The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-26

respect, considered every grave dictation
OF the apparently young man who seems,
in this hour OF trouble most unfortunately
to sit at the helm of the AUdldnche. We
have sometimes wondered who the writer
of those articles could be. Grave edtori-
ais in the form of print, they are singu-
larry juvenile in thought and expression.
Older men seldom sweep the
club OF destruction so rccklessly
around against all other editors
and all ministers alike. That tho
writer devoutly admired Emma Abbott is
surprisingly manifest from the glttering
coruscations OF his genius exhibited several
months ago, when, with almost iniantile
rhapsody, he declared that the subject OF
his knight-errantry was as worthy TO sing
in a church choir as any lady in the land.
And today it seems TO his infatloted
Imagination incomprehensible, that With
respect to thi matter, vast proportion OF
the Christ an world should be on the one
side OF this gu Stion, with his bewildered
self on the other. 1t does not seem to
have occurred to him in his empyrean
flights OF fancy apparently inspired
by professional arts OF womanly operate
performances, that the sober judgment
of our honorel church officers may differ
from his owh feryid conceptions as to what
constitutes fitness for leading the people of
God in religious singing, as one OF the most
sacred parts of divine worship. Accord
ingly, this rare enthusiast alternately adj
mits all he would deny, and, in the very
next sentence, denies all he would admit.
Hear him: 1T must be admitted that
there are many entire plays and some
in la oil t.ln tuh
calculated TO better the morals OF those
" no witness them"
Perhaps il would be well enough TO add
that the theatrical performance is not rs
moral as it ough, to be. 1t is doubtless
true from the standpoint OF orthodox
Christianity that all plays are bad, and
that all players arc therefore ungodly.
Here the young man topples over on
one side; but bark TO the next sentence!
"But as the Church has progressed, this
view has gradually faded away"
Using the present tense in the first
clause he also uses it in the concluding
sentence OF the second clause in the
TWO DIRECTLY CONTRADICTORY SENTENCES,
and declares both TO be true at the same
time. With a softness which extends
from the heart upward through the whole
head, he enters plea for woman whom,
rs such, none has prosecuted, defending a
purity which none had called in question
until he had suggested the discussion him
SELF and declares that certain ministers OF
the gospel, whose characters as such were
thoroughly established, were angry with
his pro,ego because she had gone TO
church. Trampling upon the friendship
OF years, and despising the sacred charac-
tiers OF those who in the same city, and by
the same earnest effort rs his own, had built
IN Memphis spOtlcss regulations, he yields
himself to his glowing fancy ON behalf Of u
travelling prima donna, and, In his mad
devotion, casts TO the winds preachers and
pulpits, and arrays himself on the side of
one who, as far rs the public knows, had
never desired the fitting OF his lance, either
in her favor or against the people amongst
whom ho had lived and obtained his
bread. Such indiscretion has been seldom
surpassed, and equaled only in one in-
stance, when the same occupant OF tho
tripod vainly braced himself against the
sturdy President Of the Taxing District,
and ingloriously fell. 10 rise on the field OF
battle no more. Here he may be safely
left, with the mild admoniiion 10 let min.
listers guide churches, Presidents of Taxing
Districts or Mayors govern cities, and
editors attend TO their legitimate business.
lie speaks Of Emma Abbott rs alone in
the world. so she was when that day
standing in Mckcndree Church. her hus.
band alive, she publicly took out OF his
hands that defense OF womanliness which
every wife safely conGdes to him who has
vowed TO protect IL.
Suffice Il 10 say that the editor OF the
1rdlancle, in n most sensational way at
lacking men his full equals day after day,
without proyocation or reply, must bear
the burnt OF his own tcmcrity, and where
rs he has demanded "abjccr apology,
must loo content with that charity which
alone shields him from positive contempt
EMPHATIC REirERATioS.
Here we declare our work at an end.
Reilerating all that We have affirmed ms
true ministers Of the denominations 10
which We belong, under most solemn VOWS
10 God, We decline TO remit our steward.
ship 10 any secular paper on the face Of
the earth; and with only increased deter.
mnaiion 10 declare the whole counsel Of
God rs we have vowed 10 declare IL, un-
mindful alike Of the opprobous cpithc,s OF
juvenile editors and careful only TO bo
true 10 duty, ~ ourselves, 10 the Church
and TO God.
we insist that the stage NJ such Is cor
rupi; that from all We know Of the actress
unfortunately involved In this contro-
ycny, she endcayors to subsidize ON It's
behalf the ministers aud churches and
worship OF God, and that we will resist
these cncroachmcnts on the part OF pro-
icsslonal actors, without fear, and, by
Gods grace, without rcproach.
T. DANiEi,
X. A. vKNAnLR.
Having been the party chiefly assaulted
by tho Aralmche In signing tho above
article except those parts relating TO my
own defense, leaving that 10 my brethren.
WARNFR MooRE.