Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-01-02
He AvOWs His Firm Belief in
SpirituaIism, and Sewers a
Connection Of Thirty
Years Standing.
His Picture of Brotherly Love
Conduct Of Certain Ministers
Toward Him-Final Cor
respOndenee with the
Presiding Elder.

/ YOU gave an ACCOUNT. anu the AlLeTNltN
sought and obtained with me, seem t
have given great Offense in certain quar-
ters. Ii is due to all concerned that
give my friends and the public a state
ment Of the facts involving my chaTac
ter as man of truth and honor, il
connection with the recent action of the
Memphis Conference, and what ha.
been published respecting it. The Pub
dc Ledger had this in its news column
soon after Conference:
''Ihe Clock Struck one has been pro-
nOUnced heretical by the Memphis Con
ference, and Rev. Mr.. Watson, the dis
tinguished author Of the learned work
recants his faith in spiritualism, and
agrees to withdraw the book from salt
and suppress its publication"
There is not 8 member of that Confer
ence who does not know
THAT IS NOT TRUE.
/ supposed, when l saw it, that the
WeSterN Methodist would correct the
statement in its first issue after it ap-
peared. such was the course pursued
by that paper toward me, while DR..
Jones and myself were writing about
the clOck-striking, that my self-respect
would not prompt me TO ask him to dc
it.
1t Is due TO truth, as well as myself,
TO let this community lin which | have
lived more than a quarter Of a century
know what are the facts in connection
with this subject.
have published nothing, since the
publication Of the book, except the re-
ply to DR.. Otey's card last summer
Feeling the delicacy of my situation,
resolved TO publish nothing until had
first submitted it to my Presiding Elder
and the editor of the organ Of the Mem
phis Conference. l wrote the following
communication, and read it TO them last
Friday at the Office of the Western Meth
Odist.
In the examination n character, when
my name was called in the regular order
of business, my Presiding Elder re-
spOnded,
f'NOTHING AGAINST BROTHER WAT
SON.
sHe may wish to make some remarks
in regard 10 q book he has published y
l said, as neaT as l can remember, ]
will gladly embrace the opportunity "a
state thai I was brought up Methodist;
that l had been familiar with the works
Of Mr. Wesley and DR.. Adam Clarke from
my bOyhoOd, and entertained the same
opinion they did, or, that my views
were in accord with theirs as to the re-
turn of the departed to earth, as stated
by them in their writings; that had g
contemplate opinion Of what some peO-
pie thought was modern spiritJalism;
that 1 believed the Church would have
to occupy the standpoint Of that book
to admit the phenomena, but to ignore
any reliability or authority of the teach
ings Of spirits. Rev. John Moss re-
marked, in view of the fact that Dis
| trict Conference had passed some resolu-
tious relative to the book, he thought
a committee should be appointed to con
fer with me in regard to it. DR.. 7. l.
! Boswell, Revs. John Moss and r. A.
Taylor were appointed the committee
We met at DR.. BOswell's room thai
night, and had a full, frank and pleas.
ant conversation IN regard to it. Broth,
er Moss inquired Of me if could moi
explain, retract or modify what haC
published. I replied in the negative
and said if the committee think the
M5Zaphis Conference, or the
METHODIST CHURCH, WISH A VICTIM
1 will most cheerfully be the sacrifice Oh
that altar. ] retired, and the next meet
ing the committee presented the charges
TO the Conference. Rev. r. V. Taylor
one of the committee, differed with the
other two in regard to something,
know not in what particular, but aftel
some discussion they formally presented
their report. A committee of thirteen
was then appointed, with DR.. S. w
Moore as Chairman, and the Secretary
OF the Conference as Secretary. The
committee met that night at Dr. Moore:
room. They and myself had no con.
versatiOn whatever. Rev. w. G. John.
son invited me into another room and
read the paper he had prepared for noe
to sign. I told him there was no Sacri-
fee of truth, principle, or honor, re.
quired in that paper, and that l woulC
sign it. He reported it to the commit
tee, after which | was invited into theil
room. The Chairman asked Brother
Thomas Joyner to lead in prayer, which
he did most feelingly, thanking Goo
for the
AMICABLE ADJUSTMENT
Of the matter 1t was thought, however
that il was necessary to read the charges
and specifications and the document
had signed, and make out the minutes K
be read to the Conference, all Of which
was done and reported to the Conference
next morning, when my character wa:
passed unanimously. There was not al
unkind word uttered by any one, nor s
thought Of an unpleasant character, t
NV knowledge. When it was all over
the Presiding Elder Of the Memphis Dis
trict suggested that this was a family
d - I. 4 4 -
publish anything in regard to it. HaC
this course been adopted there would
have been no necessity for this explana
ton. / must now turn my attention t
THE APPEAL REPORT.
In the main il is correct, yet there are
some things misunderstood. The frs
and most important error is in this ex
tract: "He believed the Conference held
the same views that he did in reference
to the doctri9e of spirits 1t should
have been that he ~ believed tha
Wesley and Clarke held thesame views
viz: That spirits do return and ccmmu
nicate with mortals. ] never supposed
that the Memphis Conference, or tht
individual members held any sucl
views Ii 1 were going TO select the
men who were the most violently op
posed to these views / should certainly
select the Memphis Conference. dC
not know a single member who enter
tains my views Of that subject. Tn,
/ Methodist Episcopal Church South,
[ think, has more hostility toward then
I than any other people. 1t has been th'
saddest trial Of my life 10 do what
knew was in opposition to the views O
/ a body of men with whom l have beeI
associated all my life, and for whom
] have the highest regard, and the warm
I est affection. They will be among tn
last to believe, even as Wesley anC
J Clarke did. Another error occurs in thI
last sentence Of the paragraph heade.
I - Misrepresentation" 1t was wha
some believed modern spiritualisln +
/ be, and not the manner Of comnluni
eating Though l have but little elI
] perience, yet that manner is TO som
minds the most demOnstrative. Som
might suppose by the reading | said ]
would take at least month to go int
the merits Of the case This was saii
by the editor and not by nae. An hOu
OF two was all, as | think that wouli
have bee0 necessary to read the page
marked IN the charges to convince tina
intelligent committee that they wer