Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-04-25
A VINDIOATIOE OF PASTOR AND
COMBINATION.

Dear Editor OF the PLANEr:-
do not think that unnecessary /
spats or brawis should be INDUCED IN /
through the columns OF newspapers,
but do think that the public should 1
have the benefit of kaONing the truth |
concerning matters. whenever false /
hood has been published. You will /
please therefore TO allow me space In /
the columns OF your paper for the fol /
lowing lines:
/ now speak in vindicatiOn OF our
Pastor. Rev b +. Fox, and our z on
gregation, as each has been misrepre-
scented in an article written 10y Brother
f III NJ" and published IN The Re-
former" OF March 2Stl, issue.
The Brother attempted 10 reply TO
what said in my letter TO the Plan
ET, respecting our Pastors sermon on
the Mote and Beam. but he made mat
ters worse for himself and no better
for his side of the question Extracts
from his article were read to our con-
gregatiOn and the base misrepresenta-
tion of facts caused general surprise.
which leaves him much lower IN the
estimation of those, who may have
thought him TO be truthful man
Referring TO our Pastors preaching,
and especially to the above mentioned
sermon, he says: Every sermon was
what l believed to be a lighting one"
etc This expression tends to misre-
present and justice demands the fcl
] lowing explanation Our Pastor claims
that there is a difference between The
Church of Christ and such Institutions
of men, as the United Order of rue
Reformers." which he believes TO be
detrimental to the interests of our peo-
III. Il. MT
prise of men, (if True RefOrmers viii
operate) they ought to conduct their
business out side of the church. in
common with other worldly business
enterprises, and let the church alone.
This is all that our Pastor asks of them
or any other institution of the kind
tie does not leave the town, nor his
pulpit TO interfere with any thing that
does net interfere with him or his
work, but leaders of True Reformers
demand that they shall have hearing
from his pulpit, and that his time and
energy shall be given TO fostering their
enterprise, to which he will not agree.
This is the cause OF the fighting ser
MONS" of which our Brother speaks in
his article. They were just such ser.
. mons as any faithful pastor would
! preach under like circumstances.
Referring again to the pastors SER
mon on the Mote and Beam, this Brotl
er saws that, "All but n few were dis
pleased, so much so until the member
arr not coming to the church as the,
;, were" etc This assertion is not only
misleading in its tendency. but is
:, base fabrication of the truth
The truth of the matter is, that ser
mon met the hearty approval of nearl.
: all of the five hundred, or more, per
s sons present, except that Brother AM
a few other True Reformers Man
were very outspoken in commend
: of it, before leaving the church and o
n their way home. In my shOe-shoI
: where many collect daily, it was tn
subject of favorable comment for man
s days.
d 1.-THE members not coming to tn
n church as they were" must refer t
It the members of the Order of True Re
10 formers. They stad away from tn
20 services of the church, (and thus prov
lie ed the truthfulness of our pastors pre-
re diction } but our congregation is ger
he orally SO large and they are so few
number, that their absence attracte
ie but little notice.
To say that our congregation hs
g been driven from its place of worshi
III 81 such the refer red :
he is to say, in effect, that we Gas COZ
L gregation) have become so CORFU
ne that we cannot bear the preaching
sh the gospel of Christ, which is not tru
Rev Fox breaches fighting sermons
es when occasion demands it. He fougl
a the bar-rooms until we have none Car
have not had any in Salem for lor
h. time He fought other public eN
practices of persons, in and out of Il
III church, until we have left them off al
CD others keep them hidden. He sa
that Every christian who rightly Vi
cerstands the realities Of christis
o. life, will join the Psalmist in sayin
Blessed be the Lord my Strengt
he which teacheth my hands to war al
r. my fingers to fight.W
he The Reverend has been our past
nearly eleven years and instead of q
IS minishing our congregation by preac
TO ing the truth, it has been more thu
oy doubled. He has not only been allo'
IS ed TO make war against what he belle
he ed to be wrong, but has been encou
RS aged in doing so, by the congregatio
ny The following extract from his 10
M Anniversary Address, (Which was pa
ey lished in pamphlet form by the churc
ar and given to the public. will prove
~ correctness of my assertion . ca
ug not say that you have been ha
M church or congregation to serve, I
al there is no pulpit in this broad a
free land, in which the pastor has be
BIT allowed more freedom of speech, tn
OF l have had here. l have endeavored
up make war, and lean in battle, agar
no the evils confronting us--and while
;e' few may not have given their approx
ne and cooperation, you as a church a
Use congregation, have stood by my ST
rd and have helped to push our battles
MS the gate : \ The burden has seem
I'm heavy at times, but you have helped
II bear 1t, and to-day, | feel to be stan
ne ing among many warm hearted cO-wo
ne ers. whose hearts, heads and hands a
got still ready 10 help push the work of {
me Master forward "
q Yes, Mr.. Editor; we have stood
he his side, and are still standing by
standing, and we will continue to sta
OF by his side, ready to- help push the VIC
ey of the Master forward )" so long as he
In faithful and true to his calling, or un
10 in the providence of God he is no lor
les er our shepherd.
by am yours for the right,
ne ). 7. BANKS,
Clerk of the Church
in
)ut .