Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-07-08
GERARDSTOWN.
M. r.. Church vs.. vi H. Church
South.

"On what meat does this our
Caesar feed that he hath grown so
great" that an humble American
CITIZEN may not resist the pub
lished assaults against his charac-
ter and official conduct, without
subjecting himself to the ridicuie
of his as-ailan!
The three column article OF Bro.
Wood. is a simple rehcrs | OF his
former communication with some
additional statements tally - IT.
accurate as those already exposed.
1t would tequire more space than
| am willing 10 ask, 10 follow him
in detail | will simply call at
tentiOn to "a few ct these iuaccu-
racieS, and ten, leave the whole
question TO the judgment Of the
public. Brother Wood brings
from his British homo the old
federal idea that the king car do
no wrong; all right for him TO
display his skilI as Falumic, but
lis high treason for me to attempt
to ward of the blow intended to
place me in a false position before
the public. He charges me with
rushing into print, because for
sooth, | had the temerity 10 cor
rect his inaccuracies. and gave a
truthful statement of facts as hey
occurred. He rushes into print
when in his letter TO the Baltl-
more Methodist, he puts words IN
my mouth which | never uttered;
he ru5hes into priat when through
his Ohio friend, he charges me
with "rehel churcA stealing =
men don't usually steal IN the
presence of others and call scores
to witness the act-he rushes into
print when he suppresses the
more important part of Stump
and HousWorth's letter TO him; he
rushes into print when he says it
was after twenty-five days when
our (his) title was unGuestionable
and he Cthey) knew it, that the
M. E. Church sent fraternal greet
ings from the board Of trustees,
and offered to the NJ. T.. Church
South the church for their use and
then unless my This memory
deceives me- waited nearly two
weeks for reply. Bro. Wood
seems to posses very adjustable
memory, as some things he re-
memberes correctly, but others,
his memory needs considerable
readlusting, His % days would
bring him back 70 the famous Dad
IF April-if his title was unques-
tionaDle, at that time. why his
trip to Ohio to get the quit deed =?
Was it pleasure trip? Brother
Wood knew nothing Of the Nc
Keever deed, nor did any one
else for several weeks after his
letter of the 9th of April was
written, the reply to which was
sent in less than one week. III
there had been more deliberatiOn
ana less rush, Bro. Wood would
not be struggling in the meshes of
his own fOlty and the quietness
and harmony at GerardstOWn
would have remained undisturb-
ed.
Personally, | have 40 uukind
feeling toward Bro. Wood, unless
NV memory deceives me. / have
not met Bro Wood or seen him
TO speak 10 him since early in
March. | have had no cOrre-
spoudence with him, save the one
letter in which be sends me from
The church. Bro. Wood has hard
~ been i'm the United States long
enough to learn, "that liberty is
not license" and that while man
in this country is protected in the
ENJOYMENT of life, liberty and the
pursuit Of happiness, he must re-
spec! the rights of others. we
acknowledge Rev. Woods legal
title to the church property. We
have no desire to disturb him and
we will raise neither hand nor
voice against any use he may
choose to make of it.
Through the kindness offriends
we have temporary shelter. with
the blessing of God and through
the hospitality of an appreciative
people, we will proceed as soon as
practicable to the erection of a
church in which we and our chill
dren may worship the God of our
fathers. JOHN w. WOLFE
p. S. / fully agree with Bro
Wood that my people at Gerard5'
town need more religion, and am
clad to know that Bro. Wood and
his membership are so we'll salts
fed with their religious status
and hope their piety will never
grow less.