The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-04-18
communicated
The "Church News" ON "The Death
of DCNfh "a PhOfNSr Srnnll.

[The undersigned addressed lin sub
stance) the following open letter to the edi-
tor OF the Church NeuS, OF Richmond; but
though he had provoked it, he declined to
publish it. Please insert it as q paid article
in the columns OF the Dispatch j
TO the Editor Of the Church Neus:
! The undersigned is not subscriber 10
your paper; but some one sent him yester-
day the April No.
OF the many papers, great and small, that
have reviewed the book, your little 10X1o.
inch monthly alone has descended from
but onc-half- penny worth Of bread" tc
on "intolerable deal Of Sack Your sole
criticism Of The book is that "if men may
repent lbeyond the grave, you mean,} then
repentance is matter that may be put of
indefinitely, and men may consult their con.
vcnicEce." We'll, may not men consult
"thcir convenience about it here? And
il so, why not in the hereafter, which is
only an extension OF the life here? Ii this
| is anything, it is only an argument against
mans free agency.
The rest OF the criticism 1--WE will call il
! SOY is an angry snap at the author person
ailv. One cannot see his own features With
out 4 mirror. Let the author hold one W
for you.
You speak OF his "gUshing good nature
and rank bencvolencc." 1t is an i!!-rewarC
for so nue.: amiabll!ty that your good M
turc does Eot even ripple, but browns, on
the contrary, III a Gua.mre, your Christar
btncvoicnce, and even your human kindncS,
for him; else You would not have said o
him 4 was wise for the author TO de-
nominate himself .oIthodux.' III Uuiver
saism. llurgatory. and the commonplace
picty Uf the wording, are orthodox, so il
he Your MISREPRESENTATION OF tue au'
thOrs views as to UnivcrSalism and purga
tory may be passed over, in spite OF its vii
iul character (.cc Eagc POI cf the book, anC
the pamphlet recently ls>led by the authorli
but surely it is to br regretted that yol
should lave pecpHa into the authors heart
and then told all the world, through YOU
widely .circulatcd paper, Of the unhapp,
quality OF his piciy. There is an old boot
which S%Es Judge net; and your oilcnc'
against this rrCccps and the law OF charity
i not miti9atcd hy the fact that YOU have
guessed rightly this time. lie autho
mourns indeed that his "picty' is Sofavcr,
commonplace characEcr. In truth. il
view OF your judgment OF him, lie is ashamc
to sly that he has yer? lille "ricty" I
brag Of. Nay. while he is conie>slng. h
had a> well say that he would gladly attai
Il less commonplace Kind if he cout
Pertains, as YOU seem to be good Judge c
the article, you can tell him OF some on
who has little TO spare Of the uncommo
variety. Would not that sort he the be:
which. unlike the piriy of thc" Publican.
enables one to sit nicely in Judgment on hi
nciyhbors?
Finally, YOU say 0; the author. II h
should happen to be in error and miSlea
any one. Ill were better that Il millstor
were hanged about his neck and he drowl
ed in The depths or the sea-" NO one bt
one OF very high author:y-not even IN
Popc-coud give poor sinner over to II
devil more jaunti!y than you do; but tn
author las always hoped. and hopes still
even under his sentence from vonr apo
tolc" lips. that his mcrcifuI Lord IN
Master" will pardon his "crrorS esp
cially those made in an honest effort TO vii
dlcatc his glory. Should his hope he dlSal
pointed. lie will yet not fail to pray that 20
may e1capr his sad fate, for ChriSt>S sake
even though you should find hereafter tn
van have been d" in error IN painting oil
.'Fathcr in Heaven" rs Being who n
ministers wiki almighty power an lnhnit
riudicijrc punishment to bis crring al
helpless creatures.
THE AUTHOR OF THE DEATH OF DEATH.
| April s, 1879.