Evening journal., 1919-01-16
| PFRESDYTERIANS
TRY TO REMOVE
ELKTON PASTOR
Continued from page ons.)

Continued from page ono'l
hoyie's activities in performing Elkton
Weddings.
1t Is said that the special committee
who had consulted the court records,
reported that the Elkton dominic had
performed more than a thousand mar
riage ceremonies In the past twelve
months. Somebody In Presbytery re-
lated that the Rev. @. P. Jones, Metho-
dist pastor in Elkton, had performeo
$500 weddings IN one year.
Some severe comments were made by
ministers and elders upon the Mary
land marriage laws. which authorized
such Gretna Green as Elkton was.
Similar comments. 1t will be remem-
bered. were made last spring by dele
gates 10 the Wilmington Conference OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church, held
IN Dover.
There Is no church law, according
70 one Presbyterian minister, by which
New Castle Presbytery can ask for
minister's resignation for performing
legal marriages, and II would not be
upon this ground that such a resigna-
tion would be asked. A resignation,
however, could be ssked on the sround
that IL was Tor the good Of the church
that there should be a pastoral change.
The special committee who made the
accommodation 10 the presbytery
were the Rev. DR.. Joel s. Gilfllan, Of
OlNet Church, Wilmington, chairman;
the Rev. R. Alexander Boyle, OF Sails
bury; the Rev. ]. Russell Verbruyck, Of
Berlin. Md, ministers; F. Leonard
wales, q Salisbury attorney, and James
NJ. Smith, OF Greenhill Church, VIII
mlngton, elders. The report was read
BY Mr.. Wales. The Rev. Thomas
Kerr. pastor OF Greenhill Presbyterian
Church. this city, and moderator OF
New Castle Presbytery, presided at the
session.
Dr.. Gllnllsn, chairman Of the special
committee. while agreeing In the main
with the committee report. desired that
there be a delay, and more time given /
befo the accommodation was made. /
but the other committee members dii !
not see that time would remedy mat
.ers IN the Elkton church
Il Is said that DR.. McElmoyle has 4
Toughi legal advice and will probably 4
make q legal fight 10 retain his Elkton /
pastorate.
The Elkton report took up the entire
Afternoon session, the other business
OF the stated meeting having been clear
ed away for 1t in the morning. II IL
said there wss an everybody present At
tendance.
DR.. McElmoyle was present, and was
given The floor fou- times. when he
spoke In defense OF his conduct Of the
Elkton church. Accompanying DR.. Nc
Elmoyle were a number OF Elkton peo-
pie to whom he asked the meeting TO
give q hearing. according TO statements
Of persons present II Is said that he
declared he had the majority OF his
church members on his side. and many
who would speak fo- him.
The stated meeting, II was represent
cd. declined to hear Or. NfcElmoyles /
witnesses on the ground that they were |
not members OF the Presbytery and /
thus entitled to speak, nor had they |
been summoned to appear before the
Presbyte-y. The Presbytery gave Or. !
McElmoyle all theNopportunlty he wish |
ed In which 20 speak himself.
Or. McElmoyle has been pastor al |
Elkton for many years past, and a
prominent member OF New Castle Pres
bytery.
Both ministers and elders at the stat
cd meeting. it was said, spoke very
strongly on the harm the Elkton mar
riages were doing the church. II Is
said they told OF the criticisms they
had heard against a religion that per-
nitted its minister 10 perform hasty,
md In many cases inadvlsable mar
-iages. The performing OF so large a
number OF weddings, also. said some
members, took away too much OF a
pastors time from his church duties.
The Rev. William R. Davis. pastor OF
1eorgetown-Rehoboth and COolspring
churches. who has accepted call to
Rock and Zion In Cecil county, Nd,
win be Installed as pastor January %.