American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-11-08
REV. DIX. MUNSEY.

! tinguiShed divine, not knowing
whether the reports had any foun-
dation III fact. The secular press is
too much given to catching NJ
every idle rumOr involving the
character of ministers of the Cos
pei, and heartlessIy paradlng item
before Il censoriOus and Liberal
world. This is all wrong, and we'll
knowing the evil consequences OF
such hasty action, we have been
slow to believe What we have seen
published of the supposed immor-
alities OF this eminent clergyman.
CanGor cOmpel> an acknOwledG
ment of the painful truth that
many persons assume the sacred
functions of the pulpit without the
least spiritual qualification, and
who, by reason of the absence OF
such eS< entail fitness, are liable to
fall into error, and bring reproacll
upon the cause of christianity. DIR.
| Munsey WAS not of this class. He
WAS ''bright aud shining light, in
the religious firmament-a man OF
wonderful gifts and graces-a man
whose pulpit ministrations were al
most always accompanied by the
ADMINISTRATIONS of the spirit" We
never believed that this man. who
stood forth a very pillar of strength
i'm the Methodist whose i'll
spired eIOIuence had so often
gIowed upon the spirits of thOus-
ands, exciting to all that was heav-
eniy in pu. pose and God-like i'll
achievement, until his name had be
come linked with the fame and
glory of the church-had fallen
too low for pity, the haggard wretch
ednrss of whose depravity excited
only feelings of shuddering horror.
We never believed this; and while
the press was busy spreading
abroad the story of his fall-when
he was represented as ''reeling,
profane, ragged. friendless, money
less drunkald," and thousands were
too ready to believe the evil report
and aid in its circulation, we felt
confident that the time would come
when the vile SANDER would be 81
fenced by the voice of truth, aud
the despised and injured servant of
God would be fully justified before
the world, and stand forth proudly
eminen. in the beauty and grandeur
of his moral, mental and spiritual
power. That time has now arrived,
and we hasten to produce the testi-
mOny that will forever pnt to rest
a calumny that has wrung anguish
from the bosom of bis family;
bowed his OWL noble soul beneath
a load of iniamy, and which aimed
IA deadly blow at the purity of a
great church, by Il fiendish attempt
TO strike down one Of its brightest
ornaments and nObIcst pillars. The
testimony to which we refer is found
in the LyncIlburs Viryimian of Oct.
23d. aud is as follows:
We have been informed, and our
infOrmatiO Oh comes from Very reli-
able source, that the Rev. DR.. Nun
sey, whose reported unfortunate
mental condition has been alluded
to in orr columns, appeared before
the HOlStOn Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
in session at Marion, Va, last week,
and having satisfied the Conference
of his restoration to health, and
perfect capability for the discharge
of ministerial duties, he WAS res
quested 10 preach in that place Oh
Sunday evening. He complied with
the request, and delive red an able
and liz pressive sermon to a very
large audience. This Intelligence is
very gratifying to us, and we feel
confident it will be gladly received
by the many friends of this able
eiNiile, W fltItNtT HIS name anu ell
inent services in the Christ ian minis
istry are known.
In addition to the above, we have
from the pen of DIR. Munsey an I'M
equivOcaI denial of the charge. 1t
seems that the vile Islander orig
mated with the Salem (Ea.,) Regis
ter, paper of whose character we
know nothing; but as it has been
the prime cause of welI-nigh de-
the usefulness of one of the
most popular and eloquent divines
i'm the Methodist connection, it
should make haste to publish the !
denial, and thus render some little /
atonement for the great injury done /
DIR. Mnnsey, whether that injury /
was the result of malicious design
Or a misrepresentation of the facts i'll
he case.
We have received the Shreve- .
port South Western Telegram OF
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