Smyrna times., 1884-10-29
Statement From the Rev, E, P,
Aldred.
AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL WHOM IT
MAY CONCERN.

MAY CONCERN.
Through the press and otherwise the
fact of my suspension from the active
work of the ministry until the next an
nual session of the annual conference
has been made public. MANY exag-
gerated and garbled statements are in
circulation, and it has become a matter
OF justice to my friends and myself
that some facts be presented to the
public. deeply regret that anything
has occurred to wound or shame nv
many friends, and sadly mourn any
reproach to the church of nv choice
and affection. TO this church have
gwen the best of my powers and life.
1hat am suspended from her minis
try demands these facts. The domes-
tic spoken of in the Baltimore Aneri-
can OF yesterday, was an inmate of nv
family for six years. During all these
years not a whisper of scandal con-
cernlng her or myself was ever breath
ed. She was about sixteen wears of
age when she came to us, was treated
as member of our own circle. and
naturally a greater degree of familiari-
ty existed between her and the family
than is usual toward domestic. She
lett us about seventeen months AGO.
since which time neither | nor one of
us have seen nor heard directly from
her. Through friends in Easton. we
learned some ten months ago that she
was residing in the family of Rev. A.
w. Lightbourne. A few weeks ago he
wrote me in the profOundest conf
dence, as he assured me, that she was
III trouble and disgrace. And in this
condition Of shame had made statements
charging me mot with this disgrace)
but with criminal intimacy during her
residence with us. And vet no such
trouble had come to her during all
these SIX years. In the same spirit ofcOn-
tidence l replied. Conscientiouslv de-
string. to conceal nothing that was
truthful concerning our relations. I
confessed familiarity as she grew to
Womanhood unbecOming a Christian
minister toward a servant, of which
folly l sincerely repented and felt con-
sclously forgiven. But that / there or
elsewhere eUer admitted criminal in
timacy beyond this I most positiUeLU
deny, whatever construction NAV be
put upon the language | used. The
Interpretation put upon this letter, as
also brief confidential letter I wrote
her last Spring, seeking an opportunity
to warn her against the very danger
that has brought upon her the present
disgrace, formed the basis of the testi-
mony against me: she having received
the latter note while in trouble and
preserved it as a possible confirmation
OF her false charges against me. These
are substantially the facts in the case.
For sixteen years, since the Organiza-
ton of the Wilmington Conference. I
have served the church three years in
each charge to which have been an
pointed, not having gone beyond a
radius of about twenty-five miles. In
all these years the people will bear
universal testimony to my strictest in
tegrity and purity of character, in all
my associations, as well as fidelity to
my work. Conscious of my innocence
of this shameful charge, leave a dis
eliminating public to pass judgement
upon the case. l ask of the people
that has made my sorrow public, that
1t give the same publicity to these
statements. Tomorrow myself and
family go out homeless, not knowing
where nor what shall be our destiny.
Bruised, wounded and crushed, we are
not hopeless. With a wife as good
and true as ever man was blessed
with; two children as noble and prom
ising as can be found, and a God in
Heaven above, 81 shall live and not
die" To the friends of Chestertown
who have crowded around us with
evidences of sympathy and unwaver-
ing confidence, as well as material aid.
we can but express our warmest and
sincerest gratitude. May our Father
in Heaven richly reward them.
Respectfully,
E. p. ALDRED.
ChestertO'ca, October q, 1884.