Evening star., 1928-05-17
BISHOP CONVICTED
BY Church COURT
Suspension of CopenhageE
PreIate Sustained at Meth
odist Conference.
b. the Associated Press.

b. the Associated Press.
KANSAS CITY, May 17-Bishcr
Anton Bast Of Copenhagen. Denmark
was found guilty on two charges Of in.
prudent and unministeriaI conduct 81
an ecclesiastical court Of the Methodib
Episcopal Church, which reported IA
findings to the ouadrennial general con.
ference Of the church here today.
The court, composed Of II ministers
sustained the suspension Of the oishoc
following his conviction in Denmark /,
1925 on charges involving the ALLEGED
misuse Of charity funds.
While suspending him permanentlI
from exercising the functions of bishop
the ecclesiastical court continued hin
in the membership and ministry ane
recommended provision for his support
until the next meeting Of his confer
ence, which will be held next Spring
Sentence Of Court.
The sentence Of the court read.
While continuing Bishop Anton Bst
in the membership and ministry of tna
Methodist Episcopal Church the con-.
mittee suspends him permanently from
exercising the functions OF the Office Of
Church"
The conference adopted the recon.
mendation of the court that provision
be made for his support until the next
meeting of MS conference. and serE
the recommendations 70 the EpiscO-
pacy committee
Civil difficulties Of the Danish bishop
started in 1924 when he was arrested
IN Copenhagen on charges Of misuse of
charity funds. This charge never vas
sustained, but he was convicted by
Danish civil court Of making false
statement regarding a deficit. In III;
the Lighthouse He vas
sent 10 Jail for three months and n
1928 was suspended from his area by
church tribunal at The Hague. He ar-
pealed this suspension to the quadre,.-
NAL general conference here.
Executive Sessions Held.
Bishop Basis hearing started here
May 4, with Bishop Francis J. Nc
Connell Of Pittsburgh presiding. AL
the sessions were executive.
The verdict leaves two other Euro
pean bishops facing complaints charz-
ing they withheld part of the facts in
the Bast case IN their formal report IN
the church. Bishops John L. Nuelseu
OF Zurich. Switzerland, and Edgar Blake
of Paris, who took over supervision Of
the Copenhagen area after Bishop Bast
was suspended. we're named in the COM
plants filed with the conference by Rev
Andrew w Shamel Of Pasadena, Calf
Mr.. Shan1el is known as leader of a
movement to reduce the power Of
bishops.
In filing the complaints afr. Shamel
-. u - r
connivance against the bishops should
Bishop Bast lose his appeal.
Mr. Shamel recently scored Bishop
Bast IN his magazine The Pastors
Council" and defended Rev. John ?.
Ingerslew. deposed head Of the Jsrusa-
lem Methodist Church of Copenhagen
Mr.. Ingsrslew was oustsd for accusing
and testifvinz against Bishop Bass N
the civil court trial He SIZED the church
for unpaid salary and obtained q YER
dict for payment Of $4,000.
Ingerslew Seeks Statement
With final settlement Of his award
pending Mr.. Ingerslew came here with
the announced Intention of attempting
TO gain reinstatement IN The ministry
Since the opening CT his trial. Bishop
SaSt has remained in Ssclusicn He has
not appeared az sessions of the board
Of bishops. or hafore the church con-
ference. His testimony before the
church tribunal was understood 70 have
several days
Born at LekksG. Denmark. Septsm-
heT 5. 1857, 3.-ilCp BaSt became aftii,iaE-
ID with the church when he S-aS II
'saTs cid. Y. was the first student in
}he Danish Methodist Theological
School in 1885 and entered the minis
try IN 1890, al Veyls. IN 1905 he trans
ferred 70 the Jerusalem Church, In
where he remained until
chosen for the spiscopacy IN 1870. BE-
ing the first foreign bishop chosen b.
The church
Bishop Wilson Worse.
The condition Of Bishop Luther 3
Wilson Of New York City, u here
since his collapse while reading the
episcopal address a. the Qusdrsnnial
General Conference OF the Methodist
Episcopal Church May :. vas reported
more serious today. and the attending
physician ordered him 10 90 TO Baiti-
more. Md, and place himself under the
care Of another physician.
Bishop Wilson retlrsS automatically
under the age limit with the END OF
the General Conference Because of hlS
impending departure the ceremony oi
retirement for bishops VINO have
reached the age limit vas held today
Four other bishops retire with TINS
conference. They are BISHOPS joseph
F, Berry PhiladelphIs. Wilbur 2
ThirSisld. Chattanooza. Tenn. William
F, Oldham BuenoS Ares and Francis
W. warre, Rangalore City. INDIA.