The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1873-08-21
MI. Mahan,a Letter.

eie which contains some points to which We
wish to reply, or submit explanations. We can
do no better than to take them as they occur in
the article.
To begin with, We will say that the "btter
aud uDseemly controversy" was not of our seek
ing, but was literally fbrced upon u.s. without |
povocation on our part Rather than get into |
q newspaper quarrel, We passed them By in ST. |
lence, while they were constantly assailing us IN
the mesnest manner, until even our friends be- |
gan TO think that we feared to strike beck Be-
ing foreed in, We propose to fight it to the bitter
end, and those who do not wish to zee, must
shut their eyes and turn aside. We haven't got
fairly commenced yet.
We repeat what We said before, that we did
not abuse the Methodist Church in general, or OF
Kansas in particular, in exposing some Of the
black sheep who are carrying on their low prsc-
tioes while entrencbed within its pale; and he
must be very touehy upon the subject Of church
pride, who will insist upon it, after We have
taken the trouble to explain what we did mean.
But more on this subject hereafter.
Al to the matter Of the decline If Methodism,
we have this to say Something Of the kind Was
discussed by the Preachers Association Of the
Church in New York, and was widely commeut-
ed upon by the press. Mr.. Mahan admits that
the newspaper reporters, through carelessness,
made it appear that the decline was general.
Now, as We get our information from the news
papers, public topics of the day, it Is not at all
strange that we should be misled By the state
ment, as well as Others. No douht .sir. Mahan's
statement is correct, that the decline, OF rather
the non-increase, was only in New York City.
Still, We cannot be expected to say, 81 was mis-
TAKEN" for We were not-it was the papers that
| originally put forth the report that were mis-
| taken.
The extract which We quoted, did not say that
DR.. Newman lived in New York; and il is imma-
terial to the question, where he does live.
The point was, that he endorsed Pomeroy as
God fearing man. We can say, in reply to Mr..
Mahan that VIC did endorse Pomeroy in preference
| to any candidate who was named against him,
| with any hope of success and We furthermore
say, that we do the thing to-day, in the face
| of all that has since trsuspired. We believe he
| would be of more service to Kansas than all of
them combined, even if he did look out for
Pomeroy's interest. But We did not endorse him
as God-fearing man, for we never believed that
he worried himself mnch ON the subject. When
a man is up for Office, we never inquire into his
God fearing qualities. In fact, there is a vast
deal of hunibug in this God fearing business.
Thomas Jefferson was called an Inidel yet we
would trust him in Office in preference to a
one hundred and sixty acre field full of some pub
lie men we know OF, who bear the reputation
of being God-fearing. In fact, when man pa
rades his God fearing principles an argument
why he should be elected to Office thousand
| hat L. 10 md had hiatt
be left out Now, don't accuse of want of re-
spect for God-fearing men; for if you should, yon
would be mistaken.
In regard to the matter of Methodist Con-
ference being induced to send a preacher to a
particular circuit for the purpose Of doing poll
tical work, We cannot but think that our Rev.
friend is trying to split hairs We intended to
express no such idea as that the Conference or
the Bishop knowingly sent preacher for any
such purpose but that he may have no excuse
| TO misunderstood it, we still say that Confer
ence was induced to send preacher to n certain
circuit, the principal object of desiring him on
that circuit (but concealed from the Confcrence,)
being for political influence If We should borrow
a jug, or some other domestic utensil, from Mr..
Mahan, and put it to an improper use, of which
he had no thought while lending it, he certainly
would not be to blame, although our real object
in borrowing it might have been for that very
improper object Now, if we are not under
stood, we will try again. With this explanation,
we repeat that we tell the truth. If it is not
the truth, at least a political co-worker of that
preacher told it to us, "good thing" and he
was highly tickled over it. If it is shown to us
that this is not so, We will not say that we were
| lu,ia al. hut viii mt mi tl,erO he
preachers political faction, who does not care a
snap for the Methodist Church, but relies strong
ly upon the political service the preacher can
do, has lied to uncouseonably. But whether
the statement of the reason for desiring his re-
turn to the circuit be true or false, We know that
we are not mistaken to his action in certain
matters which would have been considered dis
reputable even in a confirmed political shyster.
A preacher has right to express and act ont his
political opinions, but he is very much out Of
his place, when he comes down to trickery and
skulduggery in the local squabbles between two
divisions of his own party, both advocating the
same political principles.
II is wholly useless for Mr.. Mahan to name
over the list of Methodist preachers Of Dopiphan
County, and ask which one We meant; and it IL
Just as unnecessary for us to answer the ques-
tion. He knows did not mean him, for we
have told him whom we did mean. Every man
in the list who was not meant knows it !; the one
who was meant, knows it; and everybody else
who knows anything about this controversy,
knows who was meant. We therefore refrain
from naming him for, aside from the one mat
ter which We have charged, We have not q word
to say against him, and wish him well.
So, let us have no more eloquent indignation
on account of the Kansas Conference, OF Bishop
Scott. We admit all that is said in their behalf,
and it ia entirely superuous TO say did not mean
them" In fact, said it weeks ago, but some
persons would insist upon misunderstanding it,
If Mr. Mahan should stay here one year, he
would find out what the Methodist Church has tO
do with the "Post Office Clique" aud the "Soi
Miller Clique" He wonld find that wires are
regularly laid to ''run" the Methodist vote, and
that members of the Church engage in it
We know that there are very many members Of
the Church who cannot be bamboozled in any
snch way; bnt there are others who can be
and are fooled by the schemes. Let Mr.. Mahan
inquire Of Methodists sc White Cioud, and they
will tell him that at last Falls's election. lech
erous old william, who leaAs toward that Church.