Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-02-01
VOL. IX....NO. 10.

world had been So much disturbed byshis
Journal, and was so embIttered against his
verv name, that lie had better withdraw.
He hoped that the ladies might make it
more acceptable, and perhaps escape some
of the difficulties with which he was sur
rounded. With what fidelity, intelligence
and success the ladies have continued the
work, every reader of the Advocate Of
Moral Reform knows s<
IS But he did not withdraw his early
kpledge, which he had made to the Lord,
to spend his life, if needbe, in this cause.
He wished to be free from the confinement
OF the editorial chair, that he might labor
in wider field He had seen how the
world was combined to propa gate impurl-
tv. The disclosures he had obtained re-
speeding the circulation ofinfamous prints,
pointed to Europe as the sgreat source Of
this mischief And he 1onged 10 carry
the war thither. This was one leading
! object which he had in view, in withdraw.
ing from his Journal. But when he came
to look about for support in his contem-
! plated enterprise, he found himself ham
nered by inquiries and evil surmisings,
growing out of his connection with the
Benevolent Society. The donors of the
money which had been awarded away
from him became uneasy, and letters al
most without number were written to him
to inquire why nc had disposed of their
donations contrary to their express dlrec-
tons. The honor Of religion, the cause
of benevolcnce generally, and the reform
in which he was engaged in particular,
became involved. Throughout the conn-5
try, people were full of suspicion and ln-.
curry: "Can it be that Mcdowell Is dis
honest? If he is a bad man after all,
whom can we trust - Under these cir
cumstances, with his way hedged up, aid
all his hopes of usefulness cut of, he SOL
EMMY and honc2tl ~ concluded that 1t was
his duty to attempt to ylndicate his char
acter. He applied to me for permission
; to publish series of numbers In the Evan
cefist; but | declined, because was re-.
Iuct;nt to occupy so much space with what
would appear to most readers as merely
the concerns of an individual. No other
religious paper would publish his defence,
and he was at last driven to the necessity
Of publishing it in the penny papers ofthe
! city. For this step he has been censured,
5 but must think unreasonabl y, and for the
want of just view Of the character and
influence of the penny press.
In conducting his defence, it is saying
t no more than he deepl felt himself, TO
admit that he erred in some respects that
: he relied too much on carnal policy and
, carnal weapons and conducted his defence
too much in the manner of the world
; that he was not so evangelical in his splr-
1t as he might have been, nor sufficiently
:. contOrmed to the meek and conGding splr-
} it of Jesus Christ. He was perhaps too
anxious to do the work himself of clear
> ing up his character, and not ready
| enough TO leave it to Jesus Christ, his
) Master, 10 take care of the fair fame his
devoted servant. If in this he erred, griev-
ously has he suffered for it. But in es-
timatng the extent of his error, much,
nay almost all will depend on our views
of the main question. The same things
appear very different in the defence of an
{ honest man against undeserved injury,
from what they do when viewed as tho
efforts of wrong doer to silence the voice
of injury and reproach by noise and re-
elimination If Mcdowell was right in
the controversy, his errors in the mode of
t bis defence are small in fact, and may be
f easily pardoned.
The subject was now taken up by his
presbytery, and after a trial that appears
to me without parallel for partially and
severity, in which tho presbytery proceed
ed expartc, he was suspended from the
ministry. He appealed to the synod of
New-York and that body, at its late
meeting, reversed the decree of the pres
} bvtery, and restored him to his office.
The presbytery however appealed to the
General Assembly. Some suppose that
the effect Of this appeal was to replace his
suspension But after mature conSldera-
ton, he Judged differently. He honestly
believed himself to be consttutonaIIy
restored to his standing, in the ministry.
and as occasion offered, he acted accord
ingly
During these trials, none but his own
family can tell how much he suffered.
The synod were witnesses Of his exhaus-
ton, but not being intimately acquainted
with his character, they could not appre-
clate either its cause or its extent.
After the trial in the synod, his feelings
seemed to change. He lost his great soli-
citude and his absorbing care about it
He went forward to dc what seemed ne
cessary in preparing to come before the
General Assembly, because he thought It
his duty. But his spirit was subdued and
his thoughts now seemed 10 turn inward
upon himself, and upwards to God. He
betook himself to the scriptures. In read
ing the scriptures with prayer he occupied
much time. And he became anxious that
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