Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-03-18
CORRESPONDENCE.
CHARLOTTESVILLE. March 5, 1859


CORRESPONDENCE
CuAELpTTEsvlLr. March 5, 1852.
REV. Dg. ". II. McCirrrry:
Ny Dear Sir--l take the liberty Of addressing
YOU with reference 10 statements made in the
Religion, Herald. to the eject that you have at
various times. end particularly on one occa-
sion. made illusions TO the Baptist dcaomina-
ton, or their distinguishing tcnets, which, TN
der the circumstances. are clt 10 Ic reasonable
matter Of complaint.
II Is scarcely necessary 10 say. that regret
TIC dscourtcOr!s manner in which the subject
las sometimes been referred TO, owing Il may
be- to misaGrrchcnsicn ard consequent resent
mcnt.
! have been verr unwilling 10 believe that
you co;.ld desgnciy and deliberately apply
the term "b;en, to I'll those who contend FER
only one node Of baptism, acquainted rs !
!:ayc been with many acts and expressions g!
voGrs, Indicating cot Only disposition 70 be
;ust, Of ccuise. hut also 4 feeling OF Kindness
towards the Baptist denomination. | an
aware that it has always been your custom %
derive Incidental illustrations from every source
and amor. other thirSs. rom the peculiar
oun;ons oi the various denominations; and
just or unkind, you hed no; supposed that this
course wa, objected Ia These things being
t:g,n, while feeling that Baptists must necessa-
rily consider themselves acGricycd aS the alai-
ter has presented itaclf =, them, have vet be-
levci that it surely m;:st hc susceptible o: ex-
p.anatcr. In!i.catc'.. therefore, oy Ges,fe
that ~. s;ihjcct HAY be presented N such
i i.hl . sha!! DC i,is. to ri. concerned; bein5 az
l.. 81, .F,t.x
spcrt and regard Ia: yourself, ls,A thu! you vii.
cHiniuGG;rate 80 nc any statements wi;a ro.e-
rlrre to ,nr matter referred - which yoc may
,iri rro;+r'o 70 rrs'ic, and ,n-t yo:: w'l allow L.
T. publish your reply, tossthsr wi'h COPY OF
til, e,,c- m .rc I.sra;d.
Very ;ru'y yours, JarS y S:9ant7-
U.:rrKs!rY Of V,sGi:!,, March :. 1852
Rgr. J. i Brn.prs:
Rev. and Dear Sir:-In reply 70 yorr letter
Of the 9Th inst, I,c-mi; me 10 sar, tha: arc
full ccn-civus ct not having at any time
sought. il ms Official pos .;cr, to advance mr.
own denomination. cr 10 iniurc others ard
am alad TO know, OF. authority that will not he
G,ie- -.lo-."i that no srch intention has ever
b,-n impu,ce. tn r,c even by Eap.ists, who
have had opportunity OF knc"ins INC, yi;h.
perhaps, single exception.
However liah,e 20 hc deceived - matters
pertaining 30 mvSc!:. th;nt. 1 I'm warranted
in the belief that hare net in fact given just
cause for offence from the conviction that J
have never entertained any feeling or opinion
respecting nv Baptist brethren at which any
candid man could reasonably take offence, ard
from The fact that from no Other quarter, nor
indeed FROM any quarter. drrin. public life
O. more than thirty years, has breath of
complaint in relation to any snch matter ever
reached my ear ill now Hence, you may
Judge of my surprise :, !csin, NJ THIS lato day
iwia, had never i-for,, TO the best OF my re-
collection. bee: ;i..Ina.cd 10 mel, that my
course in the University Of Virginia had, in
this respect, fo- years been :hcrsht ohjec'iona.
Bic. and that by those :ro!h "hosc candor
might have hoped e: ar earlier disclosure OF
their discomfort.
is tc ,he crithct, ",goi i : 10, rart Of
rly vocabulary; it does ~. express thought
familiar "a iny mind. TOR docs it denote 4 cha
y;,ctcr - yhirs have been used N ascribc
to am Protestant denomination. Thc word
has Is ns4, however, and nag have used II
(w!lch DO not believe; hgL il did, i could
not haze been '.rith Designed and deliberate
application To NJ! :nosc who contend for only
enc :rodc o: baptism (riany besides Hapt!sts
IL fcr. ilt ~ illustration Of some general
principle connected win and csitiratc'y grow
ing out Of tue subject OF my lecture, and IN
cxrlicatioa of the language o.! the author
(Nyhatcly's Rhctcric) in the hands of the class.
deeply regret the injury 10 religion new
tably resulting from this controversy, Of which
| have been made the unwilling OCCASION j but
Of which am not the cause.
One embarrassment. to myself cannot but cn'
sue, from the proclivity thus created 10 give to
nv cYc.y remark, however incidental, some Sill
lister application.
If the bcst intentions, and life spent under
circumstances peculiarly favorable for guarding
mr. assins. sccta-ian habits Of thought and feel
ns. have not been sufficient % secure me
against such imputations as thosc now alleged,
il must he much more difficult, in future 10 ex-
crcise such degree cf foresiSii: as shall nc =,
a.! satisfactory 10 those Yho may t". 3re-di7'
posed to take c0encc. =,
I have thus ny dca: sir, at considerable
length sought TO si"e expression TO such
views = this whole natter As truth anc candot
wa,7.ant and rraui-e Being unaware OF any
wrong have noth,ns in the shape Of apol"sy
10 OFF,; brt "oud ta;n hope that the abo'f
will serve AS a sufficient explanation, and thus
put Al. end 10 al complaint.
With an honest rcciproca:i"n OF your eS,
pr.>oioa q! kim! regards, iema'i;. yours' mos
respectfully, ". II. SH'ct'ei'
-.~~.--
FOR tie Eaquirs-.
rHg THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.