The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-02-18
For the Central Presbyterian.
Letter from DR.. Woodrow.

Letter from DR.. Woodrow
MesSrS Editors,-In the Central Pres
6yter5G'o for January l4th, there are two
communications on the first page which l
suppose it is proper for me to notice
To the first of these, I refer with sin
cere pleasure You have a correspon-
dent, Mare ! do not know who he is
who has been writing on the powers of
the General Assembly, and whose articles
/ have been reading with care, that
migh hit gain all the light possible on the
intricate question under discussion. In
his communication published January
9TH, there is a reference to me and to my
remarks on the. subject in the last Gen
eral Assembly, which showed an entire
misrepresentation of my views OF course
| did not like to be inaccurately repre-
sented; but | did not care very much
about 1T; for | knew that any one who
wished to become acquainted with the
facts could easily do so; and to any APP
pearance Of ridicule Of myself or my posi-
ton, was Indifferent. But / was not
indifferent when the next week I saw
Marc :" Apology, in which he ex-
presses his "deep modification and sin
cere regret for what he had done The
apology was accepted by me as most
ample, and as proving Mare" to be a
Christian gentleman of high order To
withdraw Misrepresentation, to correct
any mistake affecting another, you may
say is. plain duty; but you know per
fectly we'll that it is duty which many
regarding themselves as Christians and as
gentlemen do not always perform and
I ,,l, Il /
Mares" Apology, so complete in every
respect, as proving him to have a special
claim to both the terms Christian and
gentleman
1t does not give me the same pleasure
to refer to the other communication, viz,
the Rev. DR.. McIlwaine's circular, com
planning Of my injustice to him in refus-
ing to publish an article which he terms
reply to Pastors" last article as to
the desirableness of multiplying Ladies
Societies to do Church work. The South
cln Presbyterian first published short
article by pastor, in which he express
ed his alarm in view of the efforts made
to multiply Ladies Societies; then it
published reply by Dr. McIlwaine,
rejoinder by Pastor, another reply by
DR.. McIIwaine, and another rejoinder by
PASTOR" so that both sides were fully
heard. DR.. McIlwaine next sent the
article which was declined He rightly
states that this reply Dr. Woodrow,
editor of the paper, declined to publish,
and failed to assign any reasons for its
rejection AS there seems to be an un-
consciousness Of the existence Of the laws
of journalistic courtesy, as shown by nam
ing the editor of journal instead Of
using the name of the journal itself, and
In giving the supposed name of Pastor, "
instead OF employing the name chosen by
that writer, | will say nothing of that
point; but will accommodate myself to
the notions OF your correspondent by
speaking IN the first person.) AS to Civ
ing reasons for declining to publish, /
think you, Messrs Editors, have probably
already discovered that it is usually best
not to do so at least l made that dis
covery before had been long in the
editorial harness. ! did, however, so far
atlude to reasons as to say to DR.. Nell
waine that they would no doubt occur"
to him But was wrong obvious as
they ought to be to any one who thinks
what a religious journal is, they did not
occur to DR.. McIlwaine The correspon-
dence on my part ceased there but
don't mind telling you what my reasons
were.
Every reader Of the Southeyq, Pre8Jzl-
terrain knows, that, while the utmost lat
ltude Of discussion of living questions is
allowed IN its columns, and the utmost
fairness exercised towards both sides. vet
very great care is taken to exclude per
sonal attacks, aspersions Of the personal
character Of the disputants, and every
thing that is inconsistent with Christian
propriety. It is, indeed, sometimes ne
cessary TO show that the acts of even
some ministers, as well as Of other per.
sons, are wicked, and their motives ma
hgnant; but religious journal is not the