The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-17
CYRUS VS.THE CHURCH
PRESIDENT THOMPSON OF THE
ALLIANCE, TALKS "WUSSER
AND WISER"
HIS FREEDOM VS. CHURCH SLAVERY


SAYS the Alliance has Received Little
Encouragement and positive OPP
position at the Hands of the ChnTcf
--''I can Stand TO Speak W hat Con
ceive to be True With Reference t.
any Organization''--ThO a
Cary as Opposed to Luther at Worm'
--Banks his Argument Largely on
Ben Adhem as a Friend OF Men,.
Ergo, the Church Opposing the Ben
Adhemites, by his Logic, Would seem
to be the Foe of Men--If his Ambi'
tion is Realized Humanity May be
Free'' Yet, in Spi e of the Church,
A Merry Middle.
From the Progressive Farmer.
On the 10th day of August, in brief
speech at Cary, made some remarks
which though well received at the time
and without unfavorable or unkind COM
ment by those who heard me, have since
been the subject of considerable crltl-
cism. SO far as have seen IN the pub
lie prints, my critics constil ute, if may
use a term that constantly bangles from
the pen of the reverend editor of the
Wilmington Messenger man who
felt called TO preach in time of war and
called to quit in time of peace-the
same gang" that expressed so great so
licitude for the welfare Of the Alliance
-, ,&
tears, it event into politics and ruined
itself refused, in other words, to be
the tool of the machine of Democracy in
North Carolina.
Prodigal with vile epithets upon me,
they again seem solicitous for the vel
fare of the Order under my presidency.
Having tolerated without protest, il they
have not actively upheld, most outrage
Gus frauds upon the ballot, they without
the least compurciion ride forth as the
champions of the church.
Lacking honesty of purpose, they
neither appreciated nor desired to appre-
ciate the spirit and temper in which |
uttered the sui iect matter of their harsh
amimadversiors. 1t was sufficient for
them If had said something that they
might wrest FROM its appropriate setting
and use against me to the injury Of the
Alliance.
The first Of my accusers was the NEWS
AND OBSERVER Tie Gideonites, who
had deceived Joshua that they might re-
main in the promised land, were content
afterward to be made hewers of wood
and drawers of water If only they were
permitted to live. Certain journalists
who have deceived the people of North
Carolina would not be content to occupy
SO clear position as that they naturally
seek lower plane, preferring always to
drop below the common level where they
can find mud.
/ have no az ology to offer on account
of the speech made at Cary. / said
nothing unadvisedly. The same speech
| would make again tomorrow before
any audience. Ny judgment of the at
titude of the church is either correct or
incorrect. / believed then, as believe
now, that my estimate is true. 1t was,
therefore, what ought to have spoken.
If it is true, indeed, it is what any man
should have said, and I did, in thu t
case, absolutely right in declaring it.
Am / to be censured for right doing
One good pastor says But, my
brother, will it not hurt the church for
YOU to say it Evidently he knew the
import Of the French saying, "Toute
verite nest pas bonnie dire" 1t can
hurt the church only if it be true. And
if the truth hurts the church, the church
ought to be hurt. If it is untrue, on
the contrary, nothing would so much
help the church as the demonstration of
its untruthfulness. For this at least is
true, that 10 the church and out of the
church, among Alliancemen and non
Aliiancemen, Populists, Prohibitionists,
Democrats deep in the heart of the toll
ing mass of mankind who struggle con
sciously or unconsciously toward the di-
vine image and cry with bitter longing,
ssThy Kingdom come, Thy will be done
on earth as it is in Heaven!' you will find
that the thought for utterance Of which
/ am censured and abused has found
wide Judgement and grows surprisingly
into conviction.
That the public may know the spirit
and temper Of my utterances, wherein
am said to have attacked, "slandered'
and ''blasphemed" the church of Christ
| desire to summarize here what / ssid
on that occasion without special prepa
ration. spoke my every day thoughts
| am an Allianeeman because | desire tC
be. and trust | am a Christian. / be
lieve, with Milton, that there are NJ
songs to be compared with the songs O
Zion. no orations equal to those of th'
prophets, and no politics equal to those
the Scriptures can teach us | spoke o.
the work OF the Alliance as a politica
educator. There would be no excuse f0l
its existence, especially in a republic
where the citizen is theoretically SOY
ereign, if it attempted to educate an(
did not extend its teaching along politi
cal lines. IL attempts TO educate Sin ;
strictly non partisan spirit" the Onl!
spirit in which ., man can ever arrive a
the truth "Ye shall know the truth
and the truth shall make you free"
truth applicable alike in politics and il
religion The partisan, whether in poll
IN, roli oysffa faIiaviuey fhof ha h