Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1899-05-04
SPLAIN LANGUAGE.
Mr.. Pearson Pays His Respects to
Mr.. Oury in an Open Letter.

y
Reverend and Dear Sir;-You have
referred to me as an "unholy gentle
man" thank you for the adjective.
If your conception of holiness may be
inferred from the spirit Of your latest
letter, you could not pay me higher
compliment than you have done in call
ing me "unholy." On the other hand,
IL your idea OF what constitutes gentle
breeding, manly courtesy, and chivalry,
may be inferred from that part Of your
article in which you abuse, slur and
vilify the Christian womanhood Of Sc
quachee, you could not insult me more
deeply than you have done in calling
me gentleman.
In my article published two weeks
ago treated you with the considera-
tion which see you you did not merit,
! was charitable enough to attribute
your impertinent and meddlesome in
terierence with the affairs of Mr.. Walk
e'ls church, and your bombastic arraign-
meut of many members Of his congre-
CATION, to an honest but msdirected
zeal Ibid not know you then, Your
letter has revealed your true character,
and nothing that | or any one else could
say concerning you could so completely
damn you in the estimation of respect
able people as the words your own hand
has penned. Verify whom the gods
would destroy they first make mad"
You wilfully misquote and misconstrue
statements in my article in order that
you may have a chance to make dis
play of rhetorical fireworks You meet
fact with evasion; argument with
calumny and courtesy with insult. In
your Overweening egotism you harshly
criticise the financial management of
brother minister's church. You have
the impudence to denounce in the most
scathing terms your fellow Christians
because they disagree with you upon
question of church ethics. You deny
to man who does not believe as you do
the right to interpret the Scriptures in
the light of his own reason and con-
science. You assume the role of pro-
miscuous advisor and expect the people
In town where you are a comparative
stranger to receive your singing re-
Dukes E9ith becoming humility and in
silence. Intoxicated with the wine Of
self-conceit you are deaf 30 the prompt
ings OF that chivalric instinct which
makes even bad men treat good women
with respect You assume the airs Of
one to whom the secret cipher of the
i universe has been entrusted, and you
settle questions Of life, death and etern-
ity with the easy and tranquil assurance
of a school master teaching an infant
class. Yet you are waitiug-are you
not most wise and potent sir?-for an
unappreciative Conference to assign you
your first ministerial charge. You
write column and a half of matter
Teeking With bitterness and malice and
bristling with vituperation and piOus
bulingsgate, and then you seem for a
moment to recall the fact that you are
supposed to be disciple of the Gospel
of peace, good will and love, when,
presto! the wolf becomes lamb and you
tell me in sanctimonious phrase how
much you love me, aud express a ferv-
ent hope that your letter may be the
means of my conversion! This is SUI
perb! 1t is magnificent! 1t is bewild-
eringl The transformation scene in
DR.. Jekyl and MIR. Hyde pales into in.
significance. 1t is positively unique
Tho entire realm of literature contains
nothing to equalit. 1t seems so intense
ly ludicrous, and yet no one would evel
think Of laughing at it. The human
mind is paralyzed with awe as it con
templates the transcendent brilliancy
of this meteoric fash Of unconscious
humor.
At the close of your article you express
solioitude lest, in thus opening the rict
storehouse OF your mind for my bene
At, you are casting your pearls before
swine Calm your anxious fears, gen
tie keeper of the public conscience; ev
en- the swine appreciate such pearls a
yours How can an unregenerate, ice
eFeam-and-box-supper-cursed communi
ty longer refuse to accept the Gospel &C
cording to st. Oury. as recorded in hi
First and Second Epistles to the Sc
quaehians2
I shall not, reverend sir, reply t
your second attack upon the ladies c
Owen Church, because l do not thin
you are quite capable Of understandin
how grossly you have violated the law
of propriety. shall not demean ms
self by making answer to your coars
abuse Of me, because / am sure it wi,
not hurt me in the eyes Of those VIII
know me, and equally sure that it wi
not iniure me In the estimation Of tnOs
who know you. / shall not descend
your level and repay epjthot with ep
tket because l do not wish 10 lose m
ON sslt respect Even we're IL not I.
this consideration, the game would Z
hardly worth the candle. What sati
faction could il give one to throw mud
man who has already voluntarily rol
ed himself In the uire. and Is glorvlr