The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1898-09-22
FACTS WANTED.

about Clark, and kilgo, and Duke,
and all others connected with the
recent controversy, this writer, like
many other Methodists, does not
belieye that the church or any insti
tuition under it's management should
have financial interest in a business
| which is condemned as n moral
wrong by the church. The correct
ness of such belief, il seems to US, is
beyond question.
Has the Methodist church of North
Carolina been placed in this incon-
sistent and compromising position :?
This is a question that thousands of
Methodists would like to have
answered according to The actual
facts.
We know that the Western N. G.
| Conference passed resolutions con
demning the manufacture and use of
cigarettes. Therefore, whatever
opinion may be tanned by others,
/ it is clear that the Western N. c.
Conference considers it wrong to
make or use cigarettes.
We know that it has been charged
that Trinity Cole e holds a large
amount of stock in the American
Tobacco Co. and, if this be true, is a
co partner in a business which the
church condemns.
We know that this charge has been
denied, but we have seen no official,
authoriz I'd denial of it, and many
wonder why, if the charge be untrue,
such denial has not been made.
Those who make the charge and
those who deny it are men of high
standing in the church. Which state
ment is the great body of the church
to accept? Do those who make the
charge and those who deny it know
whereof they speak? Is there some
Misunderstanding somewhere? What
are the exact facts? Why should the
point at issue be covered with the
slightest fog?
AS Methodist desiring to know
the exact truth about the matter,
the writer addressed the following in
quiries to the President of the Board
of Trustees Of Trinity College:
"Does Trinity College hold or own
stock of the American Tobacco Co,
or of W. Duke Sons & Co.?
"Has it ever held or owned such
stock?
Gift has and does not now, when
was such stock disposed ot?'
These are plain questions. Frank
answers to them vould have given
the information that SO many desire
to have, but the President of the
Board OF Trustees declined to answer
them, saying it is not his privilege to
give information of this character,
but if we will Indicate our purpose in
seeking it he will submit our request
to the Executive Committee for con-
sideration.
Our purpose in making the in
quiries was to get the exact facts out
OF the muddled situation; to give the
church and college the bent fit of
official denial, if the questions had
been answered in the negative, and,
possibly, to have protested against
an inconsIst mt position if it had
been shown the college owned stock
In the Cigarette trust, whose business
had been condemned by the church.
The reputation of the church is
more far reaching than the reputa
ton of Individuals and it cannot a.
ford even 'the appearance of evil"
and We take 1T that if the charges
referred to are untrue they should be
promptly denied by officials who
ought to know the facts. If the
charges are true-if the church has,
unwittingly or otherwise, been drawn
into a position at variance with it's
precepts, it's public declarations
then the fact should be openly ac-
knogledged and all possible repara-
ton he speedily made. All doubt
should be removed Let not the
church be subj ected to even suspi
cion of wrong or of inconsistency.
Clear the church, whatever the effect
upon individuals. What are the
facts? Who will tell?
nHnMPSON,Q NDER