Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-03-07

"SSSooaAJ " CAS uO"u ZIG III dCGlCC,
and when he reached a flock that Insisted
upon enjoying the exciting exercise, as a
matter of proper submission and obedience
he would lead the grand march.
This say is the only inference from
his plea that he is the servant and not the
dictator of his congregation.
l repeat that my estimate of a priest or
minister OF the gospel has been that he is
the servant of GOD, and on all spiritual and
moral questions. the advisor, guide and
teacher of his congregation. And to com
ply with this duty the minister needs be
no "autocrat," and the faithful no Slaves"
Kew. Anderson charges me with having
cal9mniated him by stating that he 'pock-
eted" the proceeds of the Presbyterian fair.
In making this statement I had no inten-
ton Of slandering HIM; l did not use the
word "pocketed" in the sense that he fraud.
ulently. appropriated the proceeds of the
1alr TO ms W private use, but laboring
under the mistaken idea that he was the
ruler and representative of his church, |
thought that he had chief control of spirit
ual as we'll as temporal affairs, and that he
accepted the money for his church. But
since learning that he is only the
servant of his people and does not as
sumo the role of dictator, so as to tolerate
or forbid anything whatever" 1 must ad-
sion.
But l ask. is it fair and charitable for the
minister to retaliate and render evil for
evil? Surprising that l had really in
tended to injure the fair reputation Of the
Presbyterian minister, which I had no
purpose to do. was it right on his part to
gratuitously prefer against me likewise
tne charges OF dishonesty by saying:
"As fairs and lotteries of the priests, gotten up,
regulated and controlled by them (they take at
least so much interest in these fairs that they are
there}why shouldn't the proeeeds ind their r. way
into the priests pockets? The father evidently
takes this IS q matter Of course. he has been SO
accustomed to this order of things, etc."
II the minister considers it wrong for me
70 calumniate him, which | did not intend
to DO, is it charitable, is it christian-like to
asDerse my character in return?
The minister is undoubtedly actuated by
q great spirit Of benevolence, for he says:
"He has given and obligated himself to
give to the church here, out of his W
pocket, more money than he has received
from the church as salary, or otherwise"
lie must either possess a rich gold mine
or ne must have commenced the practice
OF living upon the "climate."
Inc minister seems also worried over the
tact that Father Mayer drew three prizes
he taken as many chances as 1 did, he
might have won a prize too, provided luck
favored him.
Rev. Anderson thinks "there is small
need of saying anything as to the argu-
ments of the father in justifying and up
holding himself and his church in their
customary practice of lotteries" [ suppose
there is small need for the reason, / con
lecture, that he could not refute those argu-
mentS.
In conclusion, he opines there must be a
difference between the lottery practiced by
the apostles and any ordinary gambling
lottery. l never said there was NO differ
nnNA hlf ", n INF ind ND IL -oo:kos, Al-A
as the apostles settled their doubts by lot,
it cannot be wrong for us to dispose of a
prize by lot. provided the parties concerned
are satisfied with such a mode of proceed
ure.
L desire to express my sincere thanks to
Mrs; E. 81: Wilson for the frank, candid
n ladylike manner in which she acknOwl-
edged the truth of my statements, and
thus prevented her good pastor from con-
yeying the impression that | had falsiied
the facts.
With regard to her sorrow for having
gotten up this means of making money for
her church, | can see no reason for such
sorrow, as her motives were honest and the
object worthy. l simply mentioned this
event with others in proof of my statement
that the disposal of articles by lot or chance
is not immoral, that the lottery principle is
resorted to by churches other thar the
Catholic, as we'll as in all the walks OF
life, and that the unfair and u%nprovoked
assaults upon my church were simply the
blind %plungings of terror-stricken pastors
for what. from its local foam, appeared to
be the flow of the popular tide.
l have often heard that it is a mean man
that will shift responsibility upon q
woman. but in the case of the misguided
Mr.. Anderson, who seems so sadly di.
yorced from his flock, charity prompts me
to exclaim, "Forgive him Father, for he
knows not what no dOns1
| would advise him, however, to cult.
vate an acquaintance with his church and
congregation, and hereafter when accusing
others, be- sure that he is innocent of the
charge himself. Very respectfully yours,
ALFRED MAYER, o. s.. B.
Bismarck, Feb. q, 1890.