Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1845-05-02
For the "CarloII FREQ Press"

Mr.. Editor, The Carroll Free Press Of date
April 18th l845 has been put into my
hands, containing ar editorialGrlcia head
ed "church and state, purporting to give
a statement Of facts connected with II re
cent prosecution OF ReVd Edward Smith,
in the city Of Pittsburgh for assault and bat
terry. Now Sir presuming that You are
not disposed to publish false and SANDER
ous reports IN reference to any individual,
end as Revd Edward Smith Is Il minister
Of the church TO which belong, ] feel it
my duty to inform that the statements
made by YOU in the article before me "ir0m
d source (you saw that admits Of no doubt
are almost entirely jatse, and therefore de-
mand correction. 1t appears to me, that
had YOU examined the article before il
went to press, you would have seen good
cause for doubling the correctness Of the
statements contained therein. For, to
suppose that Edward Smith, did'With coat
oiIseiZe L man at the sacramental board 10y
the hair and 'Ihrust him outside the pre-
cincts of the sanctuary is ahsurd'& hdi-
cuousl But my object Is, TO put y6, in
possession oI tho facts connected with the
prosecution of ReVd Z. Smith, ,% MOI to en-.
terinlo discussion, | will therefore tof0edr
hoping that as you have been Ted into an
error, YOU will give this COMMUNICATIONS TO-
gelher with the facts il contains I'M reference
to the case under consideration, an jnsor
ton in your paper and let the public judgt
for themselves as TO its merits. They arr
as follows; Vi2--John Miller, formerly 4
member OF the Wesleyan Church in ALE
gheny city, Of which Rcvd Edward Smitl
is pastor, was anaigned before the church
on the charge of immortality in voting ioral
acknowledged stakeholder He plead no
guilty, was convicted Of the charge by
majority Of the members, a motion wa
then made to eXpel the accused, 't0hic
gcas lost at was considered that thoug
slavery was great immortality, and the
| it was immoral to give any support TO in
morality especially the great support
voting for it, "iraming inlquity by law,
yet even this might be done without incu
ring the amount of guilt required TO eXpe
q mcnbpr from the church; that sin was u
act of the heart; and must always be
proportion 10 the amount OF wrong see
in the thing about to be done; hence am
individual might vote for slaveholdt
t without contracting gullt;-bccause he sa'
= no wrong in it, A motion was The
: made "lhat he be reproved by the choi
man, or pastor in the presence of the ChurC
& for his conduct towards his brethren rel
e live to the act, as wcIl as for the act ilsc
:. and If he should show signs Of humiliatiC
Il and promise amendment he should
It cominUcd in the church, hut ifnot that
,r be cH pcIc6 This motion was carried II
animousy, The rrprooi-was adminstc
ed, and he refused TO make amy oclnoV
cdgncnt for hisunkind course UPWARDS /
i brethren and the church, which was {
d principal object Of the reproor THE a
l. cuscd had been guilty Of very unchrst
conducttowards the members Of the chtr
7. for fomctme previous to his trlall IT
y church was lhcn asked if hc had mot /
requirement ofrbcprorloUnro'e,N Nmepo