Birmingham state herald., 1896-08-21
PREACHERS COME TO BLOWS
Polemcs at Red Heat in letohatchie- ments Exhausted and the Appeal Ad
 Hominem Invoked. s

Letohatchie, Aug. .19.-(Speeial Corre- spondence) e)-England may have her lily" and Scotland her "rose," but the "state of Letohatchie," for her size, is the mother of sensations"
 For the past month this community has done nothing but go to church, first the Baptist and then the Methodist, and there has been enough doctrines and church government preached to have proselyted on nine miles into benighted China The feeling on both sides of these world-sav- ing churches has been at welding heat, and printers ink is simply inadequate to describe the existing feeling-family against family, church against church and neighbor against neghbor r
 The facts briefly are these: Rev. MT. Beville (Baptist) held a meeting first at the Union church here; then the Metho- dists begun, Rev. George l.. Jenkins of Bridgeport, Ala, and Rev. MT. Johnston of Fort Deposit, Ala. assisting the pas tor. Mr. Street. sMr. Johnston announced yesterday at the close of his sermon that he would preach last night on a certain doctrinal point peculiar to Methodism, and the church was packed to overflow ing. Among the audience was MT. Be vile and some of his Baptist friends At the close of the services discussion arose 
 were as active participants MT. Beville and MT. Street. After the exercises were over and the crowd repaired to the front of the church some words came up be- tween MT. Beville and MT. Street. the re- suit of the matter being that Mir Beville struck MT Street, and then a free fight ensued between them in the presence of a large portion of the congrega tion. The friends of both parties interfered and the matter was stopped here and quiet re- stored though it would have been an easy matter to have gotten up fight to fin- ish among the warning factions, it being almost a miracle that the old moon was not called on to witness one of the most disgraceful and bloody casualties that ever darkened the escutcheon of this fair state.
 Mr. Johnston last night said: You all have had a, show, and now in presenting our the MethodisD side just sit up and take your medicine, and if you don't we willpour it down you with a spoon." This, coupled with the fact that there had been some hard discussions and feeling among the brethren prior to this, led up to the fight.
 Conservative people and friends of both sides deplore the matter, and are using their influence to bring the unpleasant ness to an amicable settlement, though it is feared the end is not yet.
 Rev. George Jenkins preached pow erful sermon at the Methodist Episcopal church here today, the result being that many joined the church, old scores were wiped out and much good was done.
 Mrs Williams, the aged mother of our fellow townsman, MT. M. T. Williams, died yesterday and was laid to rest at the Steep Creek cemetery today in the presence of many friends and relatives. Mrs Williams was an exemplary Chris tian, beloved by all, and good woman has gone to her rest
 The circuit court of Lowndes county is in session. in Hayneville, Judge Tyson. presiding.
 It is rumored here this afternoon that many witnesses have been summoned in connection with the disgraceful affair at the church last night. x!
 The crop is about, as last year in thasl section--corn good; cotton about haf.
 GA Rosa 1,v Anv Other Name. .'s Etc.