The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1869-03-25
Correspond -nes Of the EeVa-
LETTER FROM ssMARY b."


Seats Rev. Chas. Elliott A
"Reminiscences - The Lecture
SeasOn-Amna DiekfnsOm-Dr.
Wm. Ross, ke. sc.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa, Mar. 10, '69.
DEAR News When l turned my
face Westward last Autumn, I
thought to have q chat with your
readers ere this. Time has flown so
rapidly, can scarcely realize that
Spring is here.
It seems but little while since
left "Old Highland" I remember
the bright moonlight evening I came
home, how beautiful Mt. Pleasant
looked after my long absence, and
how glad Twas to get home-so glad,
that thought it would repay me to
take another such trip, if only to feel
so happy once more in lifetime.
The winter has been a very busy
one to me, in this busy city, and pleas
ant in its associations; for have been
working in the Sunday School; work.
ing in the Order Of Good Templars,
working with a noble band of heroic
women, associated together under the
name of the "Ladies' Temperance
League" COurageously they have
pursued their work; sometimes cheer
ed by words Of eongratulatiOn bus
turned not aside, by frOwns or jeers.
The result is, that there has been q
gloriOus Temperance revival; and on
the first Monday in March, Mt. Pleas
ant voted against the sale of all IL
quors in her midst, by a majority of
three hundred and one. The Good
Templars, the Ladies' League, and the
Temperance people outside of these
Organizations, do not claim the glory
Of the victory. All glory be given
unto the Lord, who enabIeth US to
triumph over our enemies.
I have enjoyed life, among such
scenes and labors; but have had some
pangs Of conscience about the letters
promised to Ohioans, that never have
been written. soothe conscience
with the thought, that I will write
them get, if it takes me until 1870.
Yesterday 1 ATTENDED the Presbyte-
rian Church. 1 noticed upon the
back of each seat, little printed slips
of paper, which read like this:
"The seats OF this Church are all
free. The minister is supported by
free-will offerings, collected At the
morning service.
Upon the first day of the week les
every one of you lay by him in store,
as Good hath 'prOspered him.-Ist
Cor. xvi. 2. Every man according as
be purposeth in his heart, so let him
giUe; not grudgingly, or Of necessity:
for God loVeth a cheerful giver-
End Cor, tx. z"
I was happy to notice this Christ
like progress, among our PresbyteriaB
friends, While some of them no long
er support their ministers by rent
ing pews, the practice is stealing in
upon the Methodist in some parts Ofthe
country. At one place, I once visited,
some seats occupied by aristOcrats
became so high that one of the rent
ers backed down, and ceased to at
tend church. This practice does not
yet prevail to any extent in the
Methodist church. It is certainly un-
methOdistic, and uncaIled for IN this
Christian age. Free seats is one Of the
old landmarks to cling to, and cherish
forever. Pew renting builds up an
aristOcratie church for the FEw and
the RICH. It reVerses the doctrine Of
Christ, "that he has chosen the poor
of this world, rich in faith,T and that
the poor have the Gospel preached
unto them; and substitutes instead,
that he has chosen the RICH of this
world, rich in money. It thrusts the
poor into back seats, which is ungos-
pel-like, and un-Christlike. God
grant that MethOdism may never take
up with this church polityi and that
one by one, other denominations may
abandon it,
These thoughts bring to my mind,
that since last wrote you, a great
and liberal-souled Prince in the
Methodist Israel has fallen; even the
venerable DR.. CHARLES ELLIOTT, Of
our city. Your readers are aware of
this, and I bring up his name for a
few words only. ] remember pleas
ant incident that took place at one of
our College Commeneements. In the
graduating class, composed Of young
men and women, LaCtg, Miss BellO
Babb, carried of the "Valedictory."
At the close Of her addr,s IS, DR.. Eli
OFT said few words. PIueking q
rose from one of the bouquets shower
ed upon Miss Belle, he placed itin her
dark hair, amid the tears and laugh
ter of the young girl and the audience;
then paid a most beautiful and glow
ing tribute to Woman; saying, Wo-
man t0Olsld take tie t0orld get; that the
girls were Outstripping the young
men, carrying off the ValedictOries in
our Colleges" &c.
During that Commencement occa-
sion, heard him pray r, and such a
prayer I have never heard before nor
since. Grasping in the great world.
in his great hearts petition to the
/ Fafber of us all he Draved for the