The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-05-03
THE IHTERMRDiATE STATE
RaFlheF Diseased ~ Methodist Clergy.
men-AO Reporters Admitted,


RaHhsF Diseased ~ Methodist Clergy.
men-NO Reporters Admitted,
The intermediate state" came up as
unfinished business at the Preacher
meeting yesterday forenoon. Inasmuch
as considerable interest had been aroused
among the reading public on the subject
q reporter was sent from this office to jot
down the various remarks Of the clerical
brethren. The clerical brethren, however,
seemed Rvsrss to letting their light shine
before the world. They preferred to be
in secret session, as it were, with closed
doors. Perhaps, like the Senate Commit
tee, they wanted to straighten out things
q little, and take their individual bearings
on the subject before being put on the
record.
Be this as it may, our reporter in pur.
suauCe Of his duties, wendell his way to
Fourth street ct 10 o'clock yesterday fore
noon to get something OF Interest for an
unholy world. On reaching the vestibule
OF the church he attempted to walk in
boldly, but was stopped on the threshold
/
what he wanted2 Remembering q sign
he had seen somewhere-"Ii you don't
see what you want ask for ir-the re-.
porter explained that he wanted to come
In, .g.....r ..-I I'D.
'HThis meeting's entirely private, said
the brother, "but I'll ask Mr.. Masden II
you can be admitted"
Mr.. Masden was consulted, but affirmed
the judgmentiot the lower court,
The reporter then asked to see Mr., Mas
den personally, and that gentleman kind.
ly came to the door. The scribe was
urbane-even eloquent, in his plea for en-,
lightment on q subject In which he was 90
much interested, aud Craved the permits
sion Of setting behind the stove on q camp
stool in order to drink In the proceedings,
Mr., Mssden smiled inCredulously at the
expressed hope OF the reporter TO get 10,
but said he would bring 1t before the
brethren and II they said o. k, the gates
would swing star, ........ a..
The reporter knocked his heels together
In the hall while the matter was being dis
cussed inside, aud II Ia no fault OF his that
he overheard much Of the talk. He had
no cotton handy TO put in his ears, and
from memory he jots down the feeling 10
relation TO the matter as expressed BY
several.
Mr., Masden: "a reporter Is outside
and wants to write up the proceeding
here for the lETRLLIGEXCRR. Shall he BIZ
permitted to do go2'
A brother: ~ object TO any worldly
minded newspaper man coming to repor
this meeting. The subject Is too grave {
one 10 be hacked to pieces by q reporter
Another Brotheri III an absolutely
correct account could be written Of this
meeting, would SEQ no objections to Il
being done. But 10 this possible" 1.-THE
reporter didn't like this insinuation against
his ability at ALL IT,,
Still another: " agree with Brother
- that the reporter should not be ad
mitted. The church might receive much
harm from the publication OF which 70
porter might write, and think the meet
ing ought TO be kept strictly private" Al
this point clerk In q queensware store In
town entered the front door OF the church
and pushed into the meeting, and ht
wasn't "ired out" either. ,o
Now how much better Ia q handler O.
wash.bowls, pitchers and individual but
ter dishes than reporter Some debat
ing society can wrestle with this.
Shortly after, the brethren came 10 /
vote and there seemed to be three hun
dred noes to half an aye In favor OF hi
AdmittanCe, and oil course the reporter WA
informed that 1t would be advisable To-
him 10 90 somewhere and look up dol
fight.
Determined to CLEAN some information
however, he waited until the meeting wal
over, when he approached some OF the do
batsrs and learned the following:
First-That one didn't feel privileged
to dlvulge anything, but that Brother Dl,
, might"
Second Dix could give thu
reporter few points, but that 1t was din
ner time"-and here he started of to chase
street cor.
Third-Mr. Masden said that the public
had an entirely erroneous impression OIL
the cause OF the discussion. He declared
that "the subject OF an intermediate state
had been fixed upon several weeks since
and that Brother Ryan had preached on
the topic aiterward, expressing bis own
individual views. OF course some OF US
don't agree with him, but whether he had
preached that sermon or not the matter
, would have been discussed. You see II Ia
only like regular debating society, We
! meet there for our own deleCtaLlon and
mutual improvement"
"Then Bro. Ryan won't be hung up by
the thumbs, blaCk.balled or suspended
aye2 queried the reporter.
"Certainly not. He has his views. |
have mine and the rest perhaps different
ones."
Reporter: "You wouldn't mind stating
yourB2"
Rev. Masden: "well not to-day; some
other day. Good day."
Reporter: EAU revoir."
After all It seems that the only way ID
get any theological news in this city Is TO
60 10 church and hear sermon. Religion
Is not SO extraordinarily free as some peo'
pie might imagine.