The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-04-02
Misfellaneous.
THE METHODIST CONFERENCE
BY MRS. NJ. ADELLE lIAZLETT.
CHAPTER l.

1 tell you wife, it must not be.
had as soon see the arch-fiend himself
in our pulpit as Freemason."
"But he is an excellent preacher, and
as the church is well satisfied with him,
the Conference will, doubtless, return
him to us for another year"
"No, Sarah, they shall not return
him. will take care that the brethren
learn what a viper they are cherishing
in their bosoms. 1t is fortunate that
the next Conference is to he held here
in our own place."
'Let me beg of you, husband, not to
be hasty in this. Our minister, Bro.
Fairbanks, appears to be reallya worthy
and pious man, and as the church is
well pleased with him, why not allow
the matter to rest as it is? really can
not believe him to be so bad a man ms
you fear him to be-"
"Can man be a Freemason and not
be guilty, peIjured wretch? And
| shall /, George Graham-clasS-lead
for fifteen years-be so false to my duty,
as to remain quiet when Satan sends his
minions into our very midst? No, Mrs.
GIaham; if you would evade your duty
/ shall not evade mine; / am a poor sim
ner, it is true, but willing servant OF
my Lord and Master, and this wolf In
sleeps clothing shall be driven from
the fold. shall protest against his re-
turn to this church. Fortunately only
few weeks remain before the Confer
encc meeting shall begin work at
once" and the pious, earnest, but fan
atical George Graham walked to his
book cease, and, taking down package
of anti-Masonic almanacs, which had
the appearance of being at least forty
years Of age and had only been pre-
served from the ravages of time by the
reverent care they had received from
their owner, who held them next to his
Bible in value, he placed broad-brim-
med hat upon his head, and sailed
forth under the scorching rays of an
August sun.
81 declare" said the old man to him
self, "this is a hot afternoon. shall
miss my map to-day, but, then, duty
must not be sacrificed to the weakness
of the fiesh."
He called upon Bros. Jones, Keeler,
Carson and several others, all of whom
opened their eyes in holy horror when
they found that their beloved minister
Bro. Fairbanks-was Il Freemason,
and they agreed at once to unite their
influence with that of their class leader
to secure new minister the ensuing
year. The sun was just sinking below
the western horizon as Mr.. Graham en-
tered the Office of Judge Wihters-one
of the oldest and most influential mem
bers of the church. There was a mis-
chieyous twinkle in the Judges eye
when Mr.. Graham made his business
known.
"Well, what do you propose to do,my
friend? he inquired, at length, when
Mr.. Graham paused for breath.
"Complain Of him, and have him ex
PEELED from the Conference-sHeneedr p
"But do you think that can be done?'
"Not doubt of it-not doubt of ii
didn't the Masons murder Morgan 2
Here is an account of the whole afiai
and trial OF the murderers" land Mr.
Graham laid the package on the table,
show he was abducted from home, car
ried prisoner to Fort Niagara and Fl
nally sunk in the river. The innocen
blood of VIM. Morgan iscrying to heav
en- for vengeance to-dayW
"Do you think, Mr.. Graham, that tn
evidence was clear against those VIII,
were arrested for the crimes"
"Clear as the sunlight, Judge"
"Then the criminals were OF course
punished according to law?"
punished! no, not one OF them !"
"Why, how was that? What do yo
mean?" ..E
al mean, sir, that Dewitt Clinton, tn
Governor of New York, was Freema
son. And he defeated the ends of ju:
tice, sir; he sacrificed the majesty of tn
law to his F'reemasonry, SIR"
"But," said the Judge, "if under