Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-03-13
MILFORD, PIKE COUNTY, Pa, FRIDAY, MARCH i3, 1896.

soventy-five dollars, 1t being the amount
Of subscriptions in my hands for that pur-
pose. And further hereby agree to, and
will bind myself in legal bond to increase
that amount 10 two hundred dollars II ne
cessary, provided all Of the amount or as
much as is needed Of the same is to be paid
to the pastor upon the conviction Of Mr..
Vansickle In our Sussex county court. /
only want'what is right, be IL bir Demingp
or Mr.. Vansickle who is doomed to suffer.
Now please note that we have asked for the
prosecution Of MIR. Vansickle agreeing TO
pay all expenses If he is found guilty. We
have asked for the trial of Mr.. Deming on
the charges before ecclesiastical tribunal,
that we have asked Mr.. Demings to prefer
charges against us for uncbristlan conduct
towards him, that few days ago we asked
Nelson Depue, a member of our church
board to prefer charges against us for SLAM
dering and falsely accusing our pastor, all
Of which favors have been denied us. We
are painfully aware that if our charges are
true our pastor is very guilty man, which
guilt seriously involves others. II our
charges are untrue we are guilty as his
false accusers. In view of these facts we
claim that we are entitled to the privileges
and rights guaranteed to us by our church
discipline, together with the customs and
usages of Republican form of govern
ment. Now Mr.. Editor, l am somewhat
bewildered as to where right ends and
wrong commences, am told by some that
II is better to cover up the offences Of the
clergy than to expose them. That some
how or other their sins should be absorbed
by the laity that this method of absorp-
tion would make the people better and
save disgrace on the church and profession.
am told that 1t is better to swallow this
camel of iniquity to save or prevent the
coming of the gnat of disgrace, now would
1t not be better to put your foot upon this
gnat, crushing it at once, and thus avoid
the necessity of swallowing the camel. l
would like to know if 1t is more honorable
to see how far one may enter into the
whirlpool of sin.
Before he will expose himself to the GER
tainty Of the danger of being dashed over
the precipice of eternity across the abyss
into the pit of eternal damnation, than 1t
is to see how far one may keep away from
that whirlpool of sin and destruction.
Come, my friends, let us reason together,
let us look at all these matters in their
true light. If you think my acts towards
my pastor have been wrong won't you
please bring charges against me, in proper
form, before an impartial tribunal / am
tired of seeing you play hide and seek, con-
cerning matters which affect the welfare
Of the whole church, am disgustsd with
the many methods Of evasion which you
have adopted to accomplish your ends. Let
every person answer, and be held response
BILE for his own acts. Let every question
stand or fall by its merits or demerits. Do
not allow yourselves to appropriate,
as @scapegoat the life and person of an
other individual Of your own church and
community. Therefore 1 ask you to re-
lease me from the ban which you have. i'm
posed upon me, but do not want that re
lease until the aforesaid charges have been
preferred against me. Now my friends,
appeal to you again, don't condemn your
pastor until you find him guilty. Neither
condemn me as false accuser, until we
have both feen heard and given fair trial.
brought charges first against my pastor.
But you may now bring charges against
me and try me first, again say 1 only
want what is right. 1 am convinced Of the
truth Of certain questions. You may not
be convinced, yet you may be mistaken,
you refuse to take the necessary steps to
ascertain the truth. Some of you refuse to
allow me even a moment of your atten-