The Portland daily press., 1871-05-04
A Letter.
To J. J. Cas7uthersID. d., Pastor Of I'd Parish

AsVfQuHUs
My DEAR SIR,-I had net the pleasure OF
listening to your sermon preached on Fast
Day, April 18TH but l have read with some
care tie printed report of that somewhat re-
markable production and have waited for
some response thereto from other and abler
pens than mine.
Saying nothing, at this time in relation RI
the union OF Church and State, forehsadowed
IN tins sermon, and against which orr fathers
SO strongly protested, and of other tnnics
treated, lind therein an unwarranted and.
WIN al que Difference to your years and posi-,
i 1aon, l WIN aud, unchiistidn attack upon a
laise ana rapidly increasing class of people
VINO dare to differ from you in opinion, quote
few sentences:
Among the ingredients of that cup of an
tqdty which divine .torbe0aace permits us to
Hi up, IL the countenance given by popular
sentiment to certain forms of error, under tho
name o. religion but the direct Influence of
which goes TO eradicate whatever is worthy of
the name. These doctrines of denaons-for to
SUCH an origin may some OF them be confidently
dScilbed-are permeat!ng the cOnsciences-pol-
lifting the hearts and destroying the souls of
many of our people Alb
surdIties which shock the sensiblities OF rea-
son-blasphemies which fill the christian
mind with hOrror-pretended Communications
from what is called the Spirit world; which
show how little common sense is left to the
supposed disembodied friends of miserable
These extracts ate sufficient for our present
purpose. 1t is not my design at this time to
reply to these sweeping and uncharitable de-
nunciations of, not only what you are pleased
to term forms OF error, but OF "many of our
people, who, according to you, Are closing
their souls" and becoming miserable dunes
or knaves" because they honestly believe in a
demonstrated not theoretical Immortality 1t
is as easy as it is cowardly, to stand behind
the battlements of pulpit and denOunce as
error any and all opinions that conflict with
the preachers prejudices and to hurl harsh
epithets at the defenseess heads of these of his
fellow mOrtals who choose to worship accord
ing to the dictates of their own conscences,"
because then can no reply be made.
am one of these persons whom You SO
honestly believe that have received evidences
that convince me beyond a shadow of doubt
that "if man die he shall live again." that
there is a spirit world and that our disembodi-
ed friends can and do demonstrate to us their
continued existence. In behalf therefore of
more than eleven millions of persons who
cherish this same belief in the name of that
sacred spirit Of Truth which was taught by
Christ and commanded by Him to be preached
by His Disciples, l ask you to come out from
your entrenchments and meet us fairly upon
an equal platform. Make good your accusa-
tions and charges, and give the accused an OBJ
portunity for defense Come out from the pull
pit and meet us in a fair discussion. We will
meet you a0hen and Where you please, on equal
terms, and ''let the truth prevail though the
Heavens fall" If We are in error we should
be happy to have you show us wherein.
Very respectfully, your Obedient servant,
JOSEPH b. HALL.