ministers a
Newton found Brother Harding gui
ty was circulated by partisans for tn
purpose of stampeding ministers @
the gospel. Its circulation had tn
effect of stampeding the ministers
but at the same time it had the cour
ter effect of turning many rabid prob
bitionists for him because they b.
lieved that he was being prosecuted
Judge Durham, OF Manchester for il
stance, one of the most radical prC
Ihibitionists and liquor law enforcer
in Iowa, supported Harding becaus
he had faith in him, had served wit
him in the legislature, and knew tina
the charges made against him wer
unfair. Other prohibitionists VIII
were acquainted with Brother Hare
ing, changed to him, believing ths
he would sreve the cause of tempe
ance better than any other candidat,
and because they did not approve {
the pernicious campaign made again'
him.
'The Methodists at Newton shoul
have awaited the action of the loo;
Sioux City church before ditching
brother who appears to hold his men
bership in that body, without que
tion. That church appears to hol
the candidate in the highest esteel
and to believe in him. Neighbol
very often know more about loci
man than the people in distant pa
of the state.
Such action as was taken at Nel
ton will not help the cause OF prob
bition II war just this kinw OF pr
, aceeding which turned Iowa away fro
prohibition In 1894. and brouel
about the enactment OF the mulct la
and which will re-establIsh the s