Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-06-03
Among the Saints.


dissentions among those whose avoWed
object is the elevation of the human race
10 a higher standard of perfection; still
less will he expect anything of the kind
from the 'sun-kisSed city But there
are many truths which are too wonder
.ul for fiction.
The following extract from the
Barnesyille Enterprise of last week
tells the whole story:
Il case eliminated in Barnesyilie
Monday evening which calls for the no.
lice of the press. \ lady-Mrs. Kent
Mason Clayton-with apparently good
recommendations came here to lecture.
and. under the auspices of the Temper
ance Band, she spoke at City Hall to
small audience. Before the meeting
there were rumors of a mysterious card
which had come to town. and the lady
lecturer was apprised of the general
pIrp0Tt of its contents. AT
the conclusion of the address cOllec-
ton was taken up, but only a small sum
was realized. Mrs. Mason then took the
door again, and alluding to the card,
said she supposed the small audience
was due to that. She then proceeded TO
read several recommendations, cordially
endorsing her as talented tempe rance
worker. Among them was letter from
Mr.. Rider, Secretary of the Ohio Chris
tian Temperance Union. and also several
letters from prominent preachers OF
Hartford. Connecticut -Eer native city
and other pi.i,-sS Ii these letters are
genuine-and there Is no evidence that
they are not-MrS. Mason is surely 'Te-
cognized' by some temperance organiza-
tions.
After the meeting reporter of the
Enterprise-who also happens to be
President of the Temperance Band-was
able to see a copy of the postal which is
substantially as follows:
"'DEAR FRlEND:-Mrs. Kent Mason is
not recognized by any legitimate tenn
perance organization-was not admitted
to our convention. Until she clears up
her record she should not be recognized
AS a temperance worker. NJ. B. REESE.
"This card was not sent in response to
an inquiry, but was a voluntary act on
the part of Mrs. Reese. Our readers
know her as lady of reliability. Hav-
| ing often spoken here, and having many
| friends among the temperance and re-
! hgious portion of the community, such
a communication from her could have
only effect-and the result was the
turning OF the cold shoulder to Mrs.
Mason on the part of a large portion of
the temperance people.
Here is a muddle indeed; so much of a
muddle that one hardly knows whose
part to take-anybody's everybody's, or
nobody's. The principal characters are,
1st, A well known lady whose integrity
is beyond doubt, whose motives ale
proven beyond question, whose Chris
tian character, in short, is such that it
would seem improper even to mention
her name in this connection; I'd, Anoth-
er Temperance worker" who comes
well recommended, and Cd, 4 high-toned
moral gentiemah-a preache'-On the
war-path, eXasperated by i'll treatment,
whose greatest fault seems to be that
nobody knows who he IS nor where he
comes from.
There are two SIDES to this, rs to InoSt
other questions. Nobody who knows
Mrs. Il. VIII believe for moment that
il writing tie card III question she was
actuated by any other motive than the.
good .; the cause to which she has for
years so untiyingly devoted herself. But
she is, we take il, Il sensible woman, as
well as q sincere one. She is doubtless
aware, us everybody else is, that every
good cause has less to fear from its
avowed enemies than from its camp
followers, bummers and hangerS-on, who
''steal the livery OF heaven" to gain the
reputation and profit to which they
could not think OF aspiring in their true
characters. she knows. TOO, II she knows
anything, thar those who are waging an
organized and legitimate warfare Oh
wrong should be prompt to disavOW the
deeds and words of those who act in the
name of the recognized organizations
without tie authority Of those bodies.
She knows that bushwhackei in the
field OF Reform are nO more to be tOler-I
ated by the party on whose behalf they
wage their irregular warfare than by
the enemy. We do not wish to be under
stood as saving that these new temper
ance workers are of this class. WEI
know only that they went to GAINESVILLE
and other places in this county on their
own motion, without any invitation from
any organization; that they produced an
abundance of letters of recommenda-
ton, certificates of character, &c, from
persons whom nobody knows, and who
probably had about as much opportunity
of knowing as had the people of Barnes
vile; that they fished out the objection
able postal card in private hands, and
said some hard things about the writer;
and finally, that they admitted that there
had been some reports circulated of a !
character to warrant Mrs. r. in the
course she took in writing the card, but
protested, of course, that those reports
were false, malicious and slanderous.
'By our faith she doth protest too much"
Yet, for aught we know, these pious
people may be sincere, and are possibly
much abused. But they will permit us
to suggest that an attack on Mrs. Reese
is not tirst-class way to vindicate their
own unknown characters; that the talk
about making it hot for somebody" is
lfter the fashion of the naughty world"
md isn't bit pious-like, and finally,
hat the best thing they can do or say
lbout it now iS-nothing.
Considering the facts in the case, we
ire unable to see wherein Mrs. R. has
;ailed to act with "charity for all and
malice toward none" Her sole motive
We should Judge to be charity for the
people of Barnesville and other local
ties.