The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-10-12
EDITORIAL FLAYS,
REV. JAMES CANNON
Misguided DAnvills Methodist"
Repeatedly-Takes Up Methods
o. Political PSrson in Church,
School and Business Mat
terS-190e Governor.

odttoria1 .eouching an "HnfalF and
vtndtStFve attack" made by the
Rev. Games Cannon I'm the Chris
= sian Advocate. Mr.. AIOeeIey makes
some revelations regarding tho
methods pursued by DR.. Cannon,
his connection with the Black
stone Female Institute, the bar
gain or understanding I'm cOnnec-
Cfon with the temperance question
and the machine I'm Virginia An
1909. 81
Following is the editorial in full:
We received from the editor OF the
advocate an advanced copy OF an edi-
torial written in reply to our article.
which appeared in the September
number Of The Methodist. Most OF
this editorial, but not all, appeared IN
the Advocate OF September 2Sth.
The editor OF the Advocate contin-
ues his unfair and vindictive attack
began on US in his editorial OF July
goth; unfair because in the first edi-
torial he commented eleven times on =
statement which we made in an adj
dress before the Virginia Press Asso-
citation, and ten times misQuOted our
statement, so as to change it's mean
ing. and put US in a false light: unfair
because no made damaging insinua-
lions against US. and when de,
nQuneed them as false, and demanded
his al ority for such statements he
declared that he should not have ut
tered them We accept this with
drawal and hope that the editor of the
Advocate viii profit by this expert
ence. and in the future be more careful
IN making damaging insinuations re-
garding his brethren.
Character OF Secular Editors
The first point at issue in contro-
Versy was that we stated in our speech
that. The editors of our secular pa
pers are, as a rule, gentlemen of as
nigh type OF character as are to be
-
1Ouno IN any state. This statement
seems to have offended the editor of
the Advocate very much; he ridfculed
the idea that the editors of our soc
ular papers are, as a rule, gentlemen
OF as -ligh type Of character. etc." he
rtdlculed us for making such a state
ment, and insinuated that we were
prompted TO do so by unworthy mo-
tlves.
In our reply to his attack we com
PEELED the editor OF the Advocate. in
Justice to ourselves, to correct the
form of the statement which he had
nisqUoted ten out OF eleven times I
also laid down TO him this challenge
that for every editor OF q secular pa
per whom he would name who does
not deserve my compliments Gentle
men OF as high type OF character. ETC. -
We would agree to name ten who do
This challenge the editor OF the Advo-
cate evaded and poured ON more ridi-
cute, and made more damaging insinu-
at0ns; IN our reply We again faced
him with our challenge, and told him
that II our statement was not correct
he could easily prove It incorrect by
accepting our challenge; being unable
to longer evade this challenge, tho edI-
tor OF the Advocate, In his last edt-
tortal. fatty refused to accept IL Re
ferring to himself In the third person
he says: He certainly does not pro-
pose to make an exhaustive examina-
tion OF the newspapers In the State and
call by name. oze by one, the men to
whom he thinks thls statement ap-
piles"
From the above IL seems the editor
OF the Advocate IN very courageous
while hooting and Jeering at men as q
class. when he is sheltered behind safe
generalities. but when he is called
upon to specify and come out and face
a single individual he positively re-
fuses to do so.
Having given up the only point
which caused him TO first make his
attack upon US, the editor OF the Ad-
vocate seeks to gain the sympathy Of
his readers and to becloud other is
sues which have arisen in this discus
SION. by making the puerile plea that
somebody has been helping us, and
that our articles are the result OF the
composite influence of Bro. Moseley &
Co..: that we are under the influence
OF and melted to action by this cum
ming, crafty and evil-minded COM.
pany." We are not much acquainted
with Shakespeare, but there Is hardly
school boy who does not know of the
story of the buster braggart, Jack
Falstaff. and how he thought that he
was beset by a dozen when there was
only one after him.
So the editor of the Advocate cries
aloud to his readers that he has been
set upon by OIL he does not know how
many sly and evil-minded men,"
Let us suppose for a moment that
the editor is correct in his statement
that he is set upon not by one man,
but by crafty, cunning and evil
minded company OF men. Suppose
these things were true, we fail to see
how they affect in the slightest degree
the merits Of the issue which have
arisen in this controversy.
Issue Is Still There.
II a man has made corrupt politi-
cal deal he is no less q corrupt politi-
clan, whether he 10 detected by one
man or by company" OF men; II a
man uses political methods to obtain
chuTc.- preferment, he is no less q
baneful influence in the church,
whether he be detected by one man or
by company of men," or whether
or not he Is detected at all. II a man
mtsappropriates money he IS no less d
defaulter, whether he is detected by
one man or by a company of men.
II man makes a false report TO the |
commissioner OF revenue concerning
his income. he is NO less a perjurer,
by a company Of men. We use the
above to show how ridiculous to
suppose that the manner In which |
man Is detected can affect IN any way
the guilt or the Innocence OF the man. |
We really regret to deprive the edi- |
tor of the Advocate Of the comfort /
which he would evidently get could ne |
discover that there is such a com !
pany" as he declares exists, bur we are |
compelled to disillusionize his naind on |
rlN4r col
state that there is no such company" |
IN existence; that this writer, and he |
alone, is responsible for these articlea |
and for all others that appear over his |
name. We have discussed this matter /
with a few OF our friends, as the edi- |
tor Of the Advocate says he has dis |
cussed 1t with his friends, but those |
with whom we have discussed the mat |
ter have offered us no advice what /
ever, and none OF them have directly or |
indirectly inspired us to do what we /
have done in this discussion. II con-
ferring with our friends can. by any