Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-10-30
Regarding Gen. Hoyt's Infdelity.

The Pittsburg Commercial says:-
We made a cautious allusion, a short
time since, to certain reports design
ed to affect the standing of General
Hoyt, our candidate for Governor,
before the religious portion of the
community. Our attention was first
attracted to the subject by receiving
a postal card, inquiring if We knew
anything concerning his religious be-
lief, the writer stating that it was
reported he was an infdel. Further
inquiry established the fact, not only
that such reports were current, but
that brother of Mr.. Dill, the Dem
ocratic candidate for Governor, was
helping the circulation of such re-
ports. We denied, on our own knowl-
edge, the correctness of this report !;
but learning that Rev. DIR. Nelson,
one of the agents of the Methodist
Episcopal Book Concern, at New
York, knew General Hoyt quite init
mately, we took the liberty of writ
ing him on the subject He was nat
urally surprised at such reports, and
before replying to us, took the pre-
caution to fortify his own knowledge
by writing to friends in Luzerne
county, and now forwards to us re
plies received Our friends viii
please notice that all speak from per-
sonal knowledge. The following are
the letters
NV YORK, Oct. 4, 1878.
J. Tdnnote, Esq, Pittsburg, Pa
DEAR SIR: Your note informing me
that Gen. Henry VI. Hoyt is charged
with being an infdel surprised me
beyond measure. 1 have known him
well from his boyhOod- He prepared
for college at the Wyoming Confer
ence Seminary under my charge, and
having graduated at college, at my
earnest request, the trustees elected
him as one OF our teachers in the
Seminary Both in the institution
and among all its patrons, as well as
throughout the entire community, he
was universally and deservedly held
in high esteem. 1 have always re-
garded him as a firm believer in the
Bible and revealed religion. From
his youth up till the change of my
residence from Wyoming Valley to
this city, six years ago, so intimate
was my acquaintance with General
Ho7t that had he been in the least
degree Inclined to infdelity, 1 could
not have fai,ed to discover it. When
1 read your nope, L said to myself,
1T cannot be that within the past
few years my friend HGyt has fall
en- a prey to skepticism,' ST. firmly
had l regarded him established Ii. the
belief of Christianity. However, to
be absolutely sure that no such change
in General Hoyts religious views had
taken place within the past six years
as to give any occasion, whatever, for
charging him with being an infdel, 1
wrote Rev. DR.. W. H. Olin, presiding
elder of Wyoming district, and resi-
dent of Wilkesbarre, the Generals
home.
Herewith 1 hand you DR.. Olin's
letter, and also one from Rev. DR..
Hodge, of the same city. Permit me
also to say that Mr. McClintock, to
whom DIR. Hodge refers, is known
throughout the State as one of the
first and most highly-respected law
yers of the Luzerne bar l write in
the interest of truth, and not to eulo-
gize General Hoyt, though 1 have
always had high regard for him as
a man of decided ability and sterling
merit. / unite with Rev. Drs. Olin |
and Hodge IN declaring the charge
that General Hoyt is an inidel, to be
wholly without foundation.
Very truly yours.
r. NELSON.
WnKEsBARRE, Pa, Oct l, 1878.
4. Nelson, ID. D.-DEAR DocroR {: |
Your note of the 2Sth ultimo, con-