The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-07-28
Rev. DR.. Adger's Explanation.
Il. e. presbyterian.
PENDLEToN, S. e., July Is, l

:. u, July 10, looo.
Rev. DR.. Grier:
DEAR BRorHER-Mr. - informed me
last evening Of the report current at Due
West that / spoke disparayinsly or the Asso-
ciate Reformed Church ut Davidson College,
y. C., on a recent OCCASION, charging them
with Observation-Disclosures and bigotry.
AT the Commencement met a large party
one day at Prof. Blake's dinner table. and 70
my immediate n%eighbor l made q remark
which has occasioned this report. but l think,
hen l tell you exactly what | said, you will
see / feel that m Associate Reformed breth-
rem have no reason whatever to object to 1t.
The remark was. that one Who comes to us
from the Baptist church generally makes a
better Presbyterian than one who comes from
the Associate Reformed. The reason I based
1t on was this The Associate Reformed is
narrower and Stricter In It's views than our
church. If one leaves your church for ours 1t
Is apt to be because he prefers more slack ness
TO SO much strictncss. and coming 10 us TO Sc
cure more liberty, ne Is very much In danger
loose views and opinions. Accordingly. he Is
likely to be q slack twisted Presbyterian,
which, l think, is a poor kind Of a Presbyte-
rian. On the contrary, when one comes to us
nom the Baptis,s who have no church creed,
and you and ! will agree no rigid church gov
eminent, II is apt TO be because he is disgust
ed with too little strictness OF doctrine and
discipline. He wants more Of that thing, and
he generally makes a good hard shell, high
church Presbyterian. Now. my dear brother,
tell me II ! said anything that liz bad OF my
Associate Reformed friends, or If really have
disparaeed them in com parison with our Zap
tist brethren? You heard what / preached
at Due West about Latitudlnarlanism and
Bigotry. Do you judge that 1 lack respect for
a man or q church that earnestly maintains
whatever he or 1t believes to be true?
Ask DR.. Martin. who accompanied me, II I
did not find 1t difficult to give expression to
the admiration which was excited In my
mind by what Isaw and heard that afternoon.
I saw your people crowd into n church Of a
hot summer afternoon and listen intently
without one indication OF sleepincss TO a dry
and l heard such singing OF your
Psalms as I do not believe can be eQualled In
any OF our congregations or those OF any 9TH
er church that / know OF. l respected your
people before; l learned that evening to be
1lled with admiration OF them. / am we'll
known In my church to have long been anx-
ious to see your body and ours become one l
Why? For several reasons. among them, be-
cause / think you would stitfen our backbone
considerably. Your conscientious earncstness
for what you believe, ] don't nickname bigo-
try but 1 would to God the Presbyterlan
church had a great deal more of bigotry, If
that Is the article.
And now let me sny In all candor, that In
one particular l fear that my good brethren vt
Due West, as well the brethren at some OF
our Presbyterian centres of influence, nrc
sowing some sccd, the harvesting OF which
will yet be with sorrow. 1 do not believe In
training young ladies for public speaking, or
reading, or for public life in any shape or
form. l would that that could all DO sent
back to the latitude from whence 1t came to
If you see proper you may publish this let
r. JNO. Z. ADGER.