The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-08-01
REV. JoHNsoN's RESPONSE.

have an interest In your own honor and
welfare; and, second, because they we're
n virtual invitation 10 me 10 write you
this letter. was disappointed, first,
because your committee did not visit
me; second, because your committee
failed 10 sign their names 10 the resolu-
tions; third, because have been entirely
misrepresented In the whole body Of
resolutions; fourth, because your haste
and indiscretion may entail cruel suffer-
Ing on my wife In her present weak
physical conditions should she learn Of
the misunderstanding between us. SO
far as my personal feelings are con
cerned, am not In the least annoyed
by your resolutions, for rather expect
cd some OF you to get angry; but ]
believed then, and still believe, that
when you understand me, you will say
have proven myself one OF your truest
friends.
fear the members Of your committee
were not present 10 hear my sermon, II
they were, then am astounded beyond
all measure that they should have 80
misunderstood me. have but little
doubt that whoever circulated the re-
port Of my sermon came 10 the church
10 hear the capitalist slandercd and the
laborer praised. He expected Of me
what had no right TO do, and, there
fore, was disappointed. You believe IL
my duty TO denounce the sins Of capital
lists and corporations. I believe IL also;
and had your committee attended my
church on the evening Of July 8, 1894.
and on one or two occasions previous TO
that, It's members might have under
stood clearly enough that | had no
sympathy with those who "oppress the
hirelng in his wages" But do you not
believe also that should reprove the
laborer for his sins? do; and, there
fore, on the morning Of the 18th Of July
! called attention 10 number Of the
sins Of the laboring man, and especially
those that have been noticeable during
".
did not think IL wise TO delay this SER
mon until everybody had forgotten
about these strikes, that would make
the sermon old and stale, entirely de-
void Of power; but I believed that IL
should be delivered at the time selected :
when people would be In mood TO hear
n1 90 t.n he ,t.th q. Ia 4.
burning force. To reprove sin after IL
has been forgotten by those who com
mitted IL, Is as foolish as TO administer
medicine TO man after he Is dead and
to reprove 30 mildly that no one knows
that he has been reproved is extremely
foolish and weak. Now my dear broth
ers, would reproye the sins Of both the
capitalist and laborer even though /
were sure the next moment would bury
me a mile deep under the bitterest i'm
predatory resolutions. But / said you
will agree with me as soon as you un-
derstand me, therefore hear my defense:
My sermon opened with the declara-
tion that / was not taking sides with
either Capital or Labor, but as minis
ter Of Christ was about TO point out the
sins Of one party as had Of the other. I
then spoke highly Of the orderly con-
duct Of the miners Of our community
during the recent strike, but regretted
that we heard 80 many expressions Of
sympathy for the lawless outbreaks in
other places. Referring TO the strike
at Chicago / mentioned a number OF
acts that were self evident transgres-
sions Of the law Judge Grosscuups
recent charge TO the special U. s. grand
jury will more than bear me out in my
statements). mentioned also the very
unwise step Of Mr.. Debs in reproving
the President for sending troops TO Chi
cago; and added that very probably one
Of our foolish popular customs had en-
couraged him to make the blunder.
We American people are in the habit
Of senselessly criticising and condemn
ing the president Of the United States
and other officials who do not belong To
our party. When sensible men do this
in their homes and places Of business, II
encourages the less thoughtful classes
to be still bolder In their denunciations,
and these in turn encourage others, and
so down to the criminal classes whose
denunciations at last end in anarchy
Now, my brethren, If that declaration
involves the laboring man it also In
wolves every other American citizen
and II am to be denounced, the whole
country ought TO do it. AT another
time referred to a gentleman whom
had personally reproved for not doing
better by his men. This man answered
me be by saying, whats the use, thes,
men are ignorant and would only spent
their money over the bar for drink any
way" I then pointed out the sat
neglect Of education in our own ant
other communities, and dwelt on thu
awful habit SO many laboring men hav'
of squandering money for drink, Will,