Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-04-07
That "NeW Book"


when our iokers fly the track and tread
on forbidden ground, it is our duty
(however feeble our faculties) to warn
them of their mistake. If we really
cannot get them to keep the track, we
have at least done our duty. like
joke as we'll as any man living, and must
hand you one before I begin to whale
you. Ny joke is this: When you first
made known your intention of starting
a newspaper in our county, under the
name Of "Wood County Reporter" 1
cheerfully threw in my mite for its sup
port. But now 1 ask, why you did not,
neither at that time, nor since, notify
your intention of building a manufac-
tory of Esq's? We at least would have
given you our good will, and perhaps
might have furnished you with some Of
the raw material Of a superior quality
than that which you have been using
but 1 guess you have but made an es-
say to try how it would take. In this
you have acted wisely. The raw ma
terial Of an inferior quality will suffer
less from the impressions than the su-
perior. If so, just say so. We have
eight or ten in our town, flaming sub
iects, ready to be acted upon, and will
ing to hand you over maple sugar,
taters, shingles, and laundering big
chunks Of goodwill, and blazing prom
Uses for your encouragement, more than
you can use for ten years to cOme-es-
pecially in promises. But look here,
boss, keep in mind that you are build
ing on a bluff; and although you have
Wood close by-some of it too old,
some of it too green to be of much use
for building materials; if therefore the
wind blow and the rain fall on it, you
had better be somewhere else than in it.
| see also in your sheet of the oath
ult., you notify the gift Of a New Book
from your second begotten, which book
you criticize in an unjust, absurd and
inconsistent manner.
lst. Unjust, IN that you hold up some
Of the vices Of the Fathers, without
saying a word of theil virtues, to = com
mrmity who in general are more capa-
bic of Judging the qualities Of shingles,
lumber, river running, &c, than they
are Of distinguishing between the vir-
tues and vices, truths, precepts and ex-
amples enclosed in that Book you so
scotfinGly call the Bible.
ID. In that you have chosen the very
subject the least calculated to vindicate
the heading Of your sheet, to wit: the
diffusion Of useful knowledge. Know
We not that an Editor is ruler? If
then rulers be scofferS, what NAV we
expect from the ruled? and if scoffino
be useful knowledge, sound reasoning
may shut up and be silent True, scot
ters have in all ages attempted to bear
the sway; but happily for us have al
ways fallen short Of hitting the mark
where calm reasoning and sound iudg-
ment have been allowed to throw an
arrow, especially when based on the
sacred truths of Divine inspiration only
to be found in that neat, morocco
bound, gold lettered Book you so taun-
tingly call the Bible.
Sd. Inconsistent, in that after spew-
ing out your calumnious venom against
the Book, you sum up by saying that
after all you think it the best book ex-
tant. Here is one of the most absurd
inconsistencies I ever met with. Not
that it is not the best book extant, but
that you think it so. After showing
that it contains lies, deceit, cunning
devices, cruel treatments, &C., giving
us to understand thatit contains nothing
else, or at least, branded by these, the
balance is not worth looking at, and
yet you say It's the best book extant.
Who can believe you? Unfortunate
man! pray your better and wiser half
as you style her, to open that book you
seem so disposed to despise, and read
to you until you get the meaning of a
passage which says, "Get wisdom, and
with all thy gettings get understand
ing" The same writer says, "See'st
thou a man wise in his own conceit,
there is more hopes Of fool than OF
him." Again, in the second part OF
your beautiful book you will find this
admonition: "Give not that which is
holy unto the dogs, neither cast We your
pearls before swine, lest they trample
them under their feet and turn again
and rend you" Tell her to read them
over and over till you be able to an
swer this: which of the two. your sec
ond begotten or you, or both, hath need