North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-09-30
For the DemOcf at.
To J. DEWITT ESQ

/ Az - DEWITT Esq
| DEAR SIR My attention has
been called to article over your signature in the
: Dem ocrat Of the 18th inst. Il am glad that you
have relieved of the soIi citude of desiring to
know wh" wrote the pretended review" of my SER
mon, by acknowledging yourself its ostensible au
thor. do not design in the present letter to dis
cuss the question of slavery lest should anticipate
what mly hereafter wish to say ON that subject !;
but there some things in your articles which
deem 10 bo personal and which in justice to myself
call for brief reply. 1t is not for to judge of
the motives by which you were promptei in writing
them. Did you write the first for tho parpose Of
creating prejudice against me in the mind of some
Of the people whom I endeayor to serve az mins-
ter; or was it to exhibit your legal and logic
al acumen ~ Did you write the second to darken
counsel, or g to make the worse appear the ter
argument" or to show what nice distinction there
is between tweedlede and tweed um? Icolsider
your onslaught as uncalled for, and ungentle-
manly. If you did not agreo with the statements
made In my sermon why did you not seek private
interview with me, that we might compare notes.
interchange views on the points at issue am not
so Ignorant as to suppose that inallible, nei-
ther am so obstinate to be nvuln erabe to argu-
ment. But instead of this you come out with three
columned article in the Democrat under flaming,
false and slanderous caption nancy: BRowNs-
coNBE's ABOLITION SERMON" Now ss4ssI deny that
my sermon abolition ermon Is5eye never
preached abolitionsn I am not an abolitisnist;
never have been. When you say that my sermon
was an abolition sermon, you either manifest great
ignorance carelessness disregard for tho truth
| An abolitionist--f we rightly understand the ex-
! Founders Of his creed is one who advocates the
extirpation of slavery whether it be right or wrong
legal or illegal, constitutional or unconstitutional
40 not subscribe to this doctrine do advoca it
lam we'll aware, that 1t is very convenient for per-
sons of cert ain political stripe den9unce all as
abotionists who do not pronounce their shibboleth
But while am not an alolitionst, most sincere
ly believe aud contend, that the system of human
chattlehood in our country is Infamous ard unchris-
ton that it Is disgrace to US as a nation and
humbly trust that the day is not far distant when
this evil will bs legally and righteously removed
/ from land.
That slavery is sin is the doctrine of the church
of which have the honor of being member. In
her Discipline the following question is asked, and
answered.
"Quest. What shall be done for tho e4tirpation
of the evil Of slavery2
AnsD. We declare that are as much as ever
convinced of the great evil of Slavery We believe
that tho buying, selling, holding of human beings
to be used chattes is contrary the laws of God
and nature, and inconsistent with the Go den Rul
and with that Rule in Discipline which reuui res
all who desire to continue among US to lido no HARM"
"a IN avnila i1nfo, l.; n
afectionately admonsh all our Preachers AMI Peo-
pie to hecp themselves free from this great OWL and
to geek its extrpaton by all lawful and christian
means"
To the above doctrine most heartily subscribe
And ask ministers to be auused iorg d
and stigmutized because we preach the doctrines
which lost sincerely believe? Arc we t. be
gagged and denounced by tracking politicians, and
aspirauts for ofc~, because come in contact wit
doctrines which they advocate for party and selfish
purposes! Some of the worst Of tyrants are those
who cl NOR the most for freedom Of speech [ have
learned that trcodom Of speech with many of this
class means nothing more than freedom to say what
they profess to believe.
| But it wasnnly because thu Editor of the Rcpub-
ican who did not hear it (the scrmon) and who did
HOl PiOtcHu give Vi pEetoHued arguments,
while he pronounced on hearsay evidence 'clear
refuta ion of the Bishops letter that it was deemed
worthy Of notice - Mirabac dicfu! And hence
/ must be dragged before the public in a lengthy
one sided, AID dscourteous article, because forsooh
the Ea tor Of the Republican assumed the respons-
bili,y of noticing my in his paper. Are yon
really sincere making the above statement &?
can hardly believe it, and especially when you adj
"that perhaps the Endorsement of the Republican
hardly rendered it worthy of attention. Why then
! did you notice 1t? was it your vanity which
prompted you to this work of supereroga'ion? Why
did you not publish the well the so-call-
ed review, that those OF your readers who did not
hear il, might have the opportunity of judgi for
themselves? You certainly are very modest in as
suming that you more competent to julgo of ar
gument than those persens who heard the sermon
and furnished the Editor of the Republican with
his information.
You charge me with exhibiting IN yseIf rather than
my suhject-this is very charita bic ami preaching
myself rather tn IN Christ. You are undoubtedly
very competent to JUICE to what constituted
preaching Christ
You complain Of my want of mlgnanimty in chal =
lenging you discussion of question viii h from
my position am supposed to be conversant with
and also for go framing the question place the
party challenged in the affirmative. Youpresume
in the aoove that knew who wrote the "review," :"
and that was cognizlnt # your nc0chpetdncy ac-
coriing your own confsssion-to diAcpss the ques-
tion proposed In this you mistaken. This
plea for SYM athy may be very magnanimous," but
il with i'll grace from who has at least in
! directly thrown down the gauntlet It viii mot my
dear sir, your purpose relieve you from your
dilemma. Was it rot my prer'gative to frame the
q eson as pleased Let US analyzo, nd see
what just cause you have for complaint. Did you
not attack me IN your attempt at defending the
Bishops positions, and does not the Bishop affirm
that the slavery Of the negro race, maintained
in the Southern States is fully authorized both in
the Old and the New Testament p frame nv
question in harmony with this assumption This
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