The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-12
SPECIAL NorICf5.
4 REPLY rOREv. LOVE AND FRIENDS.


SAVANNAH, GA, March 5, 1898
To the P,,bHc.
In our card TO the public, which appeared in
the MoRNGNG News OF Feb. 20, our object was
simply to st forth the truth touching the un
lust an unChristan-lite action taken against
us by Rev. Love aud his followers mot the
church, for there was but a small soriu King OF
the REAL CHURCH, the FIVE THOUSAND" there;
simply because We desired an honest aud i'm
partial investigation Of charges OF which, If he.
is guilty he ought not only be driven from tho
pulpit but sent TO the coal mines. In thai card
we made no other charges, but endeavored 70
stick close TO the matter we had taken in hand.
Rev. Love and his crowd, in their feeble at
tempt to answer u.s. lost sight of things which
the public would like to see answered,
such as the charges of breaking up
Rev. Lyons (his own cousin) family. smoking
in the church and trampling upon the rights of
Its members, but he and they evade all those,
as he does AL matters which he cannot face.
and proceeds ( o tell the public about the size OF
the membership OF the church, and OF how
pure honest and good their beloved pastor is,
who has not been free from the touch of scan
die since 1888.
We will take up the reply OF Rev. Loves folks
and air them some. First, be- speaks Of the
membership Well, we know about that and a
great deal more than those who are trying to
inform the public on that subject. We are
m, IN )ers OF that church and were before many
of Few. Loves followers knew where
Savannah was. We know that the
church is "IarEe" enough, and cold"
enough, and has "piety' enough to discipline
its members, and hes always under other pas
tors done 30 according 10 the examples laid
down by our blessed Lord. Undrr this pastor.
however, "piety' Is not necessary quaica-
ton to disciI lining Of members Tho standar Of
qualification ia WIN ther you want an iuvestiRa
ton or not III you are for an investigation you
go out, II you have been in the church fifty
years. No, the church is not "lAwlesS mob
and it is to avoid this 'lawess MOB that SO
many OF tho real church are driven away from
| the building they helped TO erect Tor mouths in
| succession We assert ald will prove later
| that SO far from being satisfied are the Five
Thousand that there are hundreds who
| have not entered the church door for
months. some more than year. aud who
| will not hear Rev. Love preach or take the com
| munion from him. WeRre aw-abidlng citizens,
and If banding together to demand an invest-
| CATION into charges Of q fearful and revolving
| crime against our spiritual leader ID Con
| spirAcy, " then we are guilty.
We did not expect Rev Love and his friends
| to enter into details, for 1t would DO too mucn
| like murderer eXhuming the buried remains
OF his own victim. Wa excuse them from this
but while they we're saying they might have
said the truth. In the card which Is aimed to
he an answer TO ours the public is as cd to tako
truth about the manner IN which We
were dealt with But We don't ask the
public to take anything for granted; wo
state facts as We 90 alon& and leave tho puOc
to Judge, aud not take anything for granted.
We assert now. before, tla tho serious
charges against Rev. Love, made by Rev. {. H.
Lyons OF Athens and corrobornted by sworn
afiday b, has never been inf eStigRted by any
CONF etent body, and the church which, above
all should have done 30 never once attempted
70 look in IL; and because we demanded that
It DO looked into were branded as conspr-
ators. How, In the face OF these facts and the
clamor OF our UNCONVENTIONAL and race papers
throughout the state Tor an investigation, can
men publish to the world over their signatures
that this matter has been Investigated we can
not understand.
The following. from an editorial In the
Geoto iG BdDttsi OF March =, Of which Rev. W.
j. White is editor, is 20 the point:
THE Georgia Bdptt8f man regrets that he
cannot announce that n plan for the fair and
impartial investigation Of the Love-Lyons mat
ter has been agreed upon. Jhr weeks ago he
felt quite saneuine OF havin rea he'd this point
We are not without hope that things will take
favorable turn yet, though the way looks dark.
This explanation IL made for the benefit of those
who are anxious 10 know what Is being done
For few weeks ws withheld communications
from brethren that undertook TO discuss the case
upon its merits, because we feared
they would more likely do harm
than good. We have decided now
to give the brethren a hearing. For two weeks
past we have published several articles from
Canddly our opinion Is that ROy newspaper
discussion Of the merits or dement's OF this case
can do no good. They may do injury 20 those
who write the articles by lowering the writer
In public estimation. For instance, the man
who advises compromise in q case Ike this
lowers himself by 80 doing The crime charged
is too heinous to be compromised or condoned.
II must be either proved or disproved, and IL
not proved by the one making tue charges nor
disproyed by the one upon whom tho charge Is
mode then both forfeit the respect
nd r1f ga aid
may uphold aud defend their favOTite. but the
public at large will spew both ont Of their
mouth. tn churches to which these brethren
belong may each stick to their man like leech
until they get their i'll, but this will not cnange
public estimation. church may hold on TO
whom she pleases aud the outside world has
nothing TO 90 with IL ess these parties hold
some relation to tie public other than mere
church relations. When this IL the case as in
the matter now before u, the public judgment,
as well as the church Judgment, must be salts
fed The efforts made by us has been TO get
such an investe alton and decision OF the matter
between Drs Love and Lyons az would BE- aC-
cepted by the public, and W1en We use lie word
public here we mean, first, tie Baptist denomt-
nation OF Georgia; second, caDtists ever nere
and third, the balance Of MANKIND This is our
position and to this end We have been laborinR,
and to this end We shall continue 20 labor. IL
we succeed We shall feel happy. and If we fail
W. shall still rejoice Ia the fac, That our Efforts
were conscientiously and sincerely made Our
earnest prayer Is that God may lead the way
and that both Of u CSC young men may be
saved 10 further usefulness. But II it be not 30,
then let the Lords will be done"
And yet they say that IL tas been investigated
and he found not guilty. Heavens!
Those who signed their names in defense OF
their pastor first say that 10 was investigated
and that he was found innocent aud n the next
sentence they virtually admit that IL 10 50. but
they say it is far back, many years ago, and.
true or falss. they are satisfied. Well, we are
not satisfied
Rev. Love and his friends made a great mis-
take when they thought to AtrenSt % their
Gaze oy speaking OF the report signed uy
Brother Toby lloyd ia the Investigation OF the
charges made ~ the Methodist UNI u aganst
Rev. Love. Brother Lloyd as honest ~ That
case az he is in ths. He WeuC
where the church sent him and "A tsr
looking into the matter and finding nothing