The daily gazette., 1883-02-13
THREE STINGING BPS.
WHAT is STIRRING DovER's
SOCIETY CIRCLES.
DIR. CALDWELL AND DANCING.
A Sensation Oyer What Constitutes a
'sCharity Reception''-The Methodist
Discipline and Terpsichore.
Especial correspondence of the Gazette. J

OONEh, Ecu. lS.-lne promenade con-
cert and charity reception which took place
at the Hotel Richardson this evening has
given to Dover a sensation which was not
dreamed of by the leading ladies of the
State Capital who had the affair in charge.
The congregation of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church is a good bit stirred up, and
Dover's society circles are more excited
than they have probably ever been before.
All this is on account of some scathine allu-
sions made by the pastor of the church, the
Rev. j. ii. Caldwell, d. D., from the pulpit
at the morning services yesterday, with re-
ference to the charity reception. 1t has
afforded food for the gossips, and created
a great deal Of very bad feeling.
week or so ago the ladies of Dover com
posing the beneficial society, decided to hold
a ball, the proceeds of which were to be de-
voted to charitable purposes. The Hotel
Richardson was secured, Mr.. Richardson
granting the use of the house, with the gas
and extra help which would be necessary,
free, and also making liberal donation to
the worthy object. Hand bills, issued from
the Sentinel press, were posted up, and this
contained the names of the following leading
ladies of the town, as the committe of ar
rangements Mrs. A. B. Richardson, Mrs.
DR.. Wilson, Mrs. DR.. Anderson, Mrs. j. L.
Mowbray Mrs. e. l.. Clark, Mrs. T. o. Cul-
!.
Mrs. T. X. Jones, Mrs. P. Burnett, Mrs. W.
II. Walker, Mrs. H. A. Richardson, Mrs. W.
F. Paige, Mrs. T. l.. Clark, Mrs. Harry Nc
Daniel, Mrs. Richard Harrington, Mrs. L.
Draper, Mrs. Hiram Reedy, Mrs. w. T,
Smithers, Mrs. r. r. Kenney, Mrs. w. NJ.
Shakespeare, Mrs. Charles Deuney, Miss
Lizzie Manlove, Miss Mary Cannon and Miss
Ada Brittingham.
OF these Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Clarke, Mrs.
Jones, Mrs. Burnett, Mrs. Smithers, and
Miss Cannon are members of DR.. Caldwells
congregation.
DENoUNcING THE BALL.
Thee morning services in the Methodist
Church were not as fully attended as usual
yesterday morning. The driving rain de-
TERED many who belong to that faithful
class known as fair weather christians, from
turning out. The Methodist congregation
numbers about 500 people, and of this num-
ber, perhaps a score, young folks, all of
them, show disposition at times to indulge
in pleasures forbidden by the discipline,
such as attending balls, theatres and the
like. After the opening exercises yesterday
morning the pastor said he would read dis
cipline. The rules of the church require
that the discipline shall be read once a year.
Having read it he proceeded to make some
remarks in which he dwelt at length-and
in a general way, If all reports are
true-upon the evils which beset
the church on all sides and Of the bad infu-
ences which ere,constantly. y.endeayoring to
estrange Gods people from the path of duty.
The wolves had gotten into the flock, he
said. BE went on, with biting language, to
speak of how people talk about the rules
of the church lbeing Strengthened and mar
row-miuded, ETC., and denounced this He
then spoke of matter which the official
board had asked him to call attention to.
(although this reference was only casual
one) and then proceeded: "There are
three stinging BIS in this town, and they are
all in one hive. They are the bar room, the
billiard-room and the ballroom, and / do
not intend that the lambs Of my flock shall
be stung If can help it." These were the
reverend speakers exact words, and in the
congregation, the members of which had an
idea of what was coming, they created
something of a sensation.
The preacher now proceeded to read a
paper prepared by the official board If
copy of 1t could be secured 1t would be yery
racy reading from ,all accounts ,sand these
are conflicting. 1t alluded to the charity
reception or ''charity ball." and said that
1t had been given this mild title In order to
deceive the members of the church into
purchasing tickets, thinking it musical
and literary affair. It went on TO recite that
members OF the church had been deceived
into allowing their names to be used through
the Misrepresentation, and that the names
of Others had been put to the hand bills
without their consent or knowledge The
Society was not in need of funds, the paper
held. Now, in order to warn any, who
might have been deceived and purchased
tickets to the ball under the belief that it was
not such an affair, the official board had
IL, go a.. u
to be a ball at which dancing would be in
dulged in, and no member of church could
attend it and be consistent member under
the discipline of the Methodist Church.
Being read just after the pastors scathing
remarks the paper, in connection with what
had preceded 1t, caused ripple and it soon
got noised around town and became the alb
sorbing theme, which it has been ever
since. This ended the service and the people
went home through the rain wondering
what the result would be. At the Sunday
school in the afternoon the pastor, by re-
quest of the board, again read the official
pronunciomento against the charity ball,
and prefaced it with the remarks slightly
changed from those of the morning, but he
used the expression about the "three sting
ing BIS" as he had in the morning.
STORY OF TWO SIDES.
1t has since transpired that on Saturday
the pastor, at the request of the official
board, all of those belonging to which seem
to have been overcome with horror at the
idea of the members having any thing to do
with charity ball, called upon the ladies
belonging to the church, whose names ap-
peared on the haud bills. 1t is represented
that one of the members of this august
body ascertained, when importuned to buy
a ticket the true inwardness of the alleged
deception, spread the alarm and had meet
ing called. The pastor was present, the
official letter read on Sunday was drafted
and the next day DR.. Caldwell started out
to visit the lady members whose names were
on the hand-bill. The representation is made
and also denied, that all of these, with the
single exception of one, who was not at
home, said they had been deceived as to
the nature of what was to take place and
would not attend, or that they were sorry
and would not attend. On the following
day Sunday when the pastor and his
official advisers came out In such un-
measured terms, these ladies felt hurt, and
indignant, and the reckless talk about de-
ception as to the announcement of the ball
was really serious reflection upon the 25
prominent Dover ladies who were SO