The record-union., 1896-05-31
OTHER Side OF THE STORY.
The Thrashins Of Re-. dr.. Meek Near
Folsom.
a Friend of the Minister Denounces
1t as Having Been Cowardly
and Brutal.

A correspondent at Folsom, over the
nom de plume of "Onlooker,'' sends the
following criticism of the recent as
sault on Rev. Mr.. Meek of that place
by the husband of a woman whom it
is claimed, the preacher had denounced
from the pulpit for some alleged, but
unexplained transgression. The writer
says:
Under the heading "A Preachers Bad
Break" the Record Union of Friday
| gives a sensational account of certain
| events which are said to have taken
place at Folsom. 1t was not last week,
as the article had it, but last month, or
about five weeks ago. If the preachers
side of the story should be given as it is
known to his friends, another article
| equally spicy might be written
! Now, good many people who are not
members of the church in which Rev.
Mr.. Meek preached have been looking
on and making their. own comment upon
the occurrence, their sympathies being
very largely with the minister
1t is a notorious fact that the church
at Folsom is so hard to get along with
| that at the meeting CT conference last
summer not a minister was found will
ing to take charge of it for this present
year. One came to supply the pulp-t
! for few weeks, and another preached
two Sabbaths. SO il came about that
| the Presiding Elder sent out ito the
little town a young man who had just
arrived from New Zealand, and who
consequently knew nothing of the diff
culties of the situation.
The few outside of his congregation
at Folsom who became really well ac-
qUainted with him found him to be a
| gentleman of superior education, one
who had travelled much and observed
wisely. He soon showed himself to be
a person of great energy and preached
statedly a four different points, involv-
| ing long and tiresome rides in perform
ing the duties required by his scattered
parish. All this, too, for a salary which
would be very little removed from
starvation to the average clerk in Cal
| ifornia.
The malaria, which lies in wait for
the newcomer in Folsom, attacked him
at the first opportunity, and much of
| his work was done in great weakness
and WEAKNESS. Possibly a little bit of
homesickness added its weight to crush
1 dC oIA dd4St1 SOJOu1 AAll4S3 III q Sli dlASc
land. From almost the first he was
subjected to a sort of petty persecution,
his actions and motives being misrep-
resented and misunderstood.
On the Sabbath evening referred to
in the previous chapterfef this chronicle
he was forced to take ;nDtice of soriie'
annoyances more flagrant than usual.
He had already preached twice that
| day, and was at the last stage of weari
ness and exhaustion. SO he possibly
spoke with less temperance than a
stronger man might have done. He
mentioned no names in his denuncia-
tion, making later developments appear
to those of us who looked on as a con-
fession Of probable guilt on the part Of
those who felt aggrieved.
But what of the "big man and strong
| for his size" who had blood in his eye" ,"
and who followed the small sick man
cut into the country, where he had gone
| for a rest and to escape from the ma
laria and other annoyances of Folsom? :?
| There is a law in California, for the ex-
press benefit of libeiers.A But it was not
law the big man wanted, but revenge.
How very brave it was in him to en-
ttce the other man to distance from
probable help, and behind closed doors
proceed to beat the weaker man into
insensibility! It may have been fun
to some one, possibly to the friend"
who stood by and saw the cowardly act
committed. s1
| AS to the Constable who allowed hime
self to be backed up into a manger and
from there watched what might easily
have been murder; it is such officers
of our commonwealth who make it pos
sible for crime to stalk redhanded in
cur midst.
| That the big man was not put under
arrest for battery Is due to the fact
that Mr.. Meek did not know his own
rights in the case, he being a stranger
to the laws in this part of the world.
AS, too the other statements. Word
was not sent to the Presiding Elder, for
| the reason that that gentleman was at
the time in the far East If he had been
here the investigation would have had
a different ending. Mr.. Meek was not
fired out" but obeyed the Scriptural
| injunction to shake off the dust from his
feet of city that proved itself un-
worthy.
Those who care to know of his where
abouts may easily find him in a neigh
boring town, where he is engaged in
! Christian work with another denomi-
nation that does not treat its ministers
| so badly.
After the above exhibition on the part
of certain of the denizens of Folsom,
! they of Sacramento need not wonder
that Folsom does not wish for a good
road between the two points. A resort
to fistic arguments to settle contro-
versy and poor roads belong TO the same
chronological period, some two or three
hundred years back.
| Robert Emmet Club picnic, East