Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-11-30

on the part of the accused, and
after a full investigation unon-
him from, lat, The charge of stirring
up strife betioeen Spring Creek and
Cyarksriile Churches" The testimony
of all the male members, but one, of
Spring Greek Church, present when
DIR. Herring excluded from the Clarks-
vile Church) was received, declaring
that Elder NJ. was present, having
been invited with several ministers, as
a council Of advice. Only one other
being present, Elder NJ declined act
ing, whereupon resolution of thanks
was passed for his attendance. DIR. III.
was then received" They further tes-
tity: During the conference, norsince,
has Bro. Massey ever said anything TO
any of us that would, in the least, be
calculated to stir up strife between our
Church and the Clarksville Church. :"
Signed, Hervey Whitfield, G. A.
Barns, +. III. Barns. b. I. Pollard, j.
w. Pollard, JAS. w. Battle, James
Carver, Jos. Hatcher, clerk; Richard
Grinstead. laa
End. The charge of carrying he
matter into hc Church at Neio Prori-
dcnce, causing dissensions there, inte,ter-
ing NTH the soork of the pastor" Ex-
onerated by affidavits of III. w. Watts,
Esq, Olive Watts, and DR.. b. N. Her.
ring, who hold letters of dismission
from that Church in full fellowship
and good standing, affectionately COM
mended, and signed A. ID. Sears, Mod.
All of whom (he talked with no other
member of that church) make oath
that Elder NJ. caused no disscn-
sion in said church, but it was
solely caused by Elder Sears aceep-
ting its pastorate, to which he had
been elected by nineteen votes, part
of whom not being members of the
church; thirteen members voting
against him: which acceptance caused
sixteen members to leave in body
only to prevent which Elder M. the
night before, visited New Providence,
using every argument to reconcile the
dissatisfaction" 3. The charges of
+" misrepresentation an a newspaper pub
location of a prirdte correspondence be-
t,oeen Eds. Massey and Sears" The
charge acknowledges the correspond
dence to be "priUnte." !" Being pri-
rate" how came it "pnblic?" The
answerjis significant The man who
acted as mail carrier, after Elder Mas
sey leaves, comes cut in a card, as he
says, to vindicate himself Why ap-
pear in card before the public about
matter of which the public kneo
nothing? The correspondence tcas
priratc. None but Elder Sears and
DR.. Herring-the alienated parties
Elder M-their accepted mediator
and the man who carried the letters,
knew the contents of the correspond
once. If others knew it neither DIR.
II. or Elder M. are responsible, Be-
sides, the card bears on its face evil
dence Of the Justification Of Elder
Sears, rather than vindication of the
mail carrier. 1t says, "Mr. Massey
layed down the basis of settlement,
which Mr.. Sears promptly as far as he
was personally concerned accepted,
which was in my opinion as promptly
rejected or evaded by the other par
ties" This looks very like justifying
Elder Sears, instead of yindicating
himself, and may perhaps solve the
reason why the card appeared. This
card charged our brother with reject
ing his own proposition, and violating
good faith with Elder Sears and he
was therefore forced to publish the
correspondence that the people might
see if it were true. If our brother in
this private correspondence "naisrep-
resented " anything, then was the time
for Elder Sears to have corrected it,
in his replies, and not to have suffered
him to be publicly charged by his
(Sears) church with "misrepresenta-
ton" If he didcorrect Il, then there
could have been no charge for misrep-
resentation, since Elder NJ. published
the letters of both and the public
would, in that case, have seen the cor
rection. If he did not correct, then he
and not our brother is reponsible, and
his remarkable silence in not correct
ing will be considered an acknowledge
ment on his part there was no misreprc-
scntation. |. One charge of misrepre-
sentationis, DR.. H. ,ods excluded on ac-
count of q personal difficulty betlDeen
himself and Elder Sears" The cor
resrondence states this difficulty
fwaHy entered the church and after
ward resulted in his exclusion and that
ofothers." Elder NJ. had every reason
to believe this was true. VIM. Klee-
mans certificate stated it. DR.. HIS.
published :" history of the Clarksville
difficulty, no part of which has been,
as yet, specified aud propen to be untrue,
states it. Elder Sears, as reported, the
night of DIR. H's. expulsion declaring
it to be I" a personal matter and that
" he would leave the church if he were
not expelled" The certificate of Silas
Yarbrough, Deacon of Big Rock
that he heard Elder l.. s.
Crutcher say he knew DR.. Herring
was excluded on account of a personal
between him and Elder
Sears" The same statement was made
to Elder NJ. by Elder &. 2. Again he
is charged with incorporating Others
He had every reason to be-
lieve they were, as appears from Ger
tificates of DIR. H's, daughter and two |
neices, stating that after Dr. III. was
expelled they asked for letters and /
were refused aud afterward expelled"
Also in conversation held with j. i. |
Yates, deacon, he talked about the ex-
pulsion of DR. HIS. daughter not de- |
nying she had been expelled. 3. Heis
charged with misrepresenting a most
pcRitcm letter sent 10 The church and
pastor bg Dr. II, and rejected" The
correspondence does not represent a
letter sent or rejected, but only "ad-
dressed to the church and pastor" and |
was quoted from only to show DR. |
Ii's. willingness to settle" But thore
IS indubitablc evidence that said letter
was ,oas sent and rejected, II. =. Doris,
Of Clarksvillc, testiiying, offered
Ito j l.. Yaies. w c. Rnrkslale. and |