Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-10
ELkToN MINISTER
FAILS TO HAND OVER
ORDINATION PAPERS
Continued from page !


There In tho chance too. that basora
tho muddlo at Elkton In finally adiust.
cd. that II may tako In an Investigation
OK isy. Mr. Moon. the Baptist clergy
man al Eikton. without a charge, and
who was the rival minister to MIR.
Westren IN marrying couples. There
Is talk OF invoking the law against his
acts, but at this stage, little Informal
tion can be CLEANED about II.
Upon Mr.. Westren'H own acts de
pend, very likely. whether stlll moro
serious charge win be pressed against
him.
During his testimony on the stand
on Tuesday night. he admitted that
he had learned that he had been 10
Gated In Maryland by the Montana
conference. Before that he had eald
according TO the evidence OF DIR. Watt.
at the time DIR. Watt called on him In
September at Elkton, he had had mo-
Information concerning himself as far
az the Montana conference was con.
eerned. His latest testimony was that
his Information was cleaned two or
three months ago. The statements
were contradictory. Fortunately there
were two stenographers taking notes
at the trial.
What action the wilmington Con-
ference will take, has not been decided
upon. Coming fyom him while stiil n
Methodist clergyman and before he
had been found guilty of the charges
preferred against him OF unminister-
ial conduct, through splitting marriage
fees with jitney drivera,t makes n
really the most serious ofrense OF all
II committed, In the minds OF many
clergymen.
DR.. Watt Is In communication with
the Montana conference officials rel.
ative to the inquiry made OF the sec.
retary OF the conference. and the re-
ply from the West will. Il il believed
either clear or involve the teposad
clergyman. The antagonistic attitude
OF Mr.. Western IL not going TO helm
his cause any, the Methodist minis
ters declare.
Legal proceedings will be started
by the Wilmington Conference against
Mr.. Western unless the certificate
presented TO him by the church al
the time OF his ordination II returned
TO DIR. Watt, superintendent OF the
Wilmington district, some time today.
Announcement TO that effect was made
to II members OF the Methodist rpis-
copal Minister'S Association by DIR
wait at the regular meeting held IN
Grace Church house today.
The papers comforting upon Mr.
Westren the privilege Of discharrine
the duties OF minister were demand
ed some time ago. but had not been
received Mt noon today.
Just what course the Conference
will pursue In enforcing the return Of
the former minister's papers n tbev
are not voluntarily given up has not
been made public.
Two hundred couples who have heen
married since August by Mr. wes-
tren, are not legally welded. accord
Ing 20 ecclesiastlcsl law, I'm the opln-
Ion OF some. Dr. Watt SAYS. however
that no far as the civil law was con.
oerned the persons involved need
rot worry.
AS fa- as the church is concerned"
said DIR. Watt, none or these couples
Is married. I must admit, however.
that under the civil law they have
nothing to worry about. The church
law is very plain I'm the matter. ANY
local preacher ordained or unordalned.
who changes his residence. shall OBJ
tain from the pastor OF the church or
the district superintendent. a eertin-
cate Of his official standing. III he
fails to do this he shall not be recog-
nized in the parish TO which he has
been removed. The statement of MI.
Westerns attorney that ne Is not
familiar with the church law is non
sense"