The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-04-20

said: ~ have an unpleasant duty TO
perform, at this time because / know that
this conference is ovsrw Northumberland
me. 10 err is human-to forgive is de-
vine. AS lawyer / know something
about the errors Of other men, and i
know that have made many of them
myself. All men are liable to err, and
in this respect am human. Brethren,
for fifteen years have prayed for, worked
for and begged for that institution of
which am one of the trustees. For if
teen years have struggled for this in
stitution and contributed means to the
best of my ability. | have exercised my
best judgment In every not have per-
formed for that school and ! bow my
head if have made mistakes.H
Ii Charles j. Clark were alive, con-
1lhued Mr.. Locke, with emotion, he'd
tell you what the necessities of that in
stibutlon were. He consented to start
OUT and try and lift the debS of that
SCHOOL Brother Palmer worked earnest
~ ana theoretically and succeeded in
raising $1,000, more than one-half of
wElch was contributed by the board Of
trustees, and only $4,000 was collected in
the church. Necessities induced us to
put steam into this building. We had
no money, and we did not know where
the next dollar was coming from. but we
decided to trust in God and put in the
steam and we did. When this was dane
had annfhQr oil,
the churches to beg for money, hut we
couldn't get one cent from any of you.
We appealed to the conference. but Won
turned us out without grain OF hope.
You ministers know US and we are all
men of honor on that board OF trustees -
All but one some one shouted.
MT. Locke turned to that part of the
floor from which the voice came, and in
voice broken with emotion and in the
moat excited manner he shouted: "Put
me off the board if you will Put me off
the board and call me a dishonorable
man if you will. have lived in this city
for many years and defy you to show
one blemish on my character. Put me
off,
We mean the BREWER shouted the
voice again.
Aud he is an honorable man too, /"
continued Mr.. Locke.
81 say that from the bottom of my
heart. ! never voted for a measure with
more confidence that I was doing what
was right and for the good OF the school
than did for that one which made Mr..
Jones member OF the board of trustees.
did not vote for it until l had prayed
God to show me the right path, and my
action was, ] firmly believe, in answer to
my prayers. That institution was suffer-
ing for its very necessities. We had to do
something for it. If we committed an
error can't you forgive us?'' Mr.. Locke,s
voice was SO much overcome by emotion
at this point that he could scarcely 60 on
speaking. Or, he went on, are you going
to take US by the throat as if we were
highwaymen and make us stand and de-
liverf''
THAT man, continued Mr.. Locke,
referring again to MIR. Joness appoiut-
ment. "helped us voluntarily out of our
difficulties -
''Of course he did. Exactly. That's
just it, shouted several persons on the
floor.
lone moment" cried Mr.. Locke OK
citedly. "One moment"
"It is easy for you,'' he confirmed
fiercely. to condemn men for their
motives before you know anything about
them or before you have heard their side
OF the story. Brother Munger you We no
right to insult man who has accented
our hOnors. You We no right to cal to
account a man who was an innocent par-
ty to the whole transaction. Don't. don't
beg OF you, don't cut us off from the
conference. You don't know what Won
are doing. You don't rightly understand
this thing l would resign if I could. T.
wouldn't stay one minute ON the board Of
trustees of that school if thought that
you would have the power to fill nv
place. But you haven't that power. T.
was put there by man who has coatr;-
Duted thousands to various institutions.
ehN Il AdAIou ALL yUu would at once
recognize his name. Aud no one but this
man can I'LL my place. But shall not
remain in this place and every year be
treated with insults. shall not be la,bed
again and again for my acts by this con
ference when am trying to do my duty
to that institution which looks to this
church for support Sooner than that T
shall withdraw from the Methodist
church and ask God to forgive me.
There are good faithful men in this
conference Mr.. Locke was now be-
coming more and more fierce in his Ian
guage. There ara good men in this
conference who would have voted Just as
voted. Have you no confidence in me
or in the other members of the board of
trustees? BY your refusal to send a board
OF visitors to this school you cut us off
from the Maine Conference. Don't act
hastily I beg Of you. ! say that there is
no more conscientious Sabbath loving
school in this country than the one we
are conducting there, and yen oan,t find