The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-06

mortally wounded. In other times, mortal
combats of this sort in dark rooms we're oc-
casonal incidents of Southwestern life; but,
until the present affair, we have not heard of
such an occurrence for many years.
Gradually, yet with rapidty, the reign of
law and order is extending over the vast
regions vest of the Missouri. In few years,
the horrible practice of lynching will have
entirely disappeared, and with it many of the
barbarities which have existed too long among
our fighting frontiersmen.
THE REV. G. b. SMYTH, THE FOURTH
COMMANDMENT, AND THE SUNDAY
LIQUOR LAW.
From the NJ \. Herald. ......
The Rev. G. B. Smyth, of the Presby teriau
Church of this city, on Sunday, the 10th of
April last, after preaching a very good SER
mon, invited two newspaper reporters to take
lunch with him. The reporters accepted the
invitation, and the party of three repaired to
a neighboring restaurant, where, in the course
of the repast, the preacher called for the ex-
traordinary mixture of gin and milk, of which
he drank or slipped quantity; and one of his
guests, in like manner, called for and dis
posed of pitcher of gin and milk, as some
thing new under the sun 1t further appears
that in these proceedings the preacher not
only violated the fourth commandment, as re-
corded in the second book of Moses, but like
wise the Sunday liquor law of the State, and
''that although the company were seated in
private room, no blessing was asked, at least
audibly or apparently, on the repast." Fur
thermore, the accused caused his son to assist
one of said reporters in ''decipering or writ
ing out" the notes of the sermon preached on
said day by the accused.
These facts were established against the
minister before the presbytery sitting on the
subject, Moderator Finley in the chair. But
Mr.. Harper, of the Investigating Committee,
submitted the following extenuating circum-
stances: First that the accused did not ask
either of his guests to take any Intoxicating
drink. Second, that the accused was laboring
at the time under a considerable degree of
physical exhaustion. Third, that the quantity
of gin used by him was not large. Fourth,
that the accused did not exhibit any symptoms
of -intoxication on the occasion. Next in
balancing the account, the committee having
reported against the gin, in connection with
the time, place, and circumstances, although
the facts had been greatly exaggerated in the
specifications against the accused, submitted
in conclusion the recommendation of q re-
buke to the accused for his censurable con-
duct, and an admonition with an engagement
on his part ito walk by the grace of God
more circumspectly in the future" The re-
port was adopted, and the rebuked Brother
Smyth is doubtless satisfied that his punish
ment is not greater than his offense.
So much for the Church. Now for the
press. According to the testimony of the
Herald reporter, whose fidelity to the facts
is established, the account of that Sunday
lunch, as published in the opera 6oute jour
nal, was false report, and, according to the
evidence OF the reporter directly concerned,
it was not his report, but a materially diffe-
rent report. In other words it was a report
doctored, regardless of the consequences to
make sensation. Against this unscrupulous
Bohemianism we, in behalf of the Herald
reporters and all other faithful repor-
ters of the public press, must here
enter our protest. The Rev. Mr..
Smyth, from a kindly disposition to serve
the two reporters concerned, in reference to
that 10th of April sermon, invited them, how
ever unvisely. to lunch with him, anG they
and he were betrayed in little affair of hos
pitality by another party, and hence all this
fuss about a Sunday drink of gin and milk.
Why, even the professional robbers of the
Arabian desert regard the rites of hospitality
as a treaty of peace, which they are bound in
honor not to violate. If they eat or drink
with the traveller they are bound not only
never to betray him, but, when necessary, to
protect him within their lines of jurisdictions
and when these rules are violated by the press
the press is brought into disgrace.