The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-12-18

ence of several men and boys,
against those preachers who sold the
minutes. Having sickness in our
family, we wrote him concerning the
matter. He replied that his re-
mark were not personal, as he called
no names. We wrote him again
that it was not necessary to call our
name to make it personal, as we
were selling the minutes at the time
and place that he made his remarks
and that, If he knew his statement
to be true, he should prove it, and,
lf he did not know. them ito be
true, he should make an apology,
as public as his remarks had been.
He replied that if we could show him
any authority we had for selling
the minutes he would. apologize.
But, as there are no specific direc-
tions given for this, whether to sell
| the minutes and raise the assess
ment, or give them away and take
collection, we were satisfied that
nothing but free minutes would sat-
| isfy him. Sc we sent committee
to him, and to them he said he
knew what he was talking about
and could prove all that he had
charged the preachers with, and that
he demanded a trial that he might
prove his charges; that he would
have, at least sixty, witnesses, among
them forty preachers of the South
! Carolina Conference, with two
preachers of the conference as at
torneys. Of course this brought
terror CD to our hearts. Such
ponderous evidence and such an ar
ray of legal talent might bring con-
viction inspite of our innocence of
the crime.
But he had demanded the trial
and we must give it to him.
Being the accusor in tn case, we
thought it, at least, improper for
US to sit on it, SO in few days we
had the case prepared and in the
hands Of the presiding elder. Hr
appointed a brother preacher to try
the case, who after keeping the mat
ter under advisement for some time,
gave it up and referred the matter
back to the presiding elder. 1t was
then that Rev. G. w. Davis, wise,
impartial consecrated man, was ap-
pointed to try the case, which he did
in way to commend the respect and
approval of the unbiased and right
thinking people present. In this
trial he kept the discipline Of the
church and McTyere's Manual oI
Discipline before him, and he kept
to the letter as well as the spirit of
the law in the whole proceedings;
and no Judge on the bench ever pr:I
sided with more dignity and fair.
ness than did he.
In this trial we proved by sew
eral witnesses that Mr.. Vaughn did
use the slandefous words he was
charged with, those we have quoted
above.
Eut, where is Mf. Vaughn and his
sixty witnesses, forty of them
preachers in the South Carolina
Confidence? The forty preachers
did not appear, and, if the other
twenty were present, not one OF
them could be induced to go on the
stand. Mr.. Vaughn did not dare
go on the stand and give evidence
lest he meet with the same sad fate
of Ananias, and for the same rea-
son.
tThat jury had not one syllible o!
evidence before it to prove that Mr..
Vaughn had not been guilty of ma
licious SANDER, but abundant evil
dence to prove that he was guilty.
He was found guilty and was sent
enced to suspension from the M. e.
Church South. till he shall have
made good and satisfactory amends,
which he has not done and says
he never will. This puts him out OF
the church by his own act and not
by ours, as he can reinstate himself
at any time he wishes and stay out
just as long as he will.
The remarks he made before the
jury in his address to them shows
a bitterness, a. maliciousness OF
spirit which is indiscribable.
He made the broad statement
without any qualifying terms, III
you and me (speaking to- the juryl
were to do as the preachers and
pres iding elders do, we would all be
on the chaingang very soon, whore
we would belong" He also charged,
without syllible Of evidence tn
prove it, that the presiding elders
demanded that the preachers sell
the minutes, that the preachers are
set Of dumb driven cattle, doing
these wrong things under the lash
of the presiding elders In the sew
enteen years l have been in the
conference | have never had a pre-.
siding elder to mention the matter
| to me.
In his address to the jury he ap-
pealed to the minutes to prove that
there was an assessment laid on the
| f.hurch for tho Dui,lico tion of m IN