Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-16
WOULD LAY
ASIDE GARB
Of PULPIT

DR.. Lincoln Mcconnell. in letter
burning with sarcastic criticism and
innuendoes. made heated reply Tues
day to the attack made upon him by
Mayor Woodward.
The minister, after implying that
Mayor Woodward had been an ex-
drunkard and other unenvia Bile
things, branded him as a common
sCold" and flung down the gauntlet
to him in the declaration that he was
perfectly willing to doff his clerical
garments at any time the Mayor felt
that his health and happiness de-
manded satisfaction.
Or. Mcconnell denied that he had
inveighed against "spooning" "Heav.
en- forbid" he declared. Il merely
was taking stand for law and order
which the Mayor had attacked"
MeConneII's Letter.
His reply TO the Mayor, except for
one unprintable expression, is given
here in full:
James G. woodward, in the Mayors
Office. Atlanta, Ga:
Sir have your very interesting
letter Of this date and think it but
proper, in view Of the fact that you
have honored me with three sheets Ct
matter and 10 cents postage. to re-
ply to you in somewhat EXTENDED
fashion.
In the first place, you were not my
subject Sunday night. ! had a large
subject. You were merely an Illus
tration. / was preaching on Sowing
the Wind and Reaping the Whirl-
wind" Hosea viii:O, and was trying
to show that the laws of cause auI
effect operated in all realms. not
merely the physical l was showing
that the wind" of bad thinking re-
suited in the destructive moral
"whirlwinds," etc, etc, md in de-
veloping the thought came natural
ly to that bad conduct called crime
and lawlessness, md here is where
the dangerous tendencies of our time.
and I referred to the fact that many
good men so talk at times as to cause
the thoughtless to believe that they
have no respect for the law, its Off
GERS or machinery. the in ovitable ':-
suit of which must he the breaking
down of The last vestige Of fear or .a-
spect that remains in the minds II
the criminally inclined for the law
l said: Il was amazed the other day
to read what seemed to be an inter
view from our Mayor himself, in
which he scsthingly attacked the po-
lice. referring To them in such con
temptous terms as to indicate his
utter lack of respect for them. TAX
ing as an excuse the recent arrests If
some person for 'spooning, ne
sneered at the snake in the grass
methods, etc, etc. IL such mann =
and terms as to bring the very office
into disrep te. Acco- ding to the re-
port he did not confine his sneers >
the particular men who made the ar
rests, but the impression is inevita-
BILE that he, the head Of this great
city, feels a contempt for the officers
of the law
Actually and More.
l said further: If MIR. WOODWARD
does not know that such expressions
from a man in his nigh position are
dangerous and have d tend ncy to ell
courage the vicious, he is too big 4
fool to be the head Of this city, while
If he really feels as he seems to feel,
he is unfit for the place
As nearly as / can recall my words,
that Is what l said on that subject,
so YOU see / was not accurately re-
ported, for / actually said more about
you than the report indicates.
The fact is, no reporter was here,
and no stenographiC report was made
Of my remarks. From other inaCCu-
raCies in the report ] suppose some
friend of the papers must have re-
ported from memory what they
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