The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1895-10-24

no effect whatever upon the busi-
ness Of this paper or the reputa-r
tion of its editor, who, by the
way, claims the same right, in this
| glorious land OF free thought, free
speech and religious liberty, to
follow the dictates Of her own con-
science and act upon her own
judgment as to what is right and
what is wrong, as any other hu-
man being, even though she has
not applied for license to preach,
belongs to no sect and is bound
by no creed.
AN OPEN LETTER.
DURHAM, N. G.,
October 81, 1895.
REV. l.. l.. JOHNSON,
East Durham, Y. G.,
SIR
You are indebted to your wan
ton and unwarranted personal at
tack upon me from your pulpit
on Sunday last for what / here
with say. In the beginning, !
wish it distinctly understood that
| adhere to my original PROPOSE
ton, that no sane man had a right
to take exception to my editorial
in the Sun Of Tuesday, and that
your having done so is either the
result Of ulterior personal motive,
or else q reflection upon your pre-
siding Elder, the balance Of the
Durham clergy and church peo-
pie generally, who would very
properly have been in arms against
me had | been one tenth as venal
as your garbled and forced deduc-
tions made me appear to your
congregation on Sunday.
Personalities are distasteful, ey-
en- to a newspaper man, but you
have forced the issue on that line
and / shall have to get down to
| it And just here / want to say
that it matters not whether you
are the willing tool of that secret
band Of conspirators, whose edict
has gone forth, that neither l no-
any other newspaper person with
courage enough to tell-in the in-
terest Of common right and COM
mon humanity-oft their question
able practices, shall do business
in Durham; or whether you want
to make me a scape goat for the
reeking corruption that pervades
the atmosphere you breathe, l will
mot be led like a lamb to the
slaughter.
Hyou have picked me out be-
cause j was a comparative stran-
ger here, and therefore practically
without influential friends, as an
easy subject for your priestly per-
secution, ] tell you candidly, you
have made an egregious mistake.
Happily, / ean refer to ministers
of all denominations in towns
where / have lived and been con.
nected with the press, for proof
that / have done my part for the
suppression Of vice and immorali.
lty, and that | righted my wrong:
whether they came from the sane.
tuary or elsewhere.
There is hardly a newspaper
lin the state which would give
space for q controversy on the line
Of personal vituperation such as
you had laid down, and as ! can
not invade the sanctuary, and
don't suppose you want TO hide
behind il, il you want 10 air your
sophistry, vent your spleen, and
think the notoriety thus obtained
will be as incense 10 you and the
cause you profess, | suggest that
business is dull with the job prin'
tiers. and that in hand bills stuck
lup by the side Of circus posters oi
elsewhere, we will be on an equal
footing.
In a hand bill ] can tell why i
lis that rich members Of the church
can engage in polluting the youth
Of the country physically and NOR
ally for pelf, can race horses, rur
ball rooms, bar rooms, gambling
lhells, deal in cotton futures, an,
| 20 unscathed by you holy wrath
how on Sunday you pronouncet
your "Bull" with all the authorit,
of a Romish Pope-obliterating al
freedom Of conscience. and in
Istructing your stewards to inaugu
rate a system Of espionage aite
the pattern Of the iuquisition; ho,
lCy Thompson was right in the as
sertion, that the church was on I'll
"side VI human slavery" certainl
az far as East Durham isconcernet
And there are many oths
things you wot not Of which coul
be put In a circular. You ha,
hurled the gage Of battle in m
1 ..N~4, F.nn \ hara ~ olfornuAit