Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-05-31
REV. JNO. NJ 'ELMOYLE
QUITS AS PASTOR
OF ELKTON CHURCH
rendered His Resign alton at a
Congregational Meeting
Last Night.
REMAINS A PRESBYTERIAN
Special Dispatch to Every Evening
H.ilkton. Md. May IL.


Il f.lkfou Presbyterian Church. last even- +
ing. Req, Dr. John McElmogie pre-
scented his resignation as pustor pf the
church fn doing SO he said; Whilst
III have received no official information
az 10 the action of the General Assem-
bly, of the Presbyterian Church IN the
United States of America in relation
tu the matters before Il pertaining to
!. this church, news has reached rs 20
Indicate with sufficient accuracy what
that action was The Assembly ap~
proved the action Of tho presbytery
III dissoivinR the pastoral relation
:. between this church and myself and
! declared Invalid your election ~ elders
/. under yaur amended charter. Justice
. Stanton =. peele, member If the As
] Hernbly and counsel for the Synod 0f
) Baltimore and for the Eikton church
and its pastor. eminent lawyer and
I distinguished jurist that he II. de-
!, ciared that the judgment of the As-
sernbiy was wrong.
II Permit me 20 say that judgment
has done me cruel wrong It has
, trampied upon my most fundamental
/ rights as a man and as a minister. /
have been erucifed upon d cross Of
+ malice I feel that the General As
sernbly hsts been nisied: that 1t has
! been poisoned by misrepresentation.
l sm. however a Presbyterian by
birth. breeding and by choice and cer-
: tain solemn ordination vows are upon
] mo as a minister Of the Presbyterian
! church.
II therefore bow to the decree of the
! supreme judicatory Of the church,
: whatever may be my sense Of It's in
=
ton 10 some extent, at least. are found
in the fact that church has been and
now is. more so than ever. so1idIy back
OF me and with the community At
large feels outraged by the unright-
eous decision. We accept the verdict
and execute II now. conscious of ab-
solute innocence Of anything that
might give the color Of justification
for It. and looking in confidence for
: vindieation to another court. the SUI
preme court OF public opinion to which
a according 70 the form Of government
chapter / and section. VIII, the deci-
sons Of Presbyteries and even Gen
eral Assemblies are appeaIanle
II have been urged by persons iH
!, The church and out Of IL 70 lead q
) movement for the, establishment oi
u an independent church and + have
:, been assured Of the solid and SUBJ
!. sta nfial backing OF this church and
4 this community. Brethen beloved.
! have spent twenty4eight years in thu
Ipastorate of this church. I have giver
you the best service Of which I an
capable. You have nobly stood By
: me in these last three trying years.
- Il cannot tell you what deep appre.
citation my heart holds for youl
= staunch and affectionafe devotion. but
let me say. with all sincerity. that Il
= your work and mine are to abide. il
:, you are TO realize the fruits Of YOU
y labor and secure. as you will and must
ie the proper recognition OF ecclesiastica
er connection.
y Under the decision Of the Assembly
~ the Presbytery must call you togethel
:. within thirty days. Stand united. In
NJ sist upon your rights. All viii comt
Us right"
ed Defended by Congregation.
After presenting his resignation DIR
Ill McElmoyle Immediately left the meet
n. ing. The resignation was then ac
" cepted in the following resolution
IN passed unanimously;
Id Resolved, that the congregation
ne accept with profound regret the deci
" sion of Rev. John McElmoyle TO with
ch draw from its pastoTate: that thi
n congregation convey 70 him its heart
re felt gratitude for his long. faithful an,
honorable service TO this church an
this community for the past Is year
he has bene first in every good caus
. and jealous in every good werix.
| That this congregation express I
| him its unbounded admiration for tn
H. t.sF
n served the interest of the church an
| fought its battle. and its deep rever
| | ence for the truly Christlike spirit i
which he has received and counselle.
this church to receive the inexplaina
,e bic decision OF the General Assembly
That this congregation. with pray
erful submission to Almighty God 70
the truth of its declarations, solemnl
and with due and proper care measur
n ing its words, deliberately asserts tina
"a an upright and honorable minister c
IN the religion OF Christ, Who in the per
,;s son of Or. McElmoyle has. humanl
- speaking, lived a blameless life an
= who for more than 25 years as tn
. pastor Of this church. has been zeal
ogs in every good work in this eond
~ munity has, in his advancing year
hs without just cause. been maliciousl
and Vindictively pushed in season an
We ont Of season by small coterie
pr malignant men; has been denounee
IN. and vilified and made the object /,
~. false renresen nations. has been treai
ut ed with absolute and inexeeu eusable ar
IS fairness and injustice, and in the fac
.et of the overwhelming support of tn
de church and Of this community
lar which he has lived, has been, with II
aid of few ministers Of the gosp
.rd and an elder OF the Presbytery of Ne
ed Castle. finally made victim and Sc,
-aa rificed by the General Assembly of II
church. misled and imposed upon |
methods wholly without righteol
foundation or excuse.
rd. This congregation IS now and hi
always been well assured that &
per McElmoyle's relation to marriages
lay E.Ikton has been in serupulous a
the cordance with the laws of NIarylai
,at and the Presbyterian Church and &
ffrafX rarnfSTan8 xx{fh a hsvh Sfaufa