The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-07-15
A GREAT LIGHT DIMMED.
Rev. John w. Hannah Sus-
pended for immortality.

IT.
boro District, was tried at Murfreesboro
last Friday and Saturday, by an kccle-
siastical Court, presided over by Bishop
Mel verie, and composed of Revs. ). ID.
Barbee, MurfreesbOrO; W. II. hughes,
Lebanon; L. G. Bryant, Mill Creek CIR
cult; r. II. Rivers, Pulaski; Rev J. X
Plummer, Secretary. The Ottense al
legged was the inditing of al anOny-
nous letter 70 Miss Paralee Natlor, OF
FOsteryille, q member of one of his con-
gregatiOns. a true copy could not De
procured, but witnesses before the Com
mission afterwards stated the letter TO
be about as follows -
ssDEAR ONE:-Having been disap-
pointed so often, L thought 1 would
avoid the cause of my trouble, but see
ing your agitation and excitement the
morning you came to the buggy for the
overskirt, l changed my opinion. If
you desire to be with me, or to make an
appointment, / Will be there. There
will De no failure on my part. l viii
be ut Fosterville on the 9TH, Shelbyville
on the 10th, and return back on the 18th
of July. The appointment for the last
date viii be best"
The letter also asked whether she
would play "pOmegranate" or croquet,
either or neither. and referred TO either
solomon. IL was signed "Sad and
True"
The investigation was conducted with
closed doors, but the following Facts are
made public:
The letter was enclosed in MethO-
dist Publishing House envelope, and
Henry NailOr, brother of the young Ia
dy, took it from the p0st-Office, and
thinking it was a business letter of some
kind, he broke the seal and was enIaged
and astOunded at the contents. He
took it straight 10 his sister, who disa-
vowed any knowledge Of il, and dis
owned having given any cause for its
writing, but recognized DIR. Hammers
handwriting. He took it TO several
other persons, and all agreed that it was
written by DR.. Hammer. Under the adj
vice of Rev. Sumner McFerTin, the
brothers agreed not to take the matter
in hand, but submit it TO the church
dignitaries, and the result was the trial
as above stated.
Four or five witnesses were examined,
Miss Nailor and her brothers stat
ing the above facts. DR.. Hammer spoke
in his own defense. He admitted hav-
ing written the letter, and he com pletely
upheld Miss Nailor in her statements of
having never given any iuducement to
ter is unimpeaehed. On June both she
received another anonymous epistle eX-
pressing sorrow and regret for the first
one and asking forgiveness. This Mr..
NailOr also opened. On July Sd Mr..
NailOr received letter from the same
source, the purpOrt of which was to clear
up that of the 18th OF June. He de-
strOyed this one, and the other two
were before the Commission. 1t is not
known what defense DR.. Hammer put up,
and we confess we do not see what ex-
cuse he could render, except it be insan-
ity, and that would i'll befit him. The
Commission sat all day Friday, and un-
till IL o'clock that night, and from
to 1872 Saturday morning before they
came to any conclusion, rehearsing the
evidence, commenting upon the past
life of the accused, eXtOlling his virtues,
deploring his faults, and sitting the en-
tire matter before them until not a
doubt was left of his guilt, and unani-
mOusly pronounced him so. The Bishop
thereupOn pronounced his suspension
from ministerial duty until the next
meeting of the Tennessee Conference,
at Fayetteville on the 9Th of October
next, and the whole proceedings of the
preliminary investigation were sealed
and directed TO that body. Bishop Nc
y
copy the verdict, which was as follows
''The committee called in the case of J. ".
Hammer, ST., have investigated the same with
painful and conscientious diligence, and with
pTayertul reference 20 their responsibilities
TO God and his Church. They have not been
uumindtul Of the eccentricities that have
marked the accused for some years. but
which have not been deemed of sufficient
gravity and significance TO call for formal
discipline His peculiaritIes have been con-
sidered in explanation and mitigation aud
not without weight in estimating some
things said and done by him. The frank
ness and honesty of con tessiOns and eXplaua-
tions before the G, mmissiou, duly Impressed
their minds and hearts. Important evidence
was given by the accused against himself
while lac protested his innocence Of certain
Intentions, and would have certain things
explained quizzin and euigmatieal only.
But the Commission could not escape the
conclusion from the evidence before them
that John W. Hammer, ST., is not only guilty
of " hat is improper and repreEensible in the
highest degree in Christian man and min
lister, but that his conduct IN the affair de-
serves the formal verdict:
That he Is guilty at iBsHs0rdlity-in writing
A letter TO "A young lady, dated June %, ap
parently designed 20 corrupt her and TO SC
duce her from the path of virtue, and couched
in terms intimating u readiness to be the in
strument OF her ruin
Dr. Hammer declined to make any
statement, unless the reports published
should do him gross injustice, but some
of his friends claim that he did not in
the least compromise his christian in
tegrity in writing the letter and that it
will all be explained at Conference.
Gen. d. II. G. Spence made the follow
ing remarks to Banner reporter:
Il have known DR.. Hammer Familiarity: I
understand his ,idiosyncracies of character
MI 1naiHaA Ia nVrfRfSgr,a Of ,,
solute innocence in the whole matter. DR..
Hammers explanations of all the phrases and
features of the celebrated letter are fully con-
viuciug to my mind that Illicit harm was
ever meant. They are so convincing that I
have never for a moment failed to extend
my welcome 20 Dr.. Hammer for all time as q
member of my household.
It is true that advice has been offciously
rendered, by men Of religious position. TO
drive him from my hospitality and home. but
il is equally true that do not only discard
such advice, but announce publicly 20 all
such advisers, and to the public generally,
that / prefer as guests IN my home, and
friends upon the street, any and all men
guilty of folly, or even repentant weakness,
TO any cantinE Pharisees who demand perse-
cution. | viii keep mantully in my home all
whom / choose as friends, and discard all
whose uncharitAbleuess and hunger for scan
DIAL seek to sink TO clerical destruction men
whose lives have been devoted TO all useful
ness, hut no, in moments of ill-advised and
improper emotions, exhibit 70 a morbid and
iRultfnding public written expressions of
such peculiar sentiments as ordinary men
are not subject to or possibly capable Of.
If DR.. Hammer il as fully acquitted of all
guilt or blame by the public as he is by me
and his host OF friends in Murfreesboro, he
could afford tOleaye the pulpit a successful
and happy man.
General Spence further asserts that he Is
neither his God, his Judge. his prosecutor, nor
his prosecutor, and desires friendship from
no man who sought to pursue DR.. Hammers
degradation, OF deprivation from his high
place in the pulpit Of his church.
This news will strike heavily upon
many OF our readers who have learned
TO love, honor and revere this old, gray
headed laborer in the vineyard Of his
God. For about fifty years he has had
his character upheld by an annual vote
OF Conference, and Tor upwards of sixty
years lac has never given cause to any TO
cast suspicion upon him. He has la
bored faithfully, vigorously, and with a
power that few can WELD. He has given
JOY 10 many a heart, softeued grief in
many a household, administered balm
TO many a heart-wound. His sin lies
heavily upon him. We do most sim
Cerely hope that it may vet appear thar
DR.. Hammer was innocent of any crimi-