The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1898-08-11
CHURCH PER1Ls.

prominent layman OF the M. II.
Church South, Hon. F. C. Robbins,
of Lexington, N. e., has written an
open letter in reference to the Book
Concern matter. He takes as his
Immediate text a set of preambles
and resolutions, bearing upon the
subject, which were introduced at the
recent session of the Salisbury Dis
trict Conference and which were not
adopted.
deIIce taken in the case of the Pub
fishing House claim, by the Senate of
the United States, shows that in pro-
curing the passage of the bill. allow
ing the 1888, 900, deception was
practiced by E: B. StahlmaH, attor-
ney, and connived at, il not actually
participated in, by Barbee & Smith,
book agents, and that the Church
cannot and does not endorse such
methods of recovering even II just
claim, as this was, and cannot
afford to receive and use money SO
obtained. The resolutions declare
it to be the sense of the Conference
that the offending members should
be dealt with by the proper church
authorities and that the 1888 900
should be rendered back to the
Treasury of the United States.
Mr.. Robbins says lone would sup
pose there could not lie two opinions
on such a question, but the vote on
that paper and occasional express
sions from Others Indicate that some
men are still in the Jog on this grave
matter" The writer then proceeds
to discuss the subj .ct in very frank
and forceful manner, and in pointing
out the danger confronting the
church uses this pertinent language:
"Shall we be dominated by the
moDey-loving, money grabbing spirit
of this age and fall into the same
snare about this $2SS 900, into
which Barbee & Smith fell when Sen
| ator Bate wired them that the bill
attorney? If we yield to that temp
| tatioD, retain the money and con-
| tinue Birbee 4 Smith as our agents,
then every pulpit in our grand Meth
odist Episcopal Church, South, will
be discredited and may as we'll quit
| preaching about stunning the ap-
pearance OF evil, or any thing else,
for their power will be gone, and
they will cease to be the spiritual III
| strucLOrs and leaders of the people,
and the church will lose more than
2SS goo members by Withdrawals
| and 10y failure to bring into it's fold
| those it might have reached, If it had
not taken into its bosom this ser
| pent, to bite and sting and kill"
| The sentiments expressed by Mr..
| Robbins in reference TO this matter
meet with hearty approval from
| thousands of Methodists who are
not Sin the fog" and who would
! save their grand old church from
contamination with the works OF
"the world, the flesh and the devil, -
and who view with alarm and regret
the tendency manifested in some
quarters to yield to the tempt ations
of avarice-an apprehension en-
phasized by the statement of Mr.
Robbins that one preacher at The
Conference went so far as to endorse
fully and without qualification the
action OF B lrbee < Smith.
An encouraging phase of the sub
ject is that this deception and falslfy
ing has been denounced at many
Methodist Conferences throughout
the South, the latest action of thi.
kind being taken by the Ashevill,
District Conference, which adjourned
Sunday. We have faith that tn,
church will pass safely through tn,
perilous waters and that the righ
will prevail.
With the Stahlman -Barbee Smith
deception confronting the entire con
nection and with the Duke-Kilgo-
Cigarette Trust peril in the State
with it's notwithstanding and man
lauding propensities, it may be sait
that the church is being weighed il
the balances. May it not be fount
wanting. May it be found equal tt
both emergencies and come out IN
scathed, bearing palms OF victor.
for the denomination, for humanity
for the right, for the cause of Christ
To this end, let there be vigilan
watchiulness and earnest prayerful
ness.