Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-03-24
AsHTABULA COUNTY NEWS.
FROM OUR owS CORRESPONDENTS.
soUrH NLW LYwE

the Dr's family. Had he continued on his
way with steady wing" a half7mile farther
east. he would have reached Brownvillle,
where lie could have rounded out still more
eloquent periods by the description of'the
public highway-well worked, still mean
dering bs the purling stream, and orna-
mented by the lofty pine on both sides of
the way. He would have had to speak in
glowing terms of the two large, fine retail
stores, where the gentlemanly dealers, Mr..
Wilson and Mr.. Hyde, chesply dispense
their wares to customers frem this and
neigllboring towns. He could not have
failed to observe the well titled farms, and
inviting residences here, also. And he
would, doubtless, have had occasion to
speak of the generous manner in which
scfne of our citizens use their money to
build up and promote the general prosperi-
ty Of New Lyme.
But your correspondent, turning from
objects where his observation was clear,
and his descriptions lucid, cast his eye to
the field of Polemics, where his vision
seemed to be strangely clouded. He spoke
of a sermon delivered at the F. W. Baptist
church in New Lyme, by Mr.. Brettelle, as
of a high order-the effort of a workman
that need not be ashamed" observer"
seemed to be so careless a listener that he
forgot even the text, stating that the words
were, %Come, let us reason together, :"
whereas the preacher selected these words,
':Proye all things and hold fast that which
is good" Had the speaker obeyed the in
junction of either of these passages, l
should have no occasion to differ with
observer in regard to the merits of the
effort. To my mind, he dealt entirely in
assumptions-neither reasoned or proved
anything.
As his object and design was to contrast
Christianity with infidelity, it was but nat
ural that we should expect, at least brief
statement, both historical and internal, of
the evidences upon which Christianity
rests; and on the other hand an exposure
of the fallacies with which infdelity assails
it. He attempted neither He affirmed
that the truths of Christianity were attest
ed by miracles, and gave quite long cata-
Iogue of the names of Atheistical writers,
stating that his opinions in regard to them,
he thought entitled to our consideration,
because he was familiar with their writ
ings, and at one period Of his life advocat-
ed their principles.
He then proceeded to assert that these
men were utterly devoid Of moral princi-
pie, that they were drunkards and debauch-
ees-no redeeming feature in their charac-
acter; and without any qualification what
ever, he included in this category the
names of Tyndan, Huxley and Robert
Dale Owen. Mr.. Owen, he alleged, had
repudiated his lawful wife, and was now
living in adultery with another woman
Now Mr.. Owen has, for many years, been
known to the public as a Spiritualist, and,
of course, he is not an ATHEIST. And there
is no proof in the writings of Tyndall or
Huxley that they are Atheists, Both these
writers are scientists-reyeren students Of
nature, exploring the cabinet of divinity
for truth, only to benefit humanity. 5i
If Observer" thinks that preacher
who thus ignores argument, and deals in
bare assumptions-yho substitutes fiction
for fact, is "a workman who need not be
ashamed, he must allow me to dissent !
South New Lyme, Mar. Is, '76.daEs w
afe e t.-" lss4d 9Tefs /
In as much as we like to indulge in
in reading items from our neighboring
toEnslso We feel it our duty to let others
know Of us. ia J Il .ai3 80 nzob Is /
Elder Matthew Dodge of indiana is.
holding series of meetings with US each
evening Of this week, this being the place
of his former residence quite an interest is,
felt in his effort. ..iTni.a .a.if5 lidis3
John ]. Dodge and sons have just stbrought
in from Canada car load of 140 Cotswoh
Sheep, they aye beautiful specimens of the
breed. Any one passing Mr.. Dodge's resi-
dence would naturally think he bad en-
barked in some kind Of side-show enter
prise, but upon Investigation we find he
has only canvassed his swine pen in sntici-
patton Of fine brood of Berkshires.
In be half of DR. Rathbone, we would say
that he has got home street home nearly to
perfection, and don't care cent what you
say about him, only wishes it had been a
boy. He consoles himself with the hope
that it wont always turn out so,
We cannot but enjoy the variety Of read
ing we get from our neighboring township
Orwell, and sometimes wonder if she is
confined tono larger territory than Our
own. Only think of that legal gentlemen
Of mammoth cheese propensities, using the
rod of correction upon the persOnel of that
ever efficient protector and adjustor of the
destroying proclivities of fire and light
ming! If the Colonel takes hold Of that
mammoth cheese project with as much de-
termination and zeal as we know he did
that job Of rat-tanaing, We shall have all
confidence in his success. INVISIBLE.