, 1874-01-10
THE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY,

a Cofroct Account OF It's DlIrtct.1tjcs
with tho Trustees 0f the First Moth.
odist Church.
cersAln wildy exaggerated stories, purnort,n1 tn
glvo an impartial account Of quarrel between lin
fhhosophtcal socoty a!l the Tr,bteea of tic First
atethodiHt Church, having bcon published, with tho
asusl sensational condiments, = reporter OF TuE
Tribune wns aasignci to tho duty Of Obtaining tho
1acts An interview Will tho Rev. DR.. Thonay pastur
Of tho First Methodist Church, ani one OF thn mnxt
actiye members Of tue Philosophical sociey, gnvc him
| foosa " '9 f"'''' 47
naa,,, Tns rhi'9.ephes M Society was organized .om
ne!, including Hebrews, Dectors Of Divinity. jnadois
anu otera orthodox anil heterodox for tlio PURPOSE
q arriving AZ near truth It H. iii Tic power Of nor
IT. 70 40. y was not organized for tho purpose Of
debating club. brt with higher aina. In s,,ch
H. sity have been n danger Of becoming excessive,
@s1o noSias ESss pS DliS Sgs TO-
ke result 70 fsr hns sos Rs
Ths Trustees of tho First Methodist Church n.,.
aly catching tho Wholesome arrit Of nbcrality con-
mutual improvements contemplated, tho Society my
ing VI actull oxpenacs. There no formal contract
p!taty Of Tho Church should not 10 used rs flcrum
ior 1a overthrow. Aud this haR becn gracefully OBJ
snd conot stoffe of until a9 event
courteous has been represented IA bitter aectaran
anu DIEOtGu,
The untowafd circumstances waa q Wild. unbalanced
not to say sily discourse perpotratc by nn exploded
lllman phonomenon, Gerald Massey Ignorant Of Iia
msws hs m sS,siety ,s permitted him 10 lecture tho
tho seoy Messws q oh1sans as ss nd
nno'!n1eet whio tho peculiar Ism ct III. Massey-
spiritswas auded. Not to discuss the mary istnB
o. !4o VIZ may bo hinscd that in aonc nda, that
o. mr. aaascy ia associated With great oral unclca-
neAa an while this nny 10 error, not cor
Fcetsd s,sa H " tho remarks Of the lecturer.
Tho Society WIS greatly humiatcd at being forced
to silent countenance Of this extraordinary address,
Int The Trustees regarding 1t III tho truo light rai ~
astSn jo t. a Thss %snt nsa. On 70;
inastery discourse csiticslng tie Dbe was delivered
aes o the two Gd VII t haS nnocc o
persoal reteruncos and treated lucidy ono so Of m
two together locked like broacl Of filth on ta uart
Of tho pailosonhical Society: It seemed though
sue.e ss. ~ sttaea e, md been male upon tic church Mill
mere phenonlenon, pointing to a points Of lilo re-
lgsons compass; the two gayo direction toward
atheism. ~
The Trustees thoreforelmes and, rather indjscreev.
Waxsa wartn. forKetting their dignity, and tho
purely ocial relation they held toward tic Society,
they allowed little euoninaiunal bitterness to creep
the!r noto and addressing The searchcrs for truth
- tho so-cailcd Philosophical sooioty,D roninded
ether Quarters They nced, they said, merely In The
eapacit5 Of Directors Of corporation md must do
uuty 4Ao setters Win tue ptere oIurt at Hcorn
lurking In " tho aocaed read to The Hociey, aud
Prof. Haven, the Rev. DR.. Thomas and Dr., Abbott
were appointed committee to reply. The two hrst-
named gentlemen, conscious that tho Trustees had |
good grountla for complaint, anl regreinR haeacya
1ntemnrato DISCOURSE wore for writing MI explanatory
note, apologizng for it, stating their nbhorreuce Of hts
but leaving tic lecture Of Judge Booth to
sneak for itsef ~ being an ahlc and valuable o1poB
hon Or tho v1os Of mum Of high standing ind reco-
ntzed intellectual and moral emincnce Dr. Abbott |
would not agree to this. lilo wisea TO take nm inde-
pendent course, and MISUNDERSTANDING the delicate
Bit'lation OF DR.. Thomas, Insisted on detaucc NNo
~as his motto.
Ino matter was subsequently, compromised by let
;retion iii tho future. Tie Trustees Themselves aro
ioubeaa ns much ashamed Of their haeto to hpltttle
he Society. as the latter body Is OF Gerald Magseys
ltsconrse Personally. they have no objection at It'll
,!t tntnk It their duty to protest. On tho oher hand
ney 20 hos losco hcpafation, nor doca tic Society
3eek 1t. We have" :'ys DR.. Thomas "tlree courses
}efore ns-either /, aepnrato ourselves from tho
hurehcs nnd bo at war with them to return to them,
ayng, We don't want any more truth, You have ali
here IL, or to taEc wise middle course aud bring
10 TWO element" oce more into Harmonious co-oner
ton. "hich do you think would bo tho ,noat aui}ro-
arnest, liberal men Z" 'Ss' -
Tile affair Kept quiet Ut first to sayo scaplal. and
he Maggsng OF Irresponsible tongues Now that II ia
noac, Boc1ety cnn do BETTER than to accent t],e
!ear candid statement of representative member Of
nc society, who. while he breaches what lie believes to
truth, makes use Of bis tius aud abilities to search
or It more certainly. This evening the reply Of tho
rltatceB will DO received, aud tho action Of the SocIefy
Ill depend upon the tenor Of this communication. If
10 trustees 1avo allowed themselves to b. influenced
BILLY Sensational stor1eH, thoy will certainly stty
aemco!seH as guardians Of sacred trust and deserve
10 rtdcule they will surely meet with.