The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1880-10-15
The Virginia Synod and Rev. J. 3.
Haskell. ~
Editors Hndicato1C::

Magma est Ucritds ct prevate6tt!
To all whom it may concern, in the
name Of the Lord Jesus Christ,
greeting: AHI
Inasmuch as the Evangelical Luth-
eran Synod Of Virginia, in regular
session, has seen cit 10 issue against
me, and publishs sentence Of deposi.
tlon, it hchooves me, for the sake Of
, my work and my reputation as min
lister of Jesus Christ, to give. to tue
church at large my statement and de-
{: fence against the cruelty and gross
injustice involved in this illegal at
tempt to ruin my flock and myself.
In0the firstplace,,I deny thatthe Vir.
ginia Synod has had any authority or
jurisdiction over me since tho connec-
tion formerly existing between the
Central Evangelical Lutheran Church,
Of Staunton, Va, with its pastor and
the Evangelical Lutheran Synod Of
Virginia was legally and regularly
dissolved on the 9th and 7lh of June,
1880.
Conscious of the justice Of my
cause and the irresistible power Of
the truth, am ready, by the grace Of
my Master, to defend my flock md
myself from the attacks made upon
lis.
With full appreciation Of the con-
sequences (Which are not Of my MAX
ing) and clear view Of my RESPONSE
bility before God, solcr My charge
the Virginia Synod with un-Luthcran-
ism, with q violation Of its own Con.
stitution and of the teachings Of Holy
Scripture and of justice under the
common law.
[ am of the opinion that have
been hardly dealt with in order to
shield one who has been proved guilty
Of violation OF The Constitution and
Liturgy Of the church Of usurpatiun
of ministerial authority and of con
duct unbccoming n clergyman or q
Christian.
(Sce ga Review Of the Testimony
and decisions in the cases of Reys.
j. b. Haskell and j. |. Miller at the
special called session Of the 1Iv. Luth.
Synod Of Va Address the editor,
Wm. u. Cooke, Esq, Staunton, Va.)
No dispassionate man can read the
"Review" referred TO. without being
impressed with the conviction that
the Synod, whether consciously OF
not, were In fact, biased by partia'ity
for him who has been the cause of all
my troubles, and by blind prejudice
against myself, who was one of The
youngest Of their body and that my
congregation ard not having tumely
submitted to the wrong done us, but
having withdrawn from their Synodi-
cal association, they have, at their
recent session, undertaken, rs far rs
they can, to crush me and, as l am
Informed, to relieve the Rev. Miller
from even the mild ccnsure pronunced
by them in Aprili last, for the wrongs
done by him to me and my flock.
- This "brother beloved" for whom
they made sail allowances for TEN.
permanent and disposition" (see decis-
ions in Review has long been one Of
their number. l was, excepr to my
flock and this community, yet ga
stranger in strange land," and per-
haps they thought:
"lIc's poor, and that's suspicious-hc's
unknown,
And that's defcnccless; true, we have
no proof
or gullt-but what hath he of jnuocrncr ~
~ IN the spirit Of my Master, would
Aavo bowed TO any Just requirement
8 of Synod while under the authority.
l would have met them as "brotbren
beloved sat at their feet and listen
Ell to their counsel, their instruction
and their reproof. Z"
= . For peace and duLy's sake, would
have yielded myself willing sacrifice
in all that touched not truth and
principle, my flock or the precious
jewel Of my ministerial reputation ::
II n hn % a.