The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-06-27
Especial to Washington POST

ia Gu " 1atStOf G1IIGuIIbI-
Especial to Washington Post.)
New York, June 19.-The martyrdom
of the Rev. Royal ID. Raymond is over.
The last spark Of the fagot has burned
Iout the rack has taken it's last twist
lat him. His great work is done. The
Methodists of S~tratford, Conn, own
their land and never, never, again, SO
long as he lives, will the Rev. Royai
M Raymond have to listen to the talk
Iof Thaddeus K. Peck, apostle of The
ism.
The Rev. Royal NJ. Raymond, as all
the world knows. is the pastor who
lagrsed to listen 10 Mr.. Peck for eleven
ihours for a $3.50 piece of and which
the church wanted. Mr.. Peck had been
trying and trying for years to get a
clergyman to listen to his heresy; he
adopted this easur in the belief mat
ihe had only to show the goods to make
Ia convert out Of the Rev. Royal VI.
Raymond. The clergyman paid install
lments, but when he left Stratford to
accept a call to Brooklyn a year ago,
Ioen hour was still credited to Mr.. Peck.
Today Mr.. Raymond went back to
lStratford to settle up the score. Mr..
Peck was waiting at the station, his
side whiskers bristling with enthus-
|iasm, his eyes glittering.
"How do you 1o?" said Mr.. Peck.
FReady to listen to reason this time?
I've got a powerful lot of arguments 10
finish you off. I'm going to get you"
THREW IN THREE HOURS.
Brother" said the Rev. Doctor, you
Icould argue with me through eternity
land never win me to your false doctrine
Ito prove it, and to clinch the title OF
1.-THE church land forever l a willing to
throw in three hours. Talk to me for
flour hours. | am feeling strong"
"Hallelujah!" said Mr.. Peck. 'Then
III sure get you. Come on, for I'm
laching to wreStle with you"
Mr.. Peck took the clergyman to Say =
lin Rock Park. They went to the pa
wilton where Mr.. Peck nailed the mar
tyr with his glittering eye and proceed
led to burn him up with the fire of his
enthusiasm.
Cali humanity" began Mr.. Peck with
ibis customary opening formula further
than which no clergyman ever listen
led to him free, "all humanity could
mot create a single segment of the hair
lon a monkeys tail without the help
lof the infinite. How do you account
Ifor that?"
The Rev. Mr. Raymond did not at
tempt to account for it. He merely set
lhis teeth, clenched his fists and with
Ipale, drawn face, prepared to stand
it like a man.
For the first hour Mr.. Peck stuck to
natural history. The relation of the
lAbyssinian hex to the plan Of crea-
ltiOn AND the link between the mastO-
ION and divinity occupied a quarter of
this period. In the second hour, going
leasily and without effort, for he was
TRAINED to the minute, Mr.. Peck tag
ICED onto chemistry, and elucidated the
relation between asbestos and original
lsin. In this period Rev. Mr.. Raymond
Twas groggy. His Bible holders, he
lE~piscopalian rector and the bap-
Itist preacher, who stood behind him
with stopped ears, thought he would
never last out the round.
PASTOR GAME TO THE END.
He came up pale and smiling in the
third hour, however, and stalled clever
lily while MI. Peck tried to pin him
down to an admission that the nebl-
lac disprove the theory of infant dam
nation. The fourth and last period
found the parson staIling gamely, while
1.-THE apostle of Theism talked like a de
lmon trying to whip in a finisher.
Dusk had then fallen.
Time" cried the Episcopalian rec
Itor, consulting his watch and pulling
1.-THE plugs from his ears. The Bible
holders vaulted into the pavilion and
Overwhelmed with congratulations
their plucky little champion.
Aren't you converted?" cried Thad
TX. Peck, aggressively, but a little anx'
liously.
mo" cried the Methodist martyr OF
lConnecticut; never"
Mr.. Peck asked for and got another
hour and talked his best. AT the end
lof the hour the Rev. Mr.. Raymond rose
land slapped a legal document and a
fountain pen before Mr.. Peck.
Sign" he said. The apostle of The
ism signed.
aren't you converted?' he asked,
"No," cried the Rev. Mr.. Raymond.
Next week the M~ethodists of STRAIT
ford will place Mr.. Peck's deed OF gift
with all due ceremony, among b ar
Ichives of the church.