The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-01-05
Gen. Dow aud ,he Uni,sr..,,.,..


Some of or readers win probably remen,-
Der Gen. Dow's remars, in Edinburg, last sum-
mer, that no rumseller would be admitted In
New England, into any Christian church,
mot even Universalist church." This re-
mark the Gospel Banner treated as slur,
asking Gen. Dow, who Is an Orthodox Con-
greeationalst, how he would like to hear
somebody announce that in New England no
rumseller would be admitted into any Chris
tian church, mot even Coneragationalist
church." We copy from this weeks Banner
aletter of Gen. Dow's, addressed to his friend
Mr. c. A. Staekpole, who was authorized to
have Unpublished if he saw fit The letter OF.
fers an explanation of the Objectionable exe
remark, 1--WE do not, perhaps, Iuily compre-
lend the bearing Of his explanation on the
matter at issue, but it is enough for us to
know that he disclaims doing our sect any IN
justice, and that he stands exonel a.ed II his
own mind" The letter runs as follows:
GLOUCESTER, England, Dec 3, 1865.
No Dedr Mr.. Son my arrival here to-
day from Wales, found your kind and most
the Gospel Banner; one containing structures
oil one of my Edinburgh speeches, the other
being your reply. -e-et.- FL.
am not a little mortified that in Maine,
where L have so often taken occasion to say in
public, that in my view religion is matter Of
the heart and life, and,not OF mere creeds and
forms, should be suspected OF sectarian big
otry. thank you very much for your just
Interpretation OF my views, which, at a sub
SpOQppf monfinO af EHiph httpnh md In
other Scotch towns, 1 had already given al
most in your words.
was to be received at a great Tea Meeting
in Edinburgh. In the afternoon before, one
OF the city magistrates took me 10 his car
riage for ride around that ancient town. As
we rode up the famous Cannongate, he stop
ped. "1here, said he,"is the hou OF John
Knox, very much as he lett it. IL is now the
property of the church of Rev. Mir, one Of
the leading Presbyterian churches in this city,
The upper stories are occupied as dwellings
and the ground floor as low and vile grog-
shop, the rents going into the church treasury
A little further on he said-''Tnere Is gros-
shop kept by son OF an eminent Scotch doc
tor of divinity of this city, the capital fur
nished by the father, Of whose church the son
is prominent member"
Further on he said Look at that shop; IL
is one of the vilest in Edinburgh, and is kept
by the leading elder of the leading Presbyte-
rian church in the city. A little while ago be
was convicted before the Police Court and
tned for harboriDg thieves and prostitutes,
but his standing In the church has not been
compromised in the slightest degree. Shortly
after he presented to the church for the pulpit,
splendid Bible and hymn book which lrs
now used there" Many ether similar places
were pointed out to me, kept by church mem
bers In good standing, one of whom lad tak-
en- nom poor, ragged woman, In exchange
forN pint OF gin, a pair OF shoes stripped
from the feet OF one OF her children.
Al the Tea Meeting were present many OF
the most respectable people of Edinburgh,
some OF them the clergy and laity Of the Pres
byterian church. related the clreu ustances
there just as l tell them here, and sticma,Izei
the whole thingas Infamous" And added
I'm New Englanda church N ember would be ex.
PEELED for selling Intoxicating liquors, as much
as II he kept gambling shop. No man en-
gagged in the liquor traffic could be received In
New England into any Christian Church, not
even Universalist church."
1t did not occur to me that my point could
be mistaken. But afterward, being at gem
tiemap's house in GLASGOW, my hostess said
My excellent friend MIR. -, one OF the
best temperance men, and q very inf1uer tial
citizen, asked me the other day-having read
your Edinburgh speech what you meant by
saying, mot even Universalist church, and
told him would ask you and now I have
done It," explained TO her what meant.
went back again to Edinburgh lor q great
public meeting, at which took an opportu-
nifty to say: "On former occasion in Edin-
6ursh, In speaking of the public opinion In
New England relative to the liquor traffic,
remarked that no rumseller could be admit
ted into any Christian church, not even
Universalist church. When / return to my
country lam sure to be asked by some OF my
friends, many of whom are Universalists, and
among the truest irier ds OF temperance and
every other good work, as well as the most
honored in the country, what meant by the
phrase---aot eren the UnicersaHst chUrchS
NV reply will be: You must remember | was
in Scotland, where the people are egtremelu
particular about creeds and doctrines, but not
at all particular about keeping grogshops anil
houses of i'll famep" This, even In Edin-
burgh, brought down the house in thunders
OF applause, as It did in Glasgow and other
Scotch towns where repeated II.
hope this explanation will fully exouerase
me from any suspicion of scstarianism In
TINS matter, as indeed am not afflicted with