Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-11-30
lADvERTIsEMENT.
ELDER r. A. MAssEY's vINDICA'
rION.


BRETHREN: l regret the necessity
of having to address you through the
secular press, the evidence Of my vim
dication:
WHEREAS, This church at con-
ference, Oct. II, adopted the following:
1.-The church of Christ at keysburg,
KY, to the Clarksville Baptist church:
While Elder Massey was member of
the Trenton church, he was honorably
acquitted from charges you made
against him to the Bethel Association,
Having sold his home there, when ac-
quilted he called for dismission, and
afterward joined our church upon a
letter in full fellowship and good stand
ing with that body, and affectionately
commended to us. Since then chat
church has had no jurisdiction over
him. After long delay his vindica-
tion appeared in the Western Record
er, but with it a REAFFIRMATION of
your charges. Not having produced
before that church any proof of his
guilt, you now publish to the world,
I'VE can sustain our position in every
instance taken if necessary" We,
therefore, give you an opportunity by
inviting you to meet, by your repre-
sentatives, with our church, Friday,
Oct. 25, at II o'clock, A. NJ, and lay
before us, and council of ministers
called by US, any proof of his guilt.
We hope you will attend at the time
appointed, for we will on that day
Thoroughly investigate and decide"
all proof of his innocence, or any proof
you may present of his guilt. You
say, You can sustain your position in
every instance taken, if necessary
1t is imperatirely necessary. Neces-
sary because we do not wish to retain
him in our pastorate and fellowship if
guilty, as charged. Necessary, because
the guilty ought to be condemned
Necessary, because the innocent ought
not to suffer. Necessary for the pro-
lection of other churches. Necessary,
that the world may know it was not
malice that instigated the charges
But you say, I'VE did not prefer any
charges, but mentioned the same to
vindicate ourselves" B." To mention
charges will not rindicdte you, but
proring them will. You say, you are
unwilling to do so simply in your
church (Trenton) as a church only,
thereby risking your union, peace
and usefulness" We assure you, you
will have no such risk to run in our
church, as we have every reason to be-
lieve you would have had none in the
Trenton church, since our representa-
tives, who were there, report that no
expression or even intimation of such
a fear was uttered by any one the day
you were unanimously invited to at
tend, and the day of his unanimous
acquital. You say, I'VE will not pros
ecute him anywhere except in a coun-
ell of ministers. If church, in
church capacity, makes charges against
minister she ought to be willing to
proUe them before a church, in church
capacity. Further refusal to do so
might be construed by every one as
certain evidence of your having no
proof. We will not, and no Baptist
church would, conccdc to council of
ministers the right to determine the
innocence or guilt Of an offending
member. The church of Jesus Christ
alone, has jurisdiction over its mem
bers, be they ministers or laymen. A
council of ministers to determine the
ecclesiastical standing of a member
may comport with the theory and prac-
tice of Pediosm and Roman Catholi-
cism, but not with the principles and
practices of independent sovereignties.
We give you an opportunity TO pro-
duce your proof, and since you desire
council, of ministers in Bethel Asso-
citation, We invite a council, not to trv
our brother, but that lin the mouth
of two or three witnesses (ministeriaD
every word may be established of his
innocence or guilt. We send copy
of this letter to the pastor and clerk
of your church. Done bv order of the
church in conference. Oct. IL, 1872,
Keysburg, Ky.
j, W B. SMITH.
Church clerk.
P.S. This letter was adopted un-
animously at larger meeting of the
brethren, than there has been at any
conference during the year. Two
are obligated to send notice
to every member Of the church, male
and female, to he be present at the
trial, Friday, 18th ult
WHEREAS. The day of trial tho
Clarksyille Church did not appear
either by letter or representative, to
prove her charges Glider Sears return
ing the letter addrossc said Church
in his care, refusing to present iD
though their clork received the copy
sent to his address, and another having
been presented personally TO several
of their members for peruSal. and
WHEREAS, On day of trial, Elders
o. y. Morrow and S. s. Mallory. two
of the three invited ministers from
different parts of the Association,
whose statement is herewith appended,
hging nrcspnt this Church rC