The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1888-06-09
TART CORRESPONDENCE.
Prohibition Raises 4 Racket In a Louis.
vile Church.
Louisville Commereial.l

louisville CommercialI
Messrs. Henry J. Tilfosd. Robert j.
filfOrd, and Thomas IL. Sherley. three
Of the largest wholesale liquor dealers
in kentucky, received an official notice
from the First Christian church Of this
city a short time ago requesting them
to come forward and show why the
hand Of fellowship should not be with
drawn from them ON account of the
business in which they were engaged.
The following correspondence explains
the rest:
Louisville, April 2S.-NIr. J. Pettus.
Seey.-Dear Sir: I have received
your letter of the 18th inst. Waving
the technical objection that exists 10
such a notice coming from any one
except the elders of the church. under
their own hands, | assume that YOU
were authorized to send it. You NAV
say TO the elders Of the First Christian
Church that have no objection to
their Withdrawing from me formally
the fellowship of the church. long
since withdrew myself from association
with that church, and my continued
and persistent absence from the
church, as You so well express it, has
been designed, having sought another
less tinctured with the Spirit of the in.
quisition than the one they represent
Had the church rules permitted me TO
repudiate Il, should have availed my
self of such right when the doors were
first thrown open TO ltinerant prohibi-
tieR lecturers, thus bringing 1t to the
level of u political hall.
1 confess to disregard of Chris
tian duties as u member of the church
If failure to take any part in the
affairs of the church is all that is meant.
but deny the right of the elders. or
any other body of men, to make such
a charge against me without trial IL
more than that is meant. The last item
of your charge is evidently the real
cause of the action of the elders. The
self-righteousness that condemns mc |
regard as within the rcbuko of our
Savior who warned men against ludg-
ing others and against the blindness
which prevents them seeing their own
faults. do not intend to abandon my
business, and do not regard Il inn
moral, and | deny the right of the
elders of the church to interfere with
me in Ii. An attempt to interfere |
denounce as ursurpation of power and
dragging into the church matters not
within its province. will not appear
before the church npon your citation.
Let the church take what action il will.
am done with II, and all who cooper
ate in the unholy war II Is making upon
I me, and when the hand Of fellowship
is withdrawn, II is my wifo's as well as
my own request that it be withdrawn
from her also. RoBT J. TuFoRD.
"Louisville, April 23.-To the Board
of Elders of the First Christian Church
Gentlemen; ! lam in receipt of your
communication citing me to appear on
the gath inst, to show cause why. IN
view Of your (my) continued and per-
sistent absence from the church, and of
the business In which you (D are en-
gagged, the fellowship of the church
should not be withdrawn from me.
"Some years ago Twas a frequent at
tendant upon your services. That was
at time when the Word of God was
preached, and when a welcome was
given to all who sought spiritual rest
or comfort, regardless of the business
in which they were engaged. But the
spirit of intolerance arose amongst
you, and very small part of your
number. against the wishes of large
majority OF the congregation, succeed
ed in driving from your charge my
friend DIR. lIopson, one of the most
pious and devoted of men, in order
that his place might be filed with more
pliable material.
"Thcn temperance harangues, inn
patient to all differences of opinion, be-
gan to be Illuminated Sabbath after
Sabbath from your pulpit. The doors
of the church was thrown open to
male and female lecturers on Prohibi-
ton, and your walls were kept echoing
with denunciation of whisky interests
and all engaged in them. So Bit
ter did these denunciations become
that il Is not to be wondered
at that they Danish men like my
self from your portals. Still | kept
up my contributions to the support of
your church until ! was satisfied that
the sentiments of Prohibition were ta-
king precedence of the doctrines of
love and peace and forgiveness, and
that you had fairly entered upon n
crusade of unchristian and unjust war
fare upon all in my business. Then
notified you that / would make no
further contributions.
at is singular and significant fact
that il was only after such notice that
you set on foot this proceeding. Is il
not fair presumption that if my con-
tributions had continued. SO also would
my supposed connection with you
while you continued to share with me
the profits of my business to the glory
of God =? AT least it is true that only
after my contributions ceased you have
undertaken TO publish me to the world !
as unworthy of your fellowship.
at is evident that the gravamen of
the charge you have against me is the
business in which ! am engaged
Ever since was known TO your church
have been engaged in the same bust
ness as that which now occupies me.
This must then have been my business
at the time you supposed was recei-
we'd into your communion and for all
the years that have succeeded. IF that
business constituted no barrier to your
fellowship then, why docs it constitute
such barrier now? Is il the law of
God that has changed, or is il the laws
of your church that are reversedY
when you recall that the son of
Man was not n prohibitionist, but came
eating and drinking, and recognizing
our social nature, encouraged the mod
crate use of stimulants by supplying
wine at social gathering lie was de-
nounccd by the Pharisees as a man
| alutfouOus and n Wine-bibher. does il