Evening journal., 1915-02-12
Peoples Column
\ LONG.nELAYEn RETORT.

A LONG-DELAYED RETORT.
To the Editor Of THE EVENING
JOURNAL:
Sir: | do not care TO impose on the
patience of a long-suffering public
but If you will publish this communi-
cation from me, we will take the pub
lie into our confidence once more. and
say few things. But never more. You
may publish vaporings Of the infatu-
ated Russellites as much as you please.
Bouquets from that crowd are evil
IDENTIFY very sweet to you and you wish
the public to know bout II when you
get one Nearly every bouquet has
a posy for you and one for Pastor Rus
sell.
When a discussion degenerates into
Misrepresentation and abuse, it is time
to call a halt ] rise to a question OF
high privilege. If this were a discus
sion upon parliamentary lines, the
chair would have to rule that am en-
titled to the floor. Let me explain VIA
I mean.
Grateful" Stewart of Waynosburg
Pa. in his letter Of February 4. 1915.
INDUCES i'm a great deal Of learned
nonsense that puts me In very bad
light before that portion of your read
ers who are unfamiliar with history
and short in logic. II is to be devout-
~ hoped that there are not many OF
that class. The dear brother from
Pennsylvania represents me as being
in class with the bloody inquisitors
OF Spain and as a regaler Of tradl-
tions that were foisted upon the world
f.ltIr
upon the picture he has drawn, I fail
TO recognize myself. To the best Of
my knowledge, / have never persecut-
ed anyone for any cause. If / chase a
fox out of his hole and scare him away
from my hen coop. ann l thereby to
be denounced publicly as a persecu-
tor OF foxes?
Mr.. Stewart says: "I have just fin
ished a second reading of your
straightforward and broadminded edi-
! torial, Let Him Apply the Test To
! be thoroughly frank with you. Mr. Edi-
! tor that is very amusing TO me. I
never replied TO that editorial for the
simple reason that I considered IL
such a colossal absurdity that / could
not descend to a reply without MAX
/ ing myself ridiculous in the eyes Of
an enlightened community. II broke
/ itself down by the weight of its own
absurdity. / innocently supposed IL
was intended for that purpose. If you
wrote that editorial sincerely and not
as a joke. you may have been broad
minded at the time, but your judgment
was certainly on a vacation. IL you
would like to have me furnish proof
as to the personal character of Charles
J T. Russell, and of the anti-Christian
character of his teaching, ! am pre-
J pared to satisfy both you and him IN
that time. That is the question at is
sue and the only question. If l fail to
prove by fair means that Mr.. Russell
is unfit to be a religious teacher. he
can have all the comfort he can get
out of that failure If Russell is right.
then We should all fall in line and
support him with our money and our
prayers. II he is wrong-which IS
lpOssible. then multitudes are being led
astray That he has led astray many
good people who have been deceived
by his artful interpretations OF Scrip
ture. is beyond question. My own opin-
ion is that he is an iniidel in disguise
wolf in sheepsclothing. and a lover
of filthy lucre. Having this belief
/ cannot pray for his success
II is said that Mr.. Russell has grown
immensely rich from the gifts OF his
deluded followers. He admits that he
has spent two fortunes in the Dropa-
CATION of his doctrine. The principle
articles of his faith are there there is
no Hell for the wicked beyond the
graveyard, and. that he and his "lit-
tie flock" will occupy the best places
in the Millennial Kingdonb There Is
nothing in his faith that would tend
in the remotest degree to restrain him
from any sin or crime. Anyone is at
liberty to follow such a guide II he
chooses. As for melt is too much
of a strain on credulity.
GEORGE A. COOKE.
Wilmington Dell Feb. 10. 1915.
2, As we understand il. joint debate
/ between MIR. Cooke and a representa-.
4 tive OF Pastor Russell is in course
, of arrangement. That should supply
ample opportunity for the two sides
} to thresh out and attempt to recon
q cile their differences of religious opin-
, ion. As regards the editorial ~aferred
Z to. Mr.. Cooke, on the day following its
+, publication. called us up, said It was
"impracticable' for him TO meet :he
e tests proposed, and asked that the con
troversy be closed. We informed him