History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

adroitness and not over-scrupulous methods he proceeded to his work, traveling from place to place
and nosing into the confidence of unwary people until he secured some inklings suiting his purpose.
But this information was too indefinite for judicial proceedings, and the Conference finally issued
a Test, or Declaration, in the form of an inquisitorial paper, which was presented to the preachers
for signature as their avowal that they were not the authors of the fly-sheets and were not in
sympathy with the new Reform movement, Osburn carried it about, and, under penalty of accusation,
within two years about a thousand of the Conference preachers had signed the Declaration. It was
a new application of the doctrine of exclusion in the diagnosis of the case by the Conference doctors.
If it is not you and you and you, then, after narrowing the circle to a remaining half-dozen who
refused to sign, it must be you. Out of the fly-sheets it was not difficult to secure ample material for
charges and specifications against the hidden malcontents. In one of the circulars the President of
the Conference was styled a "pope," and one of the agents most suspected of malfeasance in office,
if not worse, was dubbed an "arch-fiend." On the other side, the denunciation of the Reformers was
not a whit milder.
At the Manchester Conference the issue was joined. Expectation was on the tiptoe. The adherents
of the Conference were out in force and almost at the opening of it, Thomas Jackson, President, the
matter of the fly-sheets was brought before the body. The name of James Everett was called, and he
was requested to present himself before the platform. He promptly complied, and at once a scene of
the deepest interest and intense excitement was opened. Men in their anxiety to see stood upon the
seats and craned their necks, while a suppressed murmur rippled over the Conference room. Dr.
Hannah proposed the questions, which were of a nature to criminate Everett by self-confession, if
answered, as to any complicity of his in the fly-sheet publications. He requested to be presented with
formal charges and disciplinary law under which the demands were made. He was informed that he
was arraigned to answer categorically the questions of the Conference. He farther demurred and
protested amid cries from the accusing body of "plead, plead." The question was finally put, after
a long verbal bout with Dr. Hannah, "Brother James Everett, are you the writer in whole or in part
of a certain publication called fly-sheets?" After a pause Everett answered with deliberation, "I will
not answer that question for reasons elsewhere assigned." He was requested to take his seat. The
name of Burdsal was called, and he took his place before this modern inquisition. The same form
was gone through with, though he was not so contumacious in the eyes of the accusers as Everett.
He took his seat. Daniel Walton was summoned and responded. After a long parley his case was
deferred. Samuel Dunn was called and took position before the bar. He was as uncompromising as
Everett, and pressed to answer as to the fly-sheets "Yes" or 'No." He refused to answer. The name
of George was called and he was more gently dealt with. The case of Bromly was the last, and by
this time some apprehension seemed to steal over the Conference that matters were going too far,
and his case was virtually abandoned by the accusers. Action was subsequently taken, with the result
that Everett, Griffith, and Dunn were expelled. Burdsal, Walton, George, and Bromly were censured
and degraded.
But the Conference was not through expelling. T. S. Stamp, ex-editor of the Watchman, an organ
of the Conference, and treasurer of the Children's Fund, one of those who had been accused by the
fly-sheets, was detected in embezzlement by his own associates, and so palpable was his guilt that
he decamped before the Conference assembled. Investigation was made into the affairs of the Fund,
and it was found that he had embezzled over 2500. Most of it was expended, as the evidence