The Daily Banner, Greencastle, Putnam County, 22 November 1968 — Page 5

Friday, Noveirber 22. 1968

The Daily Banner, Greencastle, Indiana

Page 5

REPORT TO OUR CHRISTIAN FRIENDS

Many people have been asking us what is happening at the former Harmony E.U.B. Church. They have heard that it is being closed and the church and the parsonage are to be sold. This is true, if the officers of the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church follow through with their plan as set forth in the letter shown on this page, received by our church secretary. Furthermore, it is their intentions to keep all the proceeds from the sale of our property. We didn’t think this could happen in America, but it has. It has happened right here in Clay County. Canaan Methodist Church on the Clay-Putnam County Fine has been sold and the building has been torn down. The deed stipulated that the building had to be torn down by Aug. 1, 1968. Ashury Methodist Church south of Brazil, has been closed. Ebenezer Church, north of Harmony, is being sued by the former E.l \B. Conference for possession of their real estate and for $10,000.00 damages because they attempted to withdraw from the conference Mt. Lebanon Church, north on the Knightsville Road has notified conference that they are withdrawing and, no doubt, will meet the same resistance. We do not know what the fate of the Harmony Church will be, but this is a strong, growing church with an attendance of from ISO to 175 each Sunday. We cannot understand why this action is being taken by a group of Christians; however, they state that the Conference Discipline ( Rules and Regulations) grants them this right, and, that the congregations have no right to their properties. The Conference officials, however, write the discipline. Admittedly, we have a vote at the annual conference;

but, it has been our experience that it is next to impossible to override any changes the Conference officials want to make in the Discipline. The Discipline seems to be at the mercy of the Conference officials. We have, in our possession, newspaper reports on the Dallas, Texas meeting of the combined E.U.B. and Methodist Conferences which will prove this point. To prove this fact, here are some of the quotes from newspaper articles: ‘‘Methodists lake stand on Civil Disobedience - the United Methodist Church asserted yesterday that when citizens can’t get justice by,legal means, they have a right to disobey the law and take the consequences. Heavy debate boiled for an hour o\er the issue, but it passed by a strong majority." (end quote) We do not believe in this. We believe if America is to stay strong and free, civil laws must be obeyed. If we have a bad law', we should work to change the law'. Another quote: “United Methodist Repeal written ban on drinking and smoking by Pastors, Stress self-control. After two sessions of heated debate on the issue, delegates to the church’s governing conference, overwhelmingly approved the new ministerial requirements omitting the specific pledge not to use liquor or tobacco", (end quote) We do not believe in this. We think our ministers should set an example before our people and our children It is easy to see that delegates to the conference ha\e very little to say w hen it comes to blocking any changes the Conference officials want made. About two years ago the talk began to merge the E.l .B. and Methodist Churches, and information was given as to the program that would be carried out after

the merger had taken place. The people of the Harmony E.L .B. Church did not agree w ith all the changes that were to be made and especially the plan to close the small churches. We have no hard feelings whatsoever against the Methodist people because many of them are our friends, neighbors and relatives. However, we do not agree with the Conference program. Furthermore, there was already a Methodist Church in Harmony and it h a d always been a Methodist Church, so it seemed ridiculous to have two United Methodist Churches in a community as small as Harmony. Therefore, on October 7, 1968, the congregation of the I larmony E.U.B. Church notified the (Conference officials that they were withdrawing from the (Conference and that they would Fecome Nondenominational and would be known as the Harmony (Community (Church. On October 20, 1968, our minister resigned from our church No doubt by request or demand from (Conference. We felt that this was still a free country and that we still had freedom of religion, but the United Methodist (Conference looks at it in a different way. They contend that all church property belongs to them, and, if we don’t believe as they do, we can get out, but they will sell our property and keep all the money from the sale. I hey don’t seem to care what happens to the children being reared in this church or to the congregation, just so they get the money. We do not think this is right. We do not think it is (Christian, nor do we think it is the American way. This closing of churches has happened in other countries, but SU RELY NO T AMERICA!

CHURCH HISTORY On January 1st, 1881 a small group of (Christian people living in and around Harmony purchased an old school building from the Trustee of V an Buren Township. They held religious services in this building and were known as the United Brethren in Christ. Later in years they merged with the Evangelical (Church and the name was changed to the Evangelical United Brethren. This small group grew and grew and as the Lord blessed their endeavors they improved their church property. They dug a basement and installed a furnace at a cost of $1,000. Later they built a Parsonage at a cost of $12,000 and since spent $4,000 on improvements. Then they remodeled the church proper and spent $6,000 of their money. Later as the attendance kept increasing they had to build a new class room addition at a cost of another $12,000. Later they resided the church for $4,000. I hey bought two lots behind the church for $800. They built a parking lot for $2,000. All these improvements total $41,800 and this is only the major changes. All this was done by the members of the church and conference to this day does not have one red cent invested in this property, nor have we ever asked for any help. Y et they claim it is theirs. QUESTION What kind of an organization is it that if you belong, you can never get out. no matter how many mergers there are, without losing all your property, even when you do not believe as they do? What if the Communists should take over? Would we all have to be Communists? WHAT CAN WE DO? Frankly we do not know what to do. But we will assure you of one thing. We will not allow anyone to take possession of our church without a fight. W 7 e will do ev erything in our power to stop this trend. W’e will go through every court in the land to prove our stand. We w ill go all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States if need be. We will spend every cent we have to fight for our cause. If we should have to we would beg for funds to wage this battle. We will publish newspaper reports such as this one in every paper we can. If the conference does have this right under church laws to close churches and take property we will pressure our U.S. Senators and (Congressmen and State Senators and Representatives to enact laws to correct this misused right. We are aware that laws passed now would not help our cause but it would protect the churches of the future. But most of all we will pray and pray and pray that the Lord above will save this church for our community. YOU CAN HELP If you think we are right or wrong in our stand will you please drop us a line and let us know how you feel. Send letters to the Harmony Community Church, Harmony, Ind. Proverbs 12:7

i >4 ’ WIrtr i r~ Av-v-i Ki f ft-'; I i i , f V*J AftA

October 21, 1968

Mrs. Shirley Parr, Secretary Harmony, Indiana 47853

Dear Mrs. Parr:

In harmony with the Discipline of our church we want your local (Conference which is now called Quarterly (Conference

to know that the West District Board of (Church Location and Building will be recommending to the Indiana South Annual (Conference meeting at our New Y ork Street Church in Indianapolis on Nov ember 9. 1968 that the I larmony Methodist (Church (formerly E.l ,B.) be discontinued and the property sold. The proceeds will go to the annual conference. Y ours trulty, For the West District Board of Church Location & Building « Chairman (T.K- ( Secr^iary

BISHOP CONFERENCE SUPERINTENDENTS

Charles F. St.inton. D.D. 2 517 Glenwood P.uk

Now A Ib.iny. Indi.m.i. 47150

Phone 94 5-0 388

R. E. Mueller, B.A.. B.D., D.D.. LL.D.

L.H.D. S.T.D.

1401 Castle Avenue

Indianapolis, Indiana. 46227

Phone 784-7148

K. K. Perryman, D.D. 4254 Otterbem Avenue Indianapolis, Indiana. 46227

Phone 786-1687

C. David Hancock. D.D.

110 Berkeley Drive

Terre Haute, Indiana. 47803

Phone 877-2368