The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1892-05-25
For the Central Presbyterian.
To Rusticus.
METRoPoLITAN MANsE, J
May 18th, 1892. I


May 18th, 1892.
My Dear RuSticus,-The ob'iging
columns of the Central Presbyterian
for a year or two past have been
from time to time illumined by your
genial smile, and the scintlllating
flash of your ready wit. Hidden
beneath the sylvan shades of your
rural home, and behind the ample
folds of your incoqnito, you have
launched your shafts at small and
great, and thrown upon your can
vass all classes and conditions of
men, portraylng their merits and
their faults with a humor as pointed,
if not as grim, as that of the gentle
man whose visit to earth is de-
scribed by Coleridge; and with a
satire as keen, if not as caustic, as
that of the youth who everywhere
inscribes his motto, What fools these
mortals be But those who have
the privilege of penetrating your
disguise see neither the sportive
spriie in his fanciful attire, nor the
saturnine gentleman on his travels,
but recognize above the dressing
gown and slippers, the cynical
smile, and kindly blue eye, and
lofty brow, sicklied over with the
pale cast of thought" of one who is
neither so rusty" nor SO cussed"
as he pretends.
HIthl g no one mas felt called
upon to ~ you to account, for he
very good reason that you have
dealt your blows with so even a
hand, that if any one smarted lit
tie himself he found consolation
in thinking of the blows given to
" the other fellow" Even those
who have felt your shafts between
the joints of the harness have felt
grateful to you for the prick that
discovered the weak point with a
dart that had no poison in it. We
thought it good thing to have an
ecclesiastical censor to touch us up
a little now and then, and let us see
ourselves as others see us. We were
prepared to giveyou vote of thanks,
and ask the Central to give you
carte blanche and a life tenure.
When, 10 you suddenly break out
in new place. From your exalted
post of supreme censor you Jump
down into the arena and enter the
lists as a combatant. You throw off
the toga and buckle on the coat of
mail. 1t is a proceeding most un-
,,.-e, most hazardous. Down on an
equal plane with the rest of us, there
may be some joints in your harness
that some one VIII penetrate with a
Tu quoque
Your remarks about Rev. DR.. ?. H..
Hoge are duly appreciated by that
gentleman, as he requests me to say,
and the sincerity of the friendship
they indicate is fully recognized. He
remembers your "nofle rage" at the
last Assembly at what struck you
as foul play" although you we're
on the other side It is also a com
fort to him to have the opinion of
such a critic that the majority we're
excelled in the debate, as he was the
only speaker that was allowed to
speak on his side-the only other
other one who got the floor being
fusiladed with points of order until
he sat down in despair.
But, "Rusticus," you are mistaken
in one point. There has not been
a silence on the part Of the Presby-
'teries on this subject. ! have not
been keeping any account, but in
one number of the Central I noticed
three overtures in favor of the prin-
ciples of Paper No. I, and I have
heard rumors of preparations for an
elaborate debate on the subject at
Hot Springs, though I am no more
a prophet than you as to the out
come.
Now with regard to Paper No. 1 q,
I am authorized by DR.. Hoge to say
that it is an undeserved honor to
speak of him as the author of it.
He had some hand in shaping it,
but no more, he thinks, than Rev.
J. II. MoNeilly, D. d. It's provis-