Evening journal., 1919-03-08
CLAIM DIR. M'ELMOYLE
WAS TREATED UNFAIRLY

Y
arguments FOR the adoption Of their
report resambled that OF paid attorneys
I pleading clients cause. rather than
that Of members Of committee acting
/ in a semi-iudicial capacity. Mr. Wales
read lengthy extracts from Dr. Nc
Elmoyle's testimony. and your COM
miltee was impressed with the fact
that The latter had been subjected to
searching and by no means friendly
cross-eXamination. Some members al
least. Of your committee, were led to
wonder n the same procedure had been
/ followed IN Mr.. McCullough's case, for
example
"Nlr. Wales's prejudice and lack Of
/ fairness were shown c0nspicuously in
the manner in which he read Dr. Me
| ElmOyles answer TO a question as TO
why he had not. since your meeting Of
last April called more frequently upon
The elders 90 lead In prayer. The
answer as given by Dr. McElmoyle,
was that there were others there who
could pray accepiably and that il was
customary TO call upon strangers
whenever possible. Mr. Wales read the
answer as follows: There were others
there who could pray acccptably, lay
Ing special emphasis upon the word
'acceptsbly, with the evident object
OF conveying the impression that Or.
McElmoyle had implied that the elders
could not pray acceptably. This dis
tortion Of Dr. McElmoyle's answer
was. In the view Of your committee, as
40 t..r 90 Al. NrHfh
though Mr.. Wales had substituted
other words for those actually used.
The litter with which mombers OF
Presbytery greeted the reading OF The
reply showed that Mr.. Wales's action
did not fall Of its purpose.
Your committee Indignantly con-
demns the inexcusable, wanton and
malicious attack Of the Rev. Or. Boyle
upon the majority Of your congrega-
ton. After praising his own plety
and that Of his elder Mr.. Wales and
lauding your elders and their friends
as the innocent and patient victims OF
gross persecution, he launched into
bitter abuse Of The remainder OF the
congregation. TO the minority he as
cribed an the virtue and spiritual grace
Of the congregational body They
despite persistent opposition, are
bravely holding aloft the light Of the
spirit and pressing ever forward in the
path OF duty. The church, he said,
could not survive their Withdrawal
from 10 The others, represented in
Your committee, are better out Of the
church than In IT, and II the time
should come when they should decide
10 leave 70. their committee would be
there upon the platform TO rejoice and
wish them "God-speed.
Through some strange mental per
version. Dr. Boyle, while apparently
seeing nothing 90 criticise in The with
drawal by the elders and their friends
of their support from the church
heaped condemnation upon the heads Of
those who Joined In the mad rush. as
he called H. 20 contribute their money
90 bolster up the church's shaking
finances
Their committees report referred
20 the deplOrable financial condition OF
the church at the time OF their investi-
cation as one Of the circumstances
lustifying their recommendations. Your
effort 10 correct that condition was, 10
the view OF Dr Boyle, equally blame
worthy. he affected 10 see in II a
sinister attempt 30 gain control OF the
organization for some base purprse and
averred. In effect, that the more we
the more would we lay
ourselves open to suspicion.
"On a cali for the question a vote
was taken, The result being the adop-
ton Of the nrst resolution, expressing
The desirabllity Of severing the pas
Ioral relation. by twenty votes 10 two,
Dr.. Gilnllan being one OF those who /
iissented.
after the passage pf the resolution, |
Dr.. McElmoyle read in a dgnhed man /
ler, and without reference % his fu- |
uro course, the law as laid down by I
he General Assembly Of the Church |
applicable 90 cases where the pastoral I
relation was sought TO be severed
against the wishes Of both pastor and
Whereupon one minis
,erial member accused him Of making
threats and showing defiance 10 Pres
bytery.
The second resolution was also
passed Dr. McElmoyle, previous TO 4
the vote, repeated what he had before
stated. that he was giving no induce
ment, direct or indirect, 90 anyone. to I
bring persons 20 him 20 be married
The third resolution was not voted .
upon, Dr. McElmoylc explaining that /
the financial system recommended had I
already been adopted by the congrega- I
tion
The entire proceeding left with your |
committee the following distinct i'm
press'ons; First the futility Of such an
investigation as that made in Elkton
by such a committee under such cir
cumstances; second, the utter unntnoss
for membership upon a presumably
impartial investigating committee Of
Messrs. Wales and Boyle, especially
the latter; third, the discourtesy shown
by Presbytery TO your committee and
yourselves in permitting the venomous
dlatrlbe Of the Rev. Or. Boyle 10 pass
unrebuked; and fourth, the marked
spirit of unfairness 10 Or. McElmoyla
shown throughout.