Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-06-21
Church Dissertation Again.

The 'litHe .tc1Lo,c 1Hndcr the hHE' looms up
no doubt to his own Sclt-SatiSfaction, on the
Church Dissertation question: in a recent issue
of the Press and Herald. Now that he has dis
gOrged a djSteRdeG stomach the hope is that he
feels comfortable! Certainly his brains are not
involved! Let Us hope. in mercy, that an in
yIgoratlng convalesCence will speedily ensue.
The diagnosis of his disease would. perhaps
develop the notable fact that the "Ettlc teLLo,
! Hl5der the hiy' is laboring under a two-fold
allment. First, extreme crampi0g Of the bolccLS,
and second, a morbid seLf-coD1Eacency at the
products OF his own D1aSterLy genius, either Of
which would be enough to disturb much great.
er minds For the former / would recommend
free and unrestricted use of " Vinegar Bit
tiers" taken in augmented broken doses, and
for the latter, a calm and impartial survey of
his brain pOtrcr. The "Bjtters' would aIlevi-
ate troubled stomach and an inspection OF
the brain POlrer would show that it was not so
prodgiOus after all
With this u1SeitiSh offer ofwhoesome advice.
to the ''LlttLe teLiOlC t3dcr the ILL.," | will ROW
proceed to unmask the pititul sophism and the
fimSy pTetences involved
Why, in the first place, he should have Jump
ed on the editor Of the CHRONICLE l can not
imagine, and that too, in such an indecent
manner. 1t was wholly uncalled-for, as a lit
tie reflection will demonstrate. In admitting
my first article into his columns, [ am douby
assured he was prompted by the kindest of
feelings, both towards the author and to the
church alluded to. In view Of these facts
why does 1T become necessary, on the part of
" Fair Play" to allude in such unbecoming
terms to a gentleman who has neither wronged
him or the church he represents. | feel con-
strained to say this much in behalf of the ed
itor of the CHRONICLE, who, if there be any
wrong in the matter, was brought into it by
my own act.
If Fair Play be what 1 suppose him to
be- a clergyman, he is actidg in the worst pos
p lo4 ,T4h Il l.
and prOpagating the mischievous idea that there
is no wrong in using our church edifces as we
would our town halls. He very well knows
that this principle is not recognized, and can
not be, by the authorities of the church And
when he assumes to break down that princi-
pie, either for the purpose Of promoting his
own selfish ends, or from any other cause he
is going a little too fast, and must be brought
to his senses. When the church in question was
dedicated, it was understood to be wholly in the
interest OF Christianity; that it was cOnsecrated
to sacred purposes. Besides all this, if | am not
mistaken, a resolution is now on record absO-
lutey forbidding that the church should be
used for school exhibitions, concerts and the
like The writer in question, nor the Trustees,
could gOIbehind this resolution or their trust.
Nor are they to be swayed in their de-
clsions by any eXtraneouS influences, by
their high regard for any body of men, or
for individuals, or for their love of education,
or anything else They are bound by the high
est considerations of duty to preserve the affairs
Of the sanctuary from contact with "unholy
things" The eloquent speakers and the nice
young men, Is no argument why they should
bulge from theplain path of duty Everything
in its place, is the safest place The other
churches of the city-every one of them I be-
leve-are immOvable in fheir opposition to the
error 1 am combating. They are right and
the higher and more refined intelligence of the
community will sustain them in the course.
Wbv then should the Southern Methodist
Church be ostracised and denounced as wanting
in kindness if she should, in common with all
the other Churches, take the lofty position that
her sacred precincts shall not be polluted by the
deafening applause of the multitude and the IT.
reverent conduct of the thoughtless and the
reckless? If the Church is seeking to acquire
the respect and confidence Of the people, she
must first respect herself
Thanking you for your kindness in publish
ing this and my former article, L now bid you
and Fair Play final adieu.
CHURCHMAN.