The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-03-25
A Card from Rev. DR.. Read.
For the PHILADELPHIA Bulletin.

Mr.. Editor,-My attention has been called
to communication in your issue of the 2Sth
ultimo over the signature OF A LOYAL
PRESBYTERIAN" addressed to "PHILADEL-
PHIA PREsBYTERIANs," in which the writer
has committed himself to some gross mis-
statements
Calling attention to a circular issued by the
ladies of the UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
in this city, Of which am the pastor, asking
aid to rebuild our church edi6ce, which was
destroyed by fire, this writer makes, among
others, the following points:
GA slip from the Richmond Daily Dispatch
says that they intend making this one of the
most beautiful and substantial temples in the
South. u" The writer hereupon volunteers his
opinion that we should not desire to erect
such an ed,fce, especially so when the funds
to accomplish it are erpected To be derired main-
~ from the North To this reply, first, that
whilst the writer e. A LOYAL PREsBYTERI
AM has used quotdtion marks to indicate
that he is transcribing the Lnguage of the
Richmond Dispatch, he has materially changed
that language, when. as it would appear, he
must have had the slip before him and the
language substituted by him is not true state
ment of the facts in the premises.
The Richmond Dispatch has the following
language 9 Judging from the plan which has
been shown us, 1t may be predicted that when
finished this will be one of the most beautiful
and substantial temples in the South" which
is simply the expression OF an opinion by the
writer in the Dispatch. and in no sense an
avowal of intention on the part of our
people, the architect, or the building commit
tee.
Such an intention | have never heard ex
pressed by any one excepting "A Loyal PRES
BYTERIAN. The intention might or might
not be judicions; but the manner in which it
is attributed to us is false and calculated, if
not intended, to hinder our progress.
= This writer assumes to know our thoughts
before we are aware of their birth, as when he
says that the funds to accomplish our work
are expected to be deriued manly from the
North. !" We are certainly very grateful tor
the liberal aid of many northern friends with
out which do not think We should have un-
dertaken the work in hand; but it is due to
the North and South-to- the -truth-to say
that the sums thus far contributed at the
North and at the South leaving out Of view
the contributions in Richmond are almost
precisely even.
Waving, now any notice of the allegations
respecting our intense diSloydhy and matters
of that sort, the writer in your paper of the
18th ultimo says that he was informed az
Richmond, shortly after the destruction of our
old church, {" that the loyal few" (of our con-
gregation) "were treated in an unchristian
manner, the disoyal ones refusing ali inter
course with them, and the reverend pastor IN
forming then, that Their presence an the church
aoas obnoxious to the congregation, and request
ing them to refrain from, further attendance"
/ have italicized a portion of the foregoing
sentence as particularly personal to myself, and
as touching matters about which have exact
knowIedge and to this my answer is, that the
writer injorner either reported or invented
what was then, and is now, false
If an issue of Uerdcity is made, be it so; my
name is given to the denial, and l have no
objection to the publication of the name of
the informer, which, from certain broad foot
prints, [ think | can discern.
Allow me to add, Mr. Editor, that the me-
cessity was upon us to rebuild house for the
Worship of God, knowing that we should need
help from abroad. Our building committee
adopted plan which We deem judicious, hav-
ing regard to convenience, durability, economy,
and good taste The main walls are up and
and the roof on We are endeavoring TO Sc
cure funds to finish the interior as early as
possible,
Until now very little effort, comparatively,
has been made in PHILADELPHIA and it re-
mains to be seen whether the article Of your
correspondent will diminish or increase the
generous responses which are beginning to come
in, and TOR which we are grateful BE that o.