The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-08-08
Clerical Intolerance and Masonic
FoFbearance.

ForDeafnnces
To Tie RditorS Of the Intolligeneer:
have no desire to enter into any con.
troversy with DR.. Westwood regarding
his conduct last Sabbath afternoon; yet L
q quite possible he may Introduce sub.
jects that on his own account had better
remain OF rest. / shall not cridcise his
taste In designating one minister as "Rey.n
and Withholding that title from another,
though the one from whom he withholds
1t Is recognized in the N. Z. Church as
the Doctors own peer. l admit that he
excels the gentleman alluded 70 In the
use Of pronouns Of the first person,
singular number. let any one examine
bis letter and see how often the words
"" tine" and "mine" occur. Such Ian.
guage may not BIO egotistical In him, but
Il would be considered so IN another.
The Doctor states he did not speak in an
angry voice at the grave, but that his
indignation was aroused" All who
heard him speak on the occasion alluded
TO, are the best Judges on that subject ]
am sorry however t4At he allowed hlH
indignation" TO boil over 90. he also
states-"I was not In charge OF the funeral
onthe contrary the MasonS had charge
Of II" This ijG fact. The Masons went
10 take the management Of the funeral by
special and written request Of the partlei
most deeply concerned. lr
Dr. W. was plainly requested 10 hold
religious services al the dwelling, but In.
formed that the Masons would do so Of
the cemetery. Therefore the Doctor had
no more right to obtrude his services at
the grave where they were not wanted,
than he would have 10 take possession Of
Father splH 'sn's pulpit The following
statement Of the Doctor q not correct
1.-THE Master OF a Masonic Lodge declined
to have the services Of that or
der read, because that Of the Church
Of God had been used" This is
a gross insult to every Mason. The Ma.
sons were then assembled for q solemn
purpose The open grave, the presence
Of death and the Holy Sabbath might
well still the storm Of indignant" passion
and resentment, and soothe the mind tC
Christian forbearance and forgiveness. Il
was neither the time nor the place fol
strife and contention. II would have beer
q cruel mockery Of religion had the Ma
sons repeated burial service after the Doc.
tor had finished his self:imposed task Of
reading the Church Of England Burial
Service.
All through his arrogant letter he evil
IDENTIFY considers the Church OF God TO be
embodied In his own personally own
burial service, my church, MY ser.
vice." &c. The humblest iayman has
Just as good q right to pray to God and
say, "Our Father" as DR.. W. has. God
is NO respecter Of persons, but in every
nation "he that feareth Him and worketh
righteousness Is accepted with Him. A
Masonic prayer, presented in faith and
sincerity at brothers grave, Is Just a
acceptable to God as the ritual Of the
Church Of England, even when read by
DR.. W.
Tho Doctor considers It an insult to be
told that the words which he read out oil
a printed book on Sunday, were copied
without acknowledgment from thu
Church Of England prayer book. Is this
not fact9 Does the Doctor deny I'll
Thus do dispose Of his long argument
However good and excellent this ritual
may be, and good and excellent it Is be-
You'd a'doubt, yet 1t Is but q human pro
duction. The Masonic fraternity attended
their departed iriend'e funeral, not for "hil
brothers" sake like DR.. W., but for biz
own. With Masons every man stands or
his own merits, not on I"his brother's;'
every man Is judged by his own works
not by his, brothers. But " came from
Cranberry Summit" says the Doctor
Did he not inform several friends before
he went to enjoy the cooling breezes Of
the mountains, that he would be back on
Saturday. II so, how can It be said that
he came here for that purposeg
But the Doctor states that he Is him.
self Mason. HIS case, therefore, ID the
more aggravating. he, ElopS that there
is nothing in Free Masonry To contrayens
with any duty aman owes to the world
to his family, his country, or God.
For anything ] have written here OF
elsewhere the Masonic body Is not re
sponsible. ! have consulted no man or
this subject, and no one has prompted OF
assisted me. l4ul -Lsa. NIL.
August 7h.