The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-28
INQUIRY FINDS
PASTOR GUILTY
Of PRUDENCE



Suspended from the ministry Of
the Methodist Episcopal church
yesterday afternoon by committee
Of inquiry composed OF fellow
clergymen on the ground that the
evidence showed him. to have been
guilty Of imprudent and unminis-
terial conduct, although. not OF
actual immortality, the Rev. Archie
M. Waffle, pastor Of the Methodist
congregation at Port Byron, &C
cused by Alice Berry, a 20-year-old
member OF his flock, is inhibited
from preaching until final action is
taken by the Central Illinois con-
ference of the trial body, at its
session to be held in kankakee next
September.
The committee of inquiry con-
sisted Of the Rev. John T. Jones,
superintendent of the Rock Island
district, who presided at the hear
ing held at the Port Byron church
beginning at 1880 O'Clock yesterday
afternoon; the Rev. Joseph A.
Chapman, Rock Island; the Rev.
Jesse T. Dodds, Moline; the Rev.
Fletcher DeClark, Geneseo; the
Rev. Sidney A. Guthrie, Aledo, and
the Rev. George H. Thorp, Kewanee.
Their official finding was as fol-
lows:
"The committee appointed by the
district superintendent, DR.. John T..
Jones, in accordance with para
graph 252 Of the Discipline of the
Methodist Episcopal church, to in
vestigate the case Of Miss Alice
Berry versus Archie M. Waffle, pas
tor of the Methodist Episcopal
church, Port Byron, Ill, in when
Miss Berry brings charges of i'm
morality against Mr.. Waffle has
made thorough inquiry, and finds
the evidence shows that the &C
cused has been guilty of imprudent
and unministerial conduct.
Therefore, in harmony with the
law of the church, Mr.. Waffle is
hereby suspended from all minis
! terial functions until the ensuing
session of the Central Illinois con-
ference of the Methodist Episcopal
church, to be held in Kankakee,
ILL.,, in September, 1928, at which
time the whole case shall be dis
posed of as the said conference may
determine"
Girls Story Heard.
The girl in the case as well as
the accused pastor, and two or
three other witnesses, including the
parents of Miss Berry, were heard
at the inquiry, and the minister was
found guilty of imprudent and un-
ministerial conduct, as result OF
| the Clergyman own admissions
and not upon the evidence sub
mitted by the young woman, her
parents and friends.
| Exonerated of the charge of
actual commission of an immoral
act with the girl, so far as the com
mittee's findings are concerned, the
minister will nevertheless, on their
verdict, either surrender his parch-
ments, or stand trial before the
conference.
Goes Back to Work.
In the meantime he will remove
! to Moline and resume his former
trade as a printer which he follow
ed before entering the ministry
having established a connection
with the printing department of the
Moline Plow company.
| When the girl in the case ap-
peared at the church with an at
torney yesterday afternoon, the
lawyer was barred from admission
the committee taking the ground
that the hearing being conducted
was not in any sense trial, bat
merely an inquiry, and that it was
a matter for the church to handle
exclusively.
The case against the Rev. Mr.
Waffle develop deduring the absenc.
in Indianapolis, Ind, of DR.. Jones
district church head. On his re
turn, hearing the rumors about thu
incumbent of the Port Byron
church, he instituted an inquir!
upon his own initiative as required
by church laws.
No formal charges were preferrei
against the pastor by his congrega
ton at any time, nor by the girl, o.
by any other persons. until thu
young woman gave her TESTIMONY
yesterday.
/ 1t is stated that on Oct. 9, sh'
:. told her mother that the clergy
man had insulted her and compelled
her to acQuiesce in an immoral act
when she was employed as domes
. tic in his household during the alb
sence of his wife.
She reiterated this charge at tii'
hearing yesterday, the other Wit
nesses merely stating what Mis-
i Berry had told them about the at
:! fair
i Tell Own Story.
Closeted with his fellow clergy
men. the pastor told what is under
stood to have been a connecte'
story, contradicting himself in n
, respect, denying actual immortality
)! E ~ ssssMga
n