The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-08-20
STkFF0RDlANS AROUSED
An Appeal to the Public Issued.

circular is being distributed through
stafford county entitled Am Aupeni 40
the Nltiz'ns oi Stafford County. va.
| ~ Is signed by 33 prominent. subsian-
tlal and influential citizens of th, coun-
", including ministers. officials. etc
portion Of the circular reads as fol-
/ lows.
Friends and Fellow Citizens.-In max
ing this appeal 70 yuu we have two
OBJECTS In view, namely: First. To earn
estly ask your aid IN the efforts we are
making 70 expel from our midst n gang
oi men VINO have appeared among rs. of
uuhuo wn nationality, without creden-
tials ~ any kind, aud who have openly
declared war against our churches. our
sunday schools and the religion oi our
/ fathtrS
Secondly, 10 warn our friends I'm other
sections. where they are not known. TO
he on their guard AGAINST them. lest
th"y nN their poisonous fanws upon them
even ~ they have fixed them upon US.
he}, claiming 10 heevaugehsts. going
about doing good and conducting them
selves In 1u humble an or,telv manner
when they first came among Us. we took
them In, cared for them. and tried to on
courage them in what we then believed
70 be a good work
Gradually, a. they gained q ioothold
/ upon us, they b'came more and more
oggressive, until they have become intol-
cradle. They have gone from bad to
worse, ana denOunce every church OF
every denomination as an illumination
/ IN the sight 81 God; every Sunday school
as a road To hell, and every church MEM
/ Der, Who does not come out from the
church and be baptized by their bantam
| as damned already.
/ They have hN-d themselves. with n
death grip, upon o number Of our iguo-
rant people and hnve put them through
some process known only 10 themselves
and told them that they are saved. They
have baptized them. turned them loose
ana afe them believe that they can
never -in again
They are entering old established
churches aud whenever they can get a
member under their control. they are re-
neptiling them, turning them loose and
tcniuS them that theJ are saved, II they
VIII stay irum Sunday schools and
churches
They cell us to our faces TINT our
loved aud h1nored dead. who lived pure
aud Christian lives and died in the faith.
ann whom We hope 60 meet on the ther
bright shore some sweet dny, all are in
hell
They declare putlcly that every Presi-
dent the United States has had. our
great and good men. lumber Of whom
have been sons Of our grand old state.
are all In hell To. day.
These ignorant aud dsluded people.
whom they claim TO have saved. seem 10
Toe 50 elated To think that we are going
To be lost, except themselves. that they
have become 40 insn ent and domineerinr
IN their mann-r and speech us to be al
most unbearable.
lustead OF preaching the gospel of peace
aud good wiil toward man. they are
teaching ,riie and discord. Families are
divided, wives are cstrRugod from their
husbands, neighbnr Is arrnyed against
nelghbor, churc0es ara torn by contend
ing factions, aud where All was peace
aud harmony IN the days gone by. now
elnce the advent Of those " retches from
the slums and CUTTERS OF the old world.
all Is now strife disorder and turmoil.
Ahe histories oi the World. both ancient
and modern, will bsnr ouO the statement
that the most dangerous element that
| any country has had 70 contend with in
I any age IN the religious ieratic.
Citizens, we are face TO fac, with that
element today go completely have those
Wretehes gotten their deluled followers
under their control tn q no earthly power
could make them believe anythin except
what they tell them
X Where i the manhood OF old Virginia
aud the hoasted chivairy OF the sunny
South hen we can sit quietly by ard
hear these wretches pubiicsly denouuce
our mothers, our sisters, our daughters.
our wives and our sweethearts and
place them On basis with the beasts of
the field In this world and consign them
To eternal damDatiou la the next2 And
all because they will not Join their IN
iguitous gang and help them sink their
own soul ana thAt Of their friends into
perdition.
There Is more Of St, hut the above will
give a general idea ui its character. The
appeal il "A most earnest one.