Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-18

| ion, and think that synod will 30 decide,
| that i; is essentially judicial case. Hap
PLY, Brother Daniel cannot decide that
| question for the synod. You will find the
| committee did examine "eridence both parol
| and documentary" that in view of these
facts, the presbytery does hereby inteJ,pose its
| authority, and requires Brother Long ETC."
| This is undoubtedly the rendering of "a judg-
meut" Not only 90, but the presbytery went
so far as to judge and condemn the Strangers
/ church as mot being in accord with the
! Presbyterian Church either in doctrine or
/ polity." The most unjust part Of this whole
decision is that presbytery did actually try
and condemn me without allowing me the
| forms or privilege of fair and honest
| trial, although | and my friends necessarily
| demanded it. 1t was total disregard of the
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
of every presbyter. We think that the
synod will 30 decide. The good brother
charges me with trying both to appeal and
to complain" The facts are, that l have
nothing to do with the complaint. A brother
told me before presbytery adjourned in Som
erville, that he and another brother had de-
termined to complain, whether l appealed
or not, knowing that these brethren would
attempt to make the technical point before
synod, that II was not an appealable case, be-
cause not judicial. The complaint is some
thing with which l have no personal bust
ness whatever. l have had correspondence
with these brethren since, as it was perfectly
right and proper for me to do. But l rest
my case entirely upon
THE APPEAL.
If my case was not appealable, itEwas evil
IDENTIFY the duty of the presbytery to have SO
decided when | gave notice before its ad-
jonrnment that l would appeal. This the
presbytery did not do. These are points,
however, which the synod will scarcely al
low Brother Daniel to decide for it. | am
willing to leave them for the present with
that court.
Finally, 1 thank my brother for the "plain,
straightforward path" in which he would
have had me walk" / know the goodness
of his heart, and am sorry that l cannot
pursue its dictates instead of my own. / am
sorry that my conscience will not let me
take the line OF march marked out by
his. / am sorry that | fail to discover why
the brethren OF the Memphis presbytery can
not bid me as heartily godspeed inside of
my own church as outside of it. / am ss
sorry he TO recognize the fact that while
call ministers should have learned. from
THE SAD EXPERIENCE OF BY-GoNE CEN
TURIEs,
that preaching the gospel of peace is better
and sweeter than fighting to the last ditch"
many of them have not learned it. / would
to God that we all had learned it. We then
might dwell together in unity, and 1 might
still go on in my humble work, where / am
expanding what little power have in trying
to save the Strangers" from the common
wealth of Israel. l am sorry, too, that at
the wrong moment nv brother has changed
his opinion of my friends. In Somerville he
most pathetically declared that 'if any man
had reason to pray God deliver me from my
own friends that man is Brother Long"
But now he laments that l am SO unwise as
to go against the advice of these same best
friends. But, alas! the brethren who would
not eight" anything have seen fit to say:
Brother Long, you must not preach TO those
peoplep and have decided that if do not
obey their injunction l will be guilty of
sowing such seed" as viii bring harvest
at the very thought OF which at least one of
them now stands aghast. The brothers sad
refrain over my blindness, intractibility and
great mistakes, makes me feel like the
wicked publican who could only say, as he
stood in the presence of heaven and the
righteous Pharisee, God be merciful to me
sinner" Nm LONG,