The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1895-09-17
AGE OE DISCUSSIONS.
A. Negative, II Not a Positive
Benefit Derived.
WkMs tbe Social. tho Religicus and
the Political Worlds Find to
Talk About Sam Jones'
Letter.
COPYRIGHT, 1898,

uioeuosioh vi oHy SuoIeCt III tilS Col-
umns of the press, on the hustings, In
the pulpit, throws light, and 1t gives
the speakers the opportunity to air
their views, and the editors and scrib-
blers for papers and magazines an out
let, when otherwise they would bust"
Take the silver question, and shut of
the discussion-now, what would some
men talk about, and what could some
others write about? When thing
gets in a man and on a man and
through a man he's got to talk or die,
or write or die. If every man was
gold bugger"-oy every man was
"silver digger"-all on one side-would
there not be a lull, quiet, as profound
as the grave? But Us it is, every man
can talk and write whether he has any
views or not, or any sense or not.
My motto is give the boys a chance.
am bv them and many Of their argu-
mentn like the preacher was by the dy-
ing man, whom he had been called to
see, aud when he walked into the dy.
ing mans presence the poor fellow was
swearing at fearful rate. The preach
er stood and listened a few minutes
and then said to the dying man:
That's right. my friend; let it out, let
it out; it won't do for you to die with
all that in you; let it out" So say to
gold bugger and silver digger, let It
out, boys, let it out; 1t won't do to con-
fine such arguments and logic and let
them stagnate. 1t will bring on yellow
fever, typhoid fever, smallpox, ETC.,
etc.; so much better as a running stream
than as stagnant pond.
In politics, in religion, In the social
circle, we must have outlet for our
views and opinions. The religious
world has always had its controversies
and its discussions iufallibility
of the pope, the quantity of water, and
how it's to be applied. In doctrine and
discipline, etc., we differ--we have
men who hold different views on all
these questions and they are anxious to
air them. Good men differ, fools quar-
rel, knaves fight and towards hide out.
He who has a just cause, and sense and
manhood to maintain it, need not fear
to 60 into the arena. Keep cool, keep
clear and keep courageous, and you
will at least get hearing whether you
get victory or not, md !ts worth
much to get hearing.
A man who has just cause has much
to be thankful for If he can be heard
and read by the public whom he
would iafluence. He need not ask men
to argue with him, but compel their
silence and respect as he talks, and as
sure as truth is more powerful than
falsehood he will sooner or later win
them to his side. A good man with
just cause can afford to present his
views and then wait thousand years
for vindication nnd Endorsement. In
church and state we may expect dis
cussions and disagreement. The fell
low who keeps cool and keeps sweet is
the fellow admire. / don't like for
folks to get mad, and raise cain, about
anything.
We are now having in the religious
world much discussion on varied
topics. / believe the subject that
Methodists are now most split on and
are discussing most vehemently is the
question of local preachers and evan
gclists. The question negatively stated
is about this: An itinerant preacher
cannot be local preacher, local
preacher cannot be an evangelist. To
be q preacher at all you must be an
itinerant or local preacher, therefore
an evangelist is no preacher at all.
God and the Bible. saints and sinners,
recognize evangelists as preachers;
some bishops and some presiding elders
do not recognize them. Therefore the
recognition they get from God and the
Bible, saints and sinners, don't count
because ccclesiasticism is greater than
Bible and saints and sinners So one
can readily see the evangelist and eccle-
siasticism can't hook up together. But
If the evangelists can keep God and the
Bible, saints and sinners with them
they won't be troubled mnch with
ccclesiasticism. They live and work in
different hemispheres.
In the social realm we have discus
sions. The modern woman is now up
before the public. OF her manners, her
dress, her privileges, ETC., much Is be-
| ing said and written; but the modern
woman is on us, and on her bicycle,
and in her bloomers, and the only ques-
ton now is: Has she come to stay? II
so we must make room for her and
make arrangements to take care OF her,
and then proceed with the argument.
| II shc is to vote and to hold office, then
we must divide the spoils and Offices
with her. II she Is to have our pants
we rust proceed to take on different
habits and customs and clothing. The
distinctive differences must be main
tanned II man must put on dress and
bonnet.
Ibelieve that while the discussions
are going on we should begin to shape
things practically towards coming
events." Discussions are the forerun-
ners Of the things we are writing and
talking about. We see in imagination
| first then with our eyes. Don't differ
| too strongly with anybody on any sub
iect. They may be right, you wrong.
sspony be on another mans tricks
and don't bet It al on your own-tnst
| 3 e 70 theory. We may have double
standard, both gold and silver. some
day Ne nay ali recognize the intsii-
biiity ~ the pope. for aught know.
Evanrelisfs NAV BE- preachers as mucn
% s itinerant or local preachers some
| dav, and bicycles and bioomers may yes
reiru wherever tho sun doth his sner
eeectvo joexneys run