The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-07
lErrER FROM REV. JOHN CHAMBERS.

Erroneous statements having appeared in THE
EVENING TELEGRAPH in regard to transaction be.
tween the Rev. james Neill and myself feel that it
10 due to myself and my congregation that should
give simple statement of the facts in the case.
AS Mr.. Nein had frequently filed nay pulpit
during my absence from the city, wnen about
leaving home in the summer of 1884 1 called upon
him to engage his services for one or two Sabbath
mornings He informed me that his engagements
were such that he could preach but once; and
having confidence in his Judgment, then asked
him TO recommend some person for the morning OF
the next sabbath He mentioned the Rev. Mr..
Mckee, whom requested him to engage for me-
and agreed to give them as is customary, each $40
for their services. expected to be absent from my
church three Sabbaths and had invited the Rev.
Mr. Wilson, Of the Presbyterian church, to fill my
pulpit the first sabbath morning, Mr.. Nein the
second, and Mr. Mckee the third, and the same
compensation was given to each
left home Tor my summers tour feeling satisfied
that had made ample Gospel provision tor my con.
greRation during my absence. Judge, then, of my
surprise and indignation when within a week from
the time MIR. Neil preached in my church received
the printed sermon. sermon filled with senti-
ments which he knew to be wholly adverse to all
my opinions, and which he must have known were
calculated to strengthen and spread a feeling of dis
satisfaction which then existed ia nv church in
regard TO the view which took the subject the
unholY war which was then raging in ourland Under
any circumstances, Mr.. Neill's conduct would have
been uncourteous and certainly, il one may Judge
from appearances, there would appear to be more
than want OF courtesy here. A fixed desire and IN
tention, il possible to injure and my re a.
tions with people Tor whom had then lived and
abored for nearly foltY years. If this the
design, why such haste publishing the sermon?
and why on the next sabbath was 1t gra-
the street by certain I'd dsaiected i nenbers mem
OF the CONGREGATION In this eXpectation.
however, they were disappointed. The church was
not broken up and was not in the evening time OF
my life cast off Those dissatisfied members very
sensibly leit the church, and lett me to the enjoy
and church now free t1om debt, with a surplus in
the treasury.
On my return from Bedford where had been
during my absence, | met Mr. Nel on the street
while on my way to his office and then handed him
the 800 note, w6ich was taking to hlm with the
request that he would retain $40 himself and hand
the other $40 to Mr.. Mckee. This circumstance
mentioned in sermon to my own congregation,
paper discussion. some OF Mr.. Neills friends how.
ever Thought proper to take the matter no, and
through the request OF lady, HE TELEGRAPH an
nounced that Mr. Nelll had never received one cent
from me- and The TELEGRAPH thought fit to say
vat as this was question of veraclty between MIR.
Ia u and my self, Mr.. Neill was entitled to belief
Ne. ting that the matter ought to be set right
Mn Ne eRpeSnr WIN him weRo9 seRte
man Irie. establish the trutn OF my statement
hesitation l. The discrepancy satisfactorily TO ali
ar to explain d, TO my surprise, that Mr. Nell's
parties. 1ouL him enurely, and first he
memory had iale> NNg. After considerable effort
on his part, and alter vs. you the SSO?wvery
Did or did | not 6. " recollecring that
SSs sve% ne him pOsed a5 %hat of
the an ount, or how he haG that man of
Mr. Nelll's business habits, and one xSeat wealth
TO THE TELEGRAPH, has accumulated poor q.
sSouId be SO reckless about money matte +se scn
h memory nav be- one would think that ~ ZEN y org
liar circumstances under which the money was TnnT
and ecelved would have impressed upon it no al,
nta a1O
,1some money! from me establishes my VeiaclD ~,
the statement in HE TELEGRAPH was tnao ne m net6 NC
received one cent then went with my lrlehu W tne
office OF HE Telegraph (takng 1t Tor grahGeu % 1naS
the rropretors and editors OF that paper Wou % s9
to correct and apologize for the great error ey na
made in regard to me- ana IN me pr'sencs Oh my wt @
ness told them what Mr.. Neill had sara 10 me Tue
editor remarked after hearing my account tnas I
Mr. Nelll had been there that morning, ana stateH
that he had received money from me, but that he
had paid it all to Mr.. Mckee Determined to :.ft
the matter thoroughly, went with Trend TO Mr..
Mckee, W. O promptly acknowledges that he had
received the $40 from ar Neil for his SER
vices IN my church. How the other $40 was
appropriated was known only to Mr..
Neil, and now he cannot remember. As his
senior would recommend to him the cultivation
his business affairs to the keeping of his lady trends
by so dong he may save much trouble, The EDITORS
correct their error, and perhaps think they have
done SO in the second article on this subject which
appeared in ne to- the
under discussion that the correction would pe nara
10 find, In reply to that article Woulu gay CnaC
had no knowledge OF the publication IN reiern o ,c
this matter which appeared in the Sund~ -aoe 10
In their acknowledgment OF nv moral Worth b,fg t6ege
merI. in regard to .,y want OF yeracity. II AN a
moral man must bea truthful man, and thus they
Lose the discussion on this point. thank them LOT
their good opinion and agree with them entirely.
i cannot however, colHcde with them on The view
which they take OF me politically. They accuse me
OF inconsistency, but am TO day what nave always
been, an uUcompromsing States flights Consttu-
fional III ION man, / was born Democrat, have
lived Democrat, and hope to die Democrat.
NV views are the same now that they were
when ] preached the sermon from Wnch The
TELEGRAPH quotes am sun opposeu 70 tt .he parry
ana the men who years ago commenced the strife
which has DESTROYED our country. Snch men as
Greeley, who declared the American nag 10 De
Haunting lie; and Garrison, who declared our Con
stltuton to be covenant with death ana an agree,
Inqnt with hell and Beecher, who said ne would
rather give to men Sharpe's rifles than mother
bibles; and Banks, who sald LET the Union
side" / am opposed TO those Congressional
tinfeys who have well.nigh patched the life out OF
our glorious old Constitution. j am believer III
coin as currency, and have always believed this tc
he q lrhite mans government, and will do all IN
nv power to keep it so, at the same time excluding
ali polihcs from my pulpit. am opposed to al
unsayory admxtuTes and abominate the political ny
poeTisy which camOrs for equality tor the negro ano
at the same time excludes MN rom the socal clrces
am opposed to war as unchrlsLian, ana thlnl
that the Wickedness which Hoods our lanu, ana th'
demo ZatiOn which every one adInlJs 10 pe conse
0uent upon war, is sufficient reason that every
minlster and every Christian should oppose it.
am anxious to see every state restored to her orgl
nal position, and i should be glad 10 hn'
every true citizen of the country sustaining tn
President in his reconstrncuon pQncy II taes 4t
bow to the decision OF HE TELEGRAPH 10 IN
ministerial advocates of the war would say, ID
God approve Of David as q man OF war; why, thel
did God prohibit him from building tine Iemple