The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-03-04
REV. I. j. DUNCAN
Writes an Interesting Letter From
His Home in Texas.
What Might Have Been If Columbia Had
Been Rid of the Demon Rum.-City
~
A. Marshall John Latta.

EDITOR HERALD Ever and anon
you send me number that stirs me.
1 do not know whether it is owing
to my moods, or the tense of my
thoughts. Perhaps it is when Ten
nessee nestles closest to my bosom.
Your issue of Feb. IS is to me a
royal number. That same old
stalwart for God and right continues
to plead for the boys and girls; yes,
and men and women If Columbia.
The world never knew a man made
OF, truer mettle than he. He does
not write much; there is much in
what he writes. / do not remember
to have read anything from his pen
in the interest of humanity that
every word did not seem to tremble
with emotion. | never had a con-
versation with him in the interest
of good neighborhood that there did
not flow out from his heart through
his utterances tenderness and a
sympathy equaled only by his stern
denunciation of wrong. Brave, yet
gentle and loving as woman, dear
old John Latta will be found stand
ing for the right against wickedness
id high places or low when the
Judgment comes, or the death angel
calls.
Poor Scott Davis T. AS ALI Horsley
wrote of Scott Stephens. Poor
Scott! He deserved a better fate
But Columbia's sin against the
former was the same as the sin
against the latter. No sober man
has broken his neck at that foot
bridge. Columbia, by authority of
law, law enacted largely by
christian (?) voters and their in
fluence, made both these men drunk ;
the one was shot through the body,
the other broke his neck. Both
might have been alive to-day but
for that Infamous traffic that now
rides rampant over the best citizens
of Columbia and their highest in
teTests.
That Water Maple Tree sermon
sketch was glimpsy. [ looked in
when the flash came. None bat a
pastor can feel the burden of such
an element of church membership.
Although the solemn vows of the
church are upon them, yet in their
idea of the higher right (?) to act
according to the dictate of their
own consciences, they lose sight OF
babtismal covenant and christian
character, and, as DR.. Kelley so
truly says, they prefer to drift
with the tide rather than stand for
principle" How true his words
when he said, "They were such
tender, sensitive, superficial things
that you couldn't get in speaking
distance of them without treading
on their feelings" How bitter the
malice and prejudice of such people
when once they imagine themselves
sinned against. How pleasant to
turn away from such characterless
elements in society and the church
and think of those in the church of
God who are spiritually minded
those who are not carnally minded
or uhlawfully secular; whose COM
munion with God is regular, fervent.
Those who are active, cheerful,
liberal. There be many in Column
bia, but this is not their shining
place. NOW is not their time. Then
and Merel / am glad DR.. Kelley
continues to hold forth the truth in
its beauty.
1 hope that Columbia will get
Curfew. Then get men who love
the true, the beautiful and the good
to ring it. Had it's tones been heard
and needed there for twenty-five
years past, many who are now past
hope would be numbered among
your best and most influential citi-
Zens.
And so my old friend "Busk" goes
a presiding eldering again! This
time in field that had four of the
best years of my life. 1 can ask
for him no greater blessing than
that it may be as well manned in
its pastoral charges as when i left
it, and that it may pass the figures
in conversions, accessions, church
and parsonage building, and
finances left on record. know
him. He moves at slow intervals,
and with tremendous force. l pre-
dict a move in that district. lie
was at Chestnut Grove yesterday.
When took collection there for
Amis he darted down the hillside
like a jack-rabbit. But the COL
lection was a good one, and helped
out nightly"
L am now closing the first quarter
of my second year in this very
pleasant charge. Last year, though
hard year financially through the
country, was one of prosperity to
our church. The net gain was 68.
All the assessments on the charge
were paid in full. The salary Of the
p. e. was $200-P. c., $1,000. The
church building is reported, includ-
ing lot, $4,000. Is there congrega-
ton in Tennessee wOrshipping in a
house of no more value, and paying
$l,400 for ministerial support? II
We have good crops 1 shall move for
a new church in September. AL
ready our ladies have created the
nucleus of a pew fund. Black Eyes
and live alone in one of the love-
lest cottages in Taylor. 1t is
rented. We rented the parsonage
to another party. Those who know
me and my loyalty to church
property, will not doubt that l had
cause. Mrs. Duncan and l are
aging. We have paid and made
sacrifices for our parsonage interests
for 80 years-but, dear me, here is
the foot of the third page. Shades
Of the waste basket deter me