Smyrna times., 1923-06-06
PROPOSAL TO END MCELMOYLE
ROW AGAIN WITH PRESBYTERY
REV. A. w. SOME ASKS BODY TO
CONSIDER REINSTATING FASTER

REV. A. w. SOME ASKS BODY TO
REINSTATING FASTER
Says the Church and Rev. McElmOyle
Have Both SuiIered-Marrying Par
son, in Letter, Defends his Course
Rev. A. w. Some, pastor of the
West Presbyterian Church, proposed
motion to consider making Rev. John
McElmoyle, the "outlaw pastor" or
marrying parson" of ElktOn. Md, the
official head of the Elkton church, at
a meeting of the New Castle Presby-
terry held Monday afternoon, at First
Central Church, Wilmington. An i'm
passioned appeal for harmony and a
Christian settlement of "this unpleas
ant and unfortunate affair of long
standing" was made by Rev. Some,
following his reading of letter from
Rev. McElmOyle asking for a restOra-
tion of his pulpit, and repudiating the
title of marrying parsOn' applied by
a sensational press" The proposal
made by Rev. Some who with Rev.
Joel S. Gilfllan, pastor of Olivet Pres
byterian Church, Wilmington, and H.
S. Todd, elder of the Salisbury, Md,
church, form the committee now deal
ing with the case, was not voted upon
by the Presbytery at Mondays ses-
sion. It was deferred until the full
meeting of the body. Mondays small
attendance is given as a reason for
the postponement. For the past three
years, the pulpit at the neighboring
Gretna Green has been filled by Nc
ElmoyIe, despite the order of the
Presbytery that he vacate and accept
his dismissal to the Baltimore district
McElmoyle has been supported in his
disobedience by 100 Of the congrega.
,ion Of 135.
Members Threaten to Leave Church
Should the Presbytery force Neil
moyle to leave, by a legal settlement
the 100 loyal members would leave
with him, and the Presbytery woulC
have another "home mission" to sup
port Rev. Some pointed out in hi
plea to forgive and forget. Other ad
vantages of the christian" settle
ment of the problem, according t
Rev. Some, would be allaying the dis
content and bitterness in the ElktOl
community, and ending "the scandal
Gus reflection upon the church cause,
by the professional publicity" give
( the case of the marrying parson b.
/ the newspapers of the city and coun
try. "The church has suffered an
Brother McElmoyle has suffered,
Rev. Some said, "and for the homo
of Jesus Crhist we must effect a re
concilation." Convincing statistic
were incorporated in the letter fror
Rev. McElmoyle to prove that he j
not half "the marrying pason" he ha
been made out to be, by what h
names a "scurrilous press" Durin
, the war years the ElktOn preache
= performed about 1000 marriage cert
monies without taking a single fee, h
said considering this a patriotic SCI
vice for the men in uniform.
McElmOyle Was Never After Trade
, Because Of the peculiar geOgraph
cal location of Elkton, the business
! marriages has arisen, Rev. McElmoy
= wrote, adding that he had never mat
\ any effort to "get the trade" but ha
S even avoided it as far as possible. +
e had never Officiated at a marriage th
= violated the canOns of the church
@ the requirements Of his conscience,
o wrote. The statistics included see
r to support the plea for "justice"
n asked for: From the 5,443 licenses
= sued at Elkton in 1920, 105 were pc
t formed by McElmoyle from the 3,S
d licenses i'm 1921, 142; and from the
e 6S3 in 1922, 81. A motion made
g approve the sessional records of t
e ElktOn church passed the Presbytel
n Rev. P. X. Nanderkam was given /
l. release from the church at Oce
Il View, Md, and committed to t
IS church at Branchview, N. j., in t
$. Newton Presbytery. Rev. Villa
in Gibson was appointed moderator
IF the Frankfort City Church. r,
i Thomas Kerr, of the Green Hill Pre-
$. byterian Church asked to be releas
re from the moderatorship of Chesapea
Of City. and Rev. r. r. StOckbridge
I'd North East, Md, appointed to ia
n his place.
i'll
IS SMYRNA HIGH SCHOOL NOTE