The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-07-08
A Defence of the Methodist Church.
BLACK HoRsE. July 1873

BLACK House.. July ., 1881.
MIR. EDITOR: Knowing that you are Interested
in the peace and quetncss of the community,
and friend to good order and fair play, we ask
the privilege, through your columns, of correct
ing some erroneous statements that have recently
been published in newspaper circulating in Ger
tain parts of this county. The article alluded to
was written from f0IStO" and signed j. ". HeHdei-
son.
He states in substance that for fifteen years he
was member OF the Methodist Episcopal Church
and that during that period he was n dcluded
Pharisec, protesting what he did not possess. He
insinuates that the Methodsts are accustomed to
practice deception to entice others within their
fold: and that his friends thus deceived him and
induced him to join the church, persualing him
that he had religion, when he had none. This is
a false aud ungratefnl reflection upon those who
labored for years to promote his welfare. This is
returning evil for good. All who are familiar
with the doctrines and usages of the Methodist
Episcopal Church and have read his piece know
that every charge he has made against it is either
willful misrepresentation OF the result of pro-
found ignorance.
Not content with general Implications he pa
rades, in print, his mother, brothers. sisters, in
manner so unkind and so untrue as to deeply
wound their feelings, He says: MY mother
was thrown out into the world with seven chill
dren." She never was thrown out into the world.
AT the death of her husband and ever since she
and the children that remained with her enioycd
and still enjoy comfortable home and pleasant
farm. The bird that soils its own nest well de-
serves universal censure. He charges his parents
course of delusion and moral blindness, which
can be proven to be false and nearly the whole
tenor Of his published letter indicates that he
does not believe any one could be saved who lived
and died as did his father Yet, in the face of
this he vaguely intimates that his father went to
heaven.
Again ho says: $50 was | wrapped up in that
Pharisee religion that | thought by adhering to
those things. that we would certainly get to
heaven II this means anything, it evidently
means that the religion of his parents, the religion
of his friends and of the church of which they and
far as he has the ability he thus casts stigma
on the memory of his departed father and on
many of his living relatives and also on the whole
This is the kind of charity that comes to him
with his new Pledged religion. If he was in dark
ness before, he is now in Egyptian gloom.
In that part of his past life, in which he styles
himsefa hypocrte and u Pharisee, he says: II
was certain was doing Just what the Lord would
to deny it, C9tdi"fy rests o" SoHd rock. If he was
certain he was doing the Lords will while Meth
odist, it is no more thaa reasonable to say of him
that in departing from that faith he has fallen
into uncertainty. and acknowledged himself
backslider from the truth. Now he delights to
speak evil of what he once was certain the Lord
wanted him to do. Such prevarication shows
that he is not man of sound words. His present
profession Is not reliable An individual that
pretends TO be certain OF Two opposltes like these,
Is really sure of nothing
After declaring that he lived nftsen years in
darkness. he says so things went ON until |
longer, and had to bring ii out" According to
his own showing there was no light in his bushel
to bring out. He might as well try to bring white
paint out of cup of lamp black, or draw sweets
from bottle of vinegar.
But this article is growing too long, and with
one more reference To this mass of contradictions
and ISLANDERS we will dismiss the subject. lie Ia
bors hard to us that now, for the first time
he has received the glorious light of Christianity
In his heart Hear one of his evidences of his
high state of grace 1--WE feel mt times as il we
would commit great sin il we were even so
much as to lift up our eyes to heaven and take
the name of Jesus upon our sinful and polluted
lips" Alas alas A sin for Christian
IA great SIM" to utter the blessed name of Jesus
This is too absurd for remark.
We wish IL to be clearly understood that we are
not writing against any sect or denomination,
Let every man worship in accordance with the
dictates Of his own conscience We are only pro-
testing against the bitter and unoharitable spirit
of this one individual, and defending, MS d good
citizen should, those that have been misrepresen-
ed without hearing. THOMAS HENDERSON.