Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-11-30
WHOLE NO. 2,q4O.

this body Oct. nth and 35th and or
der the same to be published in the
Western Recorler. John Herndon NJ
d., church clerk pro ient." I'VE. un.
dersigned Baptist Ministers, present
by invitation, at Keysburg Ky, to wit
ness the trial of Elder II. A. Massey,
bear witness to the impartiality OF
the investigation. and tho decision on
the part of the church of his limo.
cence, Oct. 25, 1872. q. N. Morrow,
s. s. Mallory" M n,''
Oct. Il, 1S72--To the Keysburp
church-Dear Brethren: | have re.
ceived a letter signed by the clerk of
your church, the circumstances con-
nected with which evidently shows
another prepared it. This letter / will
not present to the Baptist church in
Clarksyille, but now return it to you
and for the following reasons 1st.
| cant believe it to be yours
and it breathes an unkind spiri,
and prov es conclusively in preparing
for the farce for next Friday, that you
arc only as clay in the hands of the
potter, and thatconsequently you can't
act impartially, and are therefore un.
it to act as judges in the case. 2
You were therefore acquainted with
the character of Rev. II. A. Massey
where you received him on his letter
from Trenton church into the fellow
ship of your church. You cannot
therefore, consistently with the usages
of Baptist churches institute an inves
tigation of his character now. In
deed, the pubic will consider such in
vestigation an crpdrte affair; for you
cannot expect us to treat you differ
emily from the manner we treat the
Trenton church. Wegave her our ul.
timatum in the premises, and ofwhiel
you cannot be ignorant as the whole
matter was published in the Western
Recorder. 3. We are perfectly salts.
fed with the result from the publica
ton of the action of Trenton church
and the public verdict on same as far
as we have ascertained it. We are
satisfied that all true Baptists are with
us. As for such preachers and
churches as have little to do and real.
ly do little we care nothing about their
opinion. We are satisfied. IF you or
Rev. II. j. Massey are dissatisfied YOU
may investigate his character to your
hearts content. 1t certainly will not
disturb us. We have something else
to do. We are engaged in a great work
and will not abandon il to dispute
with you. While l thus return your
letter, permit me to assure you, that
letters appertaining to the interests OF
the Redeemer's s kingdom will always be
responded to by me. But immaterial
who may send me letters for strife and
contention, l will neither respond to
them myself, nor will be the bearer
of them to my church. Fraternally A.
ID. Sears" This letter unwillingly
reveals the author of the charges made
by few in the church. Neither can
they prove the things whereof they now
accuse me-" Acts. "a: 13. Until then,
must they abide, where they would
hace placed me, under n,isrepresena.
ton" Their church gaze no reason for
not attending the trial at Keysburg.
Ed. Sears says CIV. II. Oct. 9th J
"Soon after we were notified to attend
the meeting at Trenton we had an in
terview with several of the leading
members of that church and they
unitedly concurred in the opinion that
a full investigation of the whole mat
ter would destroy the peace and har-
mony of this church, This, as as
certained by inquiry, is not 90. We
talked with only Elder Bagby and
Ware. They are not several leading
members" The latter denies he said
it, Charge" several leading men,
bers" with dupliicity?"ll To unani-
mously invite the doing of that which
they afterward tell them secretly il
they do, it will destroy their peace.
But if it should, shall discipline be
robbed of its rights-the guilty go un-
punished, or the innocent suffer?
r. A. MASSEY.