Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1897-08-20
Who is The Slanderer?
To the Editor Of the Economist:

Evangelist, in a manner not in
any sense complimentary. You
assert that Mr.. Melton made the
following statement: That a
young man with land, and $500
cash in his pocket, a gold head,
ed cane, a new suit of clothes,
made in dudish style, could 60
into any parlor in Elizabeth
City and take lady to ride and
keep her until midnight and I'M
til the break of day if he so de-
sired" We admit. if Mr.. Melton
had used the language attribut~
ed to him i'll the above bungling
paragraph, there would have
been ground for censure on the
part Of the good people of E.
City and he would have been
repremanded by the Board of
Managers of our Missionary
convention. But instead of using
the language you attribute to
him, this is what he said: CA
young man of wealth and all the
qualifications of a dude, such as
a gold-headed cane, new suit
of clothes and perhaps with a
questionable character, can go
into parlors that purport to be
respectable and associate with
young ladies, take them to ride
and prolong the ride, if desired,
until the break of day" 1t will
be noted, from the above, that
there is a material difference
between your publication and
what Mr.. Melton really said. It
is plainly evident that you take
advantage to distort his language
and bring him and his work in
to disrepute before the good peo>
pie of +. City. The Board OF
Managers Of the N. {. c. M. G.
in session tol~> make the follow
ling statement for your personal
information and also for the in
formation of that portion of your
readers who are in sympathy
with the perverted publication
of Mr.. Melton declaration:
1. Rev. B. H. Melton is a
young man Of unsullied charact-
er, godly, weak, humble and de,
vout in all his private and pubs
lie ninistrations, No stain has
ever furnished his good name.
2. He is a graduate of Ken,
lucky University and enjoys the
confidence and esteem of the
faculty and students of that
celebrated institution of learns
ing.
:. He is a native of North
Carolina. Born and reared in
Jones county, where his score of
friends are ready to testify to his
model character, conservative
and conciliatory disposition and
his infexible devotion to right
and detestation to wrong.
4. He was employed last Octo-
Der as State Evangelist, by the
North Carolina Christian Mis-
tsionary Convention with the
greatest unanimity. Wherever
he has been his services have
been abundantly blessed not only
in widening the territory of the
church, but in making all with
whom he has associated wiser
and better. 1t is the Economist
of E. City that takes occasion to
cast a shadow over a faithful
man and impede the progress
of that cause which is dear to
the heart of Mr.. Melton and all
his co-workers.
5. We trust you will hasten to
correct that part of your item
which says Mr.. Melton "pro-
Tossing to be a preacher of the
church," Such ignorance is
objectionable. "Professing 10 be
a preacher OF the Disciples
church, Mr.. Melton does not
profess to be a minister of the
"Disciples church." He is only
a minister of the church of
Christ, without afix Or prefix.
While your caustic remark may
imply that he is a fraud. tramp
Or something worse, yet We wish
to say to that he is not only a
professor, but he is a possessor
and clothed with authority to
speak for those who have sent
him out and who are responsible
for both his teaching and prac-
tice.
5. AS the Economist is patrons
lied by Disciples in Currituck,
Perquimans, Washington, Tyr
rell and Hyde counties, we hope
you will in justice to them, as
we'll as the 900 commitments
in the State, correct your sland-
erous publication, and thereby
manifest a spirit to place our
State Evangelist in a fair light
before your readers.
We cannot believe that the