The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-22
The Hit Dog HOllcrS
By REV. r.. II. WHITAKER.


The North Carolina Methodist Hand
Book for 1905, edited by DR.. I. n.
Ivey. editor of The Raleigh Christian
Advocate, is the newest thing out, and
~ like it's predecessors, is chock fuil
of interest, not only to the Methodist,
but to the general reader as well, Tor
its contents are SO varied as to make
/. it a most valuable possession 10 az
classes of people. To Methodlsts II Is
simply invaluable on account of the
MANY things of which it treats per-
4 taining to Methodism; its introduction.
as well as it's great work in North
Cntolina. Every Methodist family
ought to have a copy OF II, Tor IL not
only gives Methodist history but tells
what Methodism stands for: something
every Methodist should know that he
may be able to give a reason for MS
faith.
The Hand Book gives the remark
able dream of Christopher Thomas. an
old time Methodist preacher, Il sum-
mary of which the reader Will remem-
her. / gave in q letter some time ago.
Conference Sketches written by sew
eral of the older preachers; tells VINO
was the first Methodist preacher to set
foot ON North Carolina SOIL and OF the
first Methodist society formed, the
first great revival and of the first con-
ference: of how Methodism got across
the mountains and how camp meetings
bad their heginning In short the
Hand Book is a compendium OF most
invaluable Methodist history, which IS
well calculated to fill the readers mind
with higher ideals of what Christian
workers may and should be. and to in
spire him, in his endeavors to make
himself as useful. as were the fathers
of the church. Every Methodist ought
to have. it.
| give this week, as a matter of his
tory, as we'll as a "reminiscences. the
famous "Christopher Duncan letter,
which fifty-eight years ago created
lima and Virginia. causing some 70
leave the Methodist church. 1t was
published in Richmond Christian ADJ
yocate. February Z, 1S47. Here it is:
ssWhat Makes Infidels?
IF l could take you to some spot
where YOU could behold men bending
all their abilities to destroy the good
fame or the property of one who mad
done more for you and for whom you
professed more friendship than any
one else in the world,Lif / should az
forwards show you those men despite
fully using their friend. insulting him,
and Stabbing him. and aiming TO de-
stroy him, and if the veil fell suddenly
FROM your eyes, and you beheld and
loi those ASA SSinS were your own
sons, and If / could then show you
that you had made those sons the
despisers and foes of that most de-
voted and liberal friend of yours, you
would doubtless be Mortified and all
the sensibilities of your heart would be
tortured. Christian man, Jesus is the
strongest, wisest and most devoted
friend you ever had He took you up
out of the horrible pit. He gave You
peace and JOY in your heart. He bless
of
Drospered and you grew rich he
made you respected by your ne1ghbors,
so that you took place in society. YOU
remember when you Travelled about
seeking employment as a journeyman
mechanics: or spent years as a store
clerk for a bare subsistence. Now
YOU are wealthy. Let me ask You
whether YOU have reared those chill
dren for God, and whether you have
not rather used the wealth which Coo
has furnished, in cherishing vain and
foolish notions in them-making your
sons tops and your daughters gay but
terfiies Oh. Brother Christian. it is
. dreadful thing if you have, for 1t is
so Inconsistent with your professions
of piety, and this it is which makes
infidels.
II once knew man whom GOD bless
ed Cor cursed) with wealth. He had
formerly been in moderate circum-
gained custom and the only claim to
responsibility which he had was found
ed in those habits and connections
which his religious professions formed
for him. In the course of time he
built up a. large house and furnished
II i'm a superior and costly style. His
family was small and consequently
several apartments, in Whlcn was
enough furniture to support a mis-
sionary for a year. were closed almost
constantly. By contributing largely Z
erect q house of worship, and Decomln7
an official member of the church, he
acquired a great control in the con-
gregation His children grew UP
around him. They received little or
no spiritual instruction from him; ne
was too busy making money. Wheh
they were nearly of age they could
not tell YOU what the fifth command
ment was and verify one would judge
from their conduct that they knew as
little of the spirit as the letter or thdt
commandment. They went TO parties
and balls; they gambled and drank.
and when any one deeply SoEcitous Tor
the welfare of the sons would inform
their father that they were at certain
places in state of intoxieation he
was politely assured that he was med
ding with business that did not corr
Germ him. He chose to send his BOYS
TO a school where they would be pc
were schools enough established by
his own denomination. but he did not
choose to patroniZe them. lie still
fiourished in business, and continued
to add to his house and to his furni-
ture. One article would be removed
to make way for another that cost sew
eral hundred dollars more in rooms
that were opened for company once
a month; but he was quick to per-
ceiye how the minister could live on
little and get along without any house
at all. No prayer meetings were held
in his mansion, and although he was
a class-leader, his class was omitted
for weeks when a poor woman, at
whose house it was held, was compell-
ed to hire out her rooms so as to'ob-
tain a decent subsistence. There were
scarcely any books in his house, and
he subscribed to no religious paper
His children We're too nice to go to
Sunday school, and as they grew a lit
tie older they We're too proud. They
knew almost nothing of the Bible, and
were grossly ignorant of the church
to which their father belonged. On