The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-06-13
1t is Not All Gold That Glittcrs.
published by Request.)

EDITOR TRIBUNE: Be kind enough to
allow me to correct a statement in the
Tribune of the 18th inst, under the head
ing, SIN Defense of Brownell" j. f.
Britton, editor of the Mclean County Mail,
says that 'the report. of the Rev. Brownell
being on trial for neglect of duty was {,
hoax, the reverend being at peace with his
flock" The above item l should have taken
no notice of because it came from an unre-
liable source, but when the Rev. S. E. Ryan
of Bismarck finds access to the newspapers
in defense of himself and Brownell, and
makes lengthy article touching tho quar-
terly conference held in Washburn on the
9th inst and the complaint against Brow
nell, and could not let the matter rest where
it belongs-at the quosterly conference
but must fly to the newspapers to vindicate
his doings atmeeting in Washburn-now,
since MI. Ryan has gone to the newspapers
about the matter, am also justified i'll
doing the same thing. He asks the editor
to please allow him to correct the mislead-
ing statment. Certainly; why not? L, too,
must ask to be allowed to correct the mis-
leading statement of Mr.. Ryan. He goes
on to show the facts; SO will I. My facts
are these: When the meeting was called to
order, the secretary was chosen, the writer
was called and the question asked by the
elder, "Are there any complaints?" The
answer was. "Yes." l, as steward in the
church, could not record "No,' as 1 had
complaints myself Another member
had complaints, and l knew it. I had
either to put Eyes or no." and I could
not put ''no;" if I had, would have lied.
50 it was asked by Mr.. Ryan what the
complaint was. 1 asked if 1 had to tell
it before the public. He said ''Yes;;" that
1 had to ''either erase that yes or give
it in writing Immediately" told him
could not do both thugs at one time. SO
he ordered me to resign the secretaryship.
Now, Mr.. Editor, the czar of Russia
could not order any of his subjects. to do
any act with a more despotic and arbitrary
power than did Mr.. Ryan. wrote out a
few words as complaint, intending to give
the main points afterwards, for it is an
unusual thing to bring complaint out
before the public. When the trial came up,
two of US, stewards in the church, had
cmplaiuts, but we would not be listened to
and were ordered to sit down, and Mr.. Ryan
charged me with writing letter to the
elder i'll Bismarck to have BrOwnell re-
moved-a thing 1 never did. Nor would
Mr.. Ryan allow any person to say Il word
against Brownell. But, Mr.. Editor, will
not go through all the tyranny that was
used at that meeting. am preparing this
whole program to lay before the bishop,
and think he is too good and just to let
such things go unpunished. Allow me to
show you some of the complaint.
Last summer Brownell said to me that
he could not be at Turtle Lake on his reg
ular meeting day. That was all right, 50
E-,. l~.,k l,.,
that he went to Fargo as a delegate to Il
the next time I saw him, why he went, as
got his way paid and that was no on,s bus
mess but his own, and he received $11 for
going. Next, he weut to Minot last fall as
u delegate and got $40 to buy new
overcoat and asked for a bottle of whisky
for himself and another prominent mem
ber to drink on the road coming from Mi
not-and he got it. But, Mr. Editor, on the
9Th day of May, the day before the meeting
was in Washburn, went down to that city
to attend the meeting. The next day, when
I arrived in town there stood two gallon
Jug from Rock Island for a member of the
M. E. church and G. Brownell, with 1875
against 1.-THE jug. One of the men dis
puted about the price and said he was
willing to give ~ per gallon. but finally he
paid the SIS beside rs cents express, btu the
man could not take it to Brownelrs then,
as Mr.. Ryan was there. So he took it over
to store across the street and asked if he
conld let it stay there for a little while.
One of the members heard the Jug man
ask the privilege to leave it there. There
were other charges had to bring in if the,
sO-called officiating elder had not used his
despotic power SO much in the beginning.
I may say few more words to the rever-
erend gentlemen by referring them to the
following texts, and I must say as the
queen of Sheba said to Solomon, ''the half
is not told" will refer the two worthless
to few texts in the good book: Let the
two reverends turn to the 23d of jeremiah.
1st and I'd verses, and take note of them;
and Matthew, 10Th chapter and 43d, 43th
and 45th verses; Matthew,7th chapter,