Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-08-20
PASTOR M,BwEs BELL.
His Open Letter Apparently for His
Delaware City Congregation.

selves to my memory, SO II YOU will kindly
favor me with little further space In The
columns OF your paper, shall, in con.
uiiled Justification of my friends touch
another item or two. The first that occurs
to me IS the rumor that the trouble Ia the
church hinges upon question Of veracity
between Mr. ---- ian elder and myself.
Here is the circumstance in brief; | was
pushhg the introduction of new pipe
organ ! had called twice on the Kpatiff
organ firm. | had had some conversation
with The. head Of the firm. MIR. -
lelderl subsequently, called, and at a meet
ing OF the trustees, afterwards held, he
stated that he had called and had been
onered siO FOR the old organ. was sur
had had with Mr.. Knauff. In order to
understand the situation, | wrote 10 Mr..
hnaufi, and received the following renlv ,
lHk hNAuFF ORGAN Co., PHILADELPHIA, July
an, lS9o-Ihe Rev. X. A. McEis.,i Bs'L Is tapare
,sNy. ~. DEAR SIR: Your favor OF July sd ut
however, are rertain that no offer Of siO was
nude Tor your organ. There is no one in the
factory who has ever seen your organ except
Mr' rihtt an myself, ana would not estimate
o. Us Value az the present time from having
seen II several years ago. We do not know
what condition It may be IN now Mr. Pratt
certainly did not Should you like an offer on
tue organ, we can you make one. Please
let Us Know Yours respectfully,
lSisheul rnEo. q. KSAUfF co.
Now, whilst express no opinion as be-
tween Mr. - (elder) and the Knauff
organ Company, would my friends on the
leli say that this lisa question Of veracity"
as between Elder - and myself, or be
tween the elder and the knauff Organ
Company? Your readers will easily settle
the point. But LET me 20 back few
months. 1t was approaching Thanksgiy.
ing Day of 1889. A Methodist preacher
formerly in this town saw me regarding a
thanksgiving service. He informed me
that he he did not. in the course Of his ser
vices, intend to preach sermon Shortly
atterward Elder - came to me and in
timated to me that the Methodist preacher
ana ne himself had seen each other, and
he directed me to see the Methodist
preacher as to the Thanksgiving services
| asked him, did Mr. THE Methodist
preacherl say that he would preach the
sermony' The elder answered me that he
had so said | called ON the Methodist
preacher and told him what had learned.
lie replied that he had said nothing of the
KIND, left the matter between them, and
preached In my own church. Now, sir.
W Wits ! express no opinion as between
Elder - and the Methodist preacher. it
is only fair to add that the Methodist
preacher had no sermon in his
service. and the following Thanksgiving
.iast November)I preached the sermon for
MN. Again, sir, would your readers say
mat tins was question of yerAeilyn Us
between Elder ----- and myself or be-
tween Elder - and the Methodist
preacher? Before passing To the next
Irliilor, ilrst mere Let ms. suggest question;
In January last, q few days after had an
nounced to my people thar thanks to the
courtesy OF clerk and moderator had sue
cceeded i'll inducing the preshytery TO hold
Us spring meeting here and after the elders
had met here in the aisle Of the church
and demanded by what authority had
asked the presbytery here, and after had
received on the Tuesday following the
sabbath on which made the announce
meht, the letter, requiring my resignation,
say that few days after had received
this letter, this same Elder --- sent me
a special message saying he had nothing
against me, and no fault to find with mo
and his wife, as am informed, was kind
enough to pronounce me mot only GOOD
but truly good man Now, whilst
am much beholdru to them for
Their high credential Il am aware he had
nothing against me-if he had had ii
would have been his duty TO have brought
me before the presbvtery) smay be per-
United to ask why he and his family have
wOrshipped Tor the past six months outside
the Presbyterian church. and why he
ceased some II months ago, as | am ill.,
formed, to pay pew rent? But another
'rumor in the air that was only asehool
teacher before became a minister. SUP.
posing ! had been school teacher, pro.
vlded had proved an efficient one; and
mad not found 1t necessary to turn from
SUCH, occupation to some less honorable
employment, | would not deem il neccs-
sary to apologize for the fact. However
much ! may regret it, the truth lies in the
opposite direction am glad TO be able to
say that in the beginning Of the summer
succeeding my third session at college /
was invited TO take charge of the senior
class OF young women in the Bel
mont Ladies College where, not
altogether unnecessarily directed their
reading in the subjects of history. Ian
guage and literature. whilst for several
months of the summers following my
fifth and sixth college sessions | was
honored with the direction OF the studies
81 class in two subjects in the Belfast
Grammar school, Ny friends on the left
ought TO know that this is not being a
schoolmaster. For their information
kindly permit me to say that in Ireland
there are two ways by which man may
become school-teacher. %. lie NAV
begin when young in II national school as
a monitor, and ascend to the lowest classed
grade.l am not sure what 1t Is: think
second, or first, or third, as il is called
certainly not lower than second. He must
continue teaching, pass certain exnmina-
tons, when he will ascend another step,
ana so on for years, till he succeeds (all do
notl III reaching the highest grade. viz /.
LIST of LIST. Meantime he must have gone ITO
the government training schools where can
didates are boarded and roomcd, instructed
in certain branches of knowledge. and also
trained in the practical work of teaching
and funnnofRsr T.. ....n
tain charge of school and will be rcmu-
ncrated by the pupils fees in addition to
the yearly salary (graded according to the
class he was able to attain) which lie will
receive from government. He is now a
national schoolmaster (2d) A man may
open school on his own account. but in
face Of the great high schools of the euun-
t-y such ventures have small chance Of
success. Some succeed, the large minority
do not. University professors are anen
by themselves. | have not had the honor
OF being included in any of the three cate
CORES. How, then, was | a school teacher ?
May say that began, or rather ! WAS
begun almost since can remember. with
view to the ministry Of the church |
am, ny my fathers liberality and the
prayers and gentle direction of my dear
santed mother, minister Of tile church,
ana hi the grace of my Master will die a
minister vi The church.
But the next r1mor is that did not take
OUT the required number Of sessions at col
lege or did not complete the sessions. ia
not know which. In my former letter
iniimated that had there been an honest
intention to reach the truth my prcsbytery
III Ireland could have been easily commit
Gated with, and farther when one OF tic
trustees here asked me might he write Il
note Of inquiry authorized him so to dt
and gave him the address Of the clerk. r.
clear the ground let me here quote from
| the constitution and government Of The
Presbyterian church in Ireland Para
| graphs 302-5, section 5 In the presby
lery is vested the right Of receiving under
at ,tJnnfa f.,r no ,,.....