The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-03-11
SENATOR REYELs.
Reply OF Rev. James Lynch 10 the Sian
derers OF the COlored Senator.

One of the fearful signs of the times
is the too general practice of the DEM
ocratic partisan press in defaming the
character of the representatives OF an
opposite political party. When that
representative happens to be man OF
colored skin, such zeal and determine
ton is awakened, that, were he Saint
John the Divine, they would present
him 10 the public as a character only mt
to grace the dens of an Eastern city.
This Is strikingIy illustrated the case
of Senator Revels.
We find his sianderers speaking in
Democratic sheets published at Leayen-
worth, Kansas, Louisville, KY, Saint
Louis, Mo-, Wilmington, n. c., and
through the creature who sends Wash
ington gossip to the New York Herald.
What are these slanderss
/. 1t is alleged that as pastor he was
bellicose; that he did misappropriate,
or colluded with those who did so,
church funds.
2 That he was the subject of violence
from his church members on account OF
indignation which he provoked.
3. That he. lived with a lady at Saint
Louis that some one thought might mol
have been his wife, whom, they suppos-
ed, he had deserted.
No other charges than these are pre-
ferred. Now let us examine. All this
il was charged was done at Leayen'
worth and Saint Louis.
As we had been from 1859 to 1867 q
minister of the same church to which
Rev. Mr.. ReYels belongs, and for some
part of the time filled n position which
made its whole territory our field Of
observation, being editor of their only
church organ, the ChTistia7a Recorder;
we claim to know all about his ministe-
rial record.
He took charge of the colored church
at Leavenworth when the congregation
was deeply in debt for recent improve
ments, and at once displayed great en-.
orgy to secure the liquidation. In his
administration of Church discipline
there were malcontents who proved
troublesome, and these were encOur.
aged by John Morris, a barber of that
city, who is as Jealous in his opposition
to Christianity as was Tom Paine, Nor
ris being an aVowed intidel.
But to the vital point. Mr.. Revels
served this congregation for three sue.
cessiVe years. Methodist ministers are
stationed but for one year; at its expi.
ration they go to their annual con-
ferences. Their characters are subject
ed to examination, and they are either
appointed to another charge or reap
pointed to the previous one. By the
discipline the are never continued in one
charge more than three years. Now,
why did the Leavenworth church petit
ton the Missouri Conference, each year
that Mr.. Revels served them, for his re-
turn? And why did they not present
to the Annual Conference some COM
plant against him for misconduct, il
the allegations of the Democratic edit
or and the infidel colored barber are
true? Tho bishops who may be referred
to on this point can be consulted
they are Rev. D. A. Payne, ID. D., one
of the first divines of the nation, pres
ident of the Wilberforce University,
who lives at Xenia, Ohio; Rev. Bishop
William Paul Quinn, Richmond, In
diana Rev. Bishop Jasper p. Camp
bell, Trenton, N. j. Also these congre-
cations and their officers.
At st. Louis, Mr.. Revels had diff
Guilty in enforcing church discipline.
The bishop of the district was present
at the time of the settlement of the diff
ficulty. growing out of church govern
ment. He will testify that the oppos-
ers of Mr.. Revels never then, when
most excited against him, charged him
with immortality which under the disci-
pline did not belong to him.
In reference to the suspicion that the
lady he brought to St. Louis was not
his wife, suffice it to say, that every re-
spectacle person in St. Louis will testi-
fy that this lady lived with him the en-
tire time Of his stay there as his wife.
The minister who performed the GER
emory will testify that this identical
woman was the one he lawfully mar
ried before he went to st. Louis. And
no person in the United States, within
reach of the law or corporal chastise-
ment, will dare say he ever lived with
any other. If SO, we challenge him.
We have written this because it is due
our race that these ISLANDERS, the fsuits
of prejudiced minds, filled with malig-
nifty, should not be accepted by the pub.
lie.
The delight with which the Demo
cratic press of this State rehash these
puerile attempts at defamation is nC
! new thing in this region. That which
could call President Grant a butcher, 9
drunkard, an imbecile and thief; and
to Gen. Alcorn impute gross crimes
| finds very little difficulty i'll seeking tc
slime over a colored Senator.
JAMES LYNCH.
Jackson, Miss, Feb. II, 1870.