Mexico weekly ledger., 1881-12-22
Communicated. I
TO ALL WHO LOVE JUSTIcE

county, MISSOURI, and since MANY
contradictory versions of the cause
have been sent broadcast over the
country for which l was IN no manner
responsible, 1t becomes my sad and
painful duty to say by print, what
was denied the right and privilege OF
saying, by those who claim to be the
followers of the meek and humble
Savior. 1t may seem a light thing
to some, thus to have this link broken
in a long life mainly devoted to the
dearest of all human causes-faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ-but to me, it
Is by no mean trihlng.
When at Spencer's creek, in Mont
gomery county, Kentucky, in the
year 1919, l vas immersed bv the
venerable Samuel Rodgers INTO the
one body and took my stand among
those who were struggling for a pure
Gospel, a pure speech, 10y the restora-
ton OF the primitive mode of wor-
ship, it was, indeed, and in truth, a
cross Of no small magnitude. In the
midst of wealthy and long established
church organizations, for one to es-
pouse the cause of those who were
denounced as heretics, Schismatlcs
and Arlons was to invite the severest.
and bitterest denunciations that big
Otry, intolerance and human preju-
dice could command. "Appealing to
Almighty God for the rectitude of my
lntentions,' this step was taken in
the face of SCOTS and frowns, and
from then till now, according to the
best of my poor ability, | have la
bored to promote the Masters cause,
and to "keep the unity of the spirit
in the bond of peace"
In 1852, I came with my family to
Missouri, and landed at Mexico
about the 4th day of July, of that
year. On the fourth Lords day in
that month, myself and wife handed
our letters to the little congregation
then meeting in the old court house.
to which the we'll beloved Jacob
Coons was then preaching. Our
motto was to do good to all men,
especially the household of faith. and
mon resort for all our brethren .
Few strange brethren came to MeXi-
co who did not find Il cordial welcome
with us. Soon q house of worship
had to be built and We did our hum
BILE part. Indeed we paid, and re-
paid. and then paid again to get it
ready for use. In the month of MAJ
lS34. We began to occupy the Kew
housc-thc one now used by Mr.,
l!ord as a stable. 1t was forty by
sixty feet when done. and seemed tC
be a very imposing building for the
country, at all events, it had oul
mite in it and the brethren and
sisters were happy. During that yeal
Bro, IIopson came along and held 8
meeting and added about seventy
members to the church. Again and
again he came each succeeding year,
and taught the grand lessons OF
Jesus TO the people. In 1858, III com,
mon with Capt. Gordon, Col. sin
clair, Judge Doan, /. n Hockaday,
Silas w. Davis, William kirtley-
Judge John p. Clark, NJ. Y. Duncan.
Jno. p. Beatty, | aided in the build
ing Of the Audrain Christian Semina-
ry on the site where Hardin College
now stands, and the frame building
northeast of the college, was the re-
suit Of our efforts. This school, UNI
Ger itiC ttbiiIIp VI III L iitlIlttS t0htltol.
was designed to further the interests
of the Christian church in Mexico bv
affordIng ample means for the educa-
ton and graduation of young ladies.
The untlmely death of Bro. Shelton,
ard the disastrous civil war produced
q failure in this work SO a~uspIcIouSly
begun, and after realizing only a
small per centum of what We had
originally paid, to say nothing OF the
accumulated interest which vas a
total loss, this fair and promising
work passed into other hands and the
result is before you. About ten
years ago the new church was begun.
We also have u ''mite'' upwards of
S4O0, in that. Duling these years
since 1852, we have not only done
what we have already stated, but we
have borne a fair part in supporting
the good preachers, ~defraying eX-
penses of house, keeping coal, lights.
etc. etc, not forgetting to feed the
hungry. When Father Brooks came
to Missouri with his family, | took
them all, ~(strangers to meg servants
included, and fed them for several
weeks free of charge. / have also
raised, clothed, fed and cared for a
family of eight living children, five OF
them girls, and have also watched
over an aged mother, a widowed
sister, and a widowed niece. The
war robbed nc of large sums, besides
property i'll slaves. Yet never took
. the benefit of the bankrupt law, MOI
committed q ~defalcation, nor hid my
property in my wife's name, or else
where to keep from paying my hon
est debts.
My exclusion, OF rather expulsion
from the church, was brought up at
"Wednesday night nrayer meeting, al