The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1903-11-17
DR.. BRIGGS TALKS
Gives His Version the Cutting
ARRAY Here.
Also Tells Why He Has No Church
His Many Friends Here Will
Read with Interest
WILL STAND TRIAL SOON

AttNs W. W. III 1881 AOA AhtAAN IoctOA
of the Broawdsy NJ. f. church here,
has written lengthy card to the Lou
isville Courier-J Journal to deny a re-
cent publication in the Memphis News
and says he expects to stand trial in
January on the malicious cutting
charge now pending against him here
in circuit court.
Rev. Briggs, in regard to the Mem
phis papers allegation:
"For q year past the Rev, Mr..
Briggs has been occupying the peouli-
ar position of a minister without a
charge" He declares: A more in
geniously malevolent sentence could
not, think, be framed BY means
Of it man in the enjoyment of "a
special privilege" is made to appear as
man "under a cloud" What are
the facts Daring my third year at
Psducah as brave young man work
or as ever toiled IN field or pulpit, Tell
at his post and left me the "breadwin-
ner" for two families instead OF one.
1 spent many sleepless nights trying
to find my way ont of that maze. But
one day suddenly door swung wide
and there was the path lying straight
and fair The Southern Lyceum bu-
reau. of this city, had made it clear
to me that / could earn on the lecture
platform more than double any salary
the church was able to give me. But
did not wish to sot hastily. | wanted
at least year in which to make sure
both of the work and of myself-a
year in which / could lecture and
evangelist and still remain q member
of some conference. But how was that
to be done for every Methodist itiner-
ant, by the law OF our church, must be
in actual charge of some church or
''looate is &c say, give up his
relation to the conference while he
still remains a clergyman in orders
free to do what work he will. This
problem Bishop Hoss kindly solved.
He transferred me (this was last No
vember) to the Baltimore conference,
: which did not meet until March, and
arranged with Bishop A. Coke Smith
to retransfer me to the Memphis con-
ference, which would not meet until
the pext November. All this was
very kindly done, and l was left as a
preacher Gin transit" from one confer.
ence to another from November, 1902.
to November. 1908, and so had my
year in which to "mske sure" All
of which also explains how happen
to have the privilege" of occupying
the peculiar position of a minister
without charge" Having as be-
lieved, "made sure" sent to Bish-
op Hoss q week ago request for an
honorable location, and 1t has been
granted. l was in receipt on yester-
day of letter from Mr.. B. II. Scott,
chairman of the official board Of Broad
way church, paduoah, who is present
at the conference now in session at
Fulton, KY, as a lay delegate, saying:
"Your name was called today; your
character passed. and the location you
desired granted land the best wishes Of
all your friends are with you"
Hence. after checkered experience
of more than twenty years of going
wherever you are sent" l am no long
or an itinerant preacher, but a local
preacher in orders, like the Rev. sam
p. Jones, for instance, and many other
less notable men, who, that they may
do the work to which they belle
themselves called are content to occu.
by the peculiar position Of "a minister
without O church,"
OF the cutting scrape in Paducnh,
DR.. Briggs says:
Surely the time has come when the
truth OF that matter should DO ilhue
public. Although the papers have
been full Of misrepresentation that has
gone through my heart like sword
blade, 1 have been content hitherto 10
suffer, rather than undergo the noto-
riety oouseQ ueut upon any public ex-
PLANTATION. The simple facts are viz.
NY family we're living at "lhe Inn "
perhaps the most desirable boarding
place in Paducah. OuI isnhlsdy wa-
q charming Christian woman, loved
by every guest but failing hrslth com
PEELED her to give ~ the place IL wa
taken by . man entirely unused 10 th'
sacrifioes such a calling entails. But