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VOL. XVII. AN EXPLANATION Ahd a Reply to Rev. W. T. Hunnl cutt —An Introductory Statement. In writing the following article I am fully aware that it does not ap ply to all the members of the Meth odist church. I have the kindest feelings toward the masses of the members and I can say truthfully that I have malice toward none. This same spirit applies to the churches of the city at large- Therefore this article applies only to those who in one way or another tried to injure the influence of our recent meeting and made unkind remarks at other times. Hence, I do not expect to hear from any ex cept those who are guilty of the charges made. lam not going to deal in personalities, but give a few of the more prominent facts. Oth ers are in existence, if needed. Brother Hunnicutt flatly denies that his church is guilty in any sense. To sustain this statement of the 10th instant he must prove that there was not a word said or a thing done by any individual in the Methodist church derogatory to said meeting. This he can't do. There fore it would be wisdom on his part to modify his statement. Some of his own members told me, and oth ers, that there was opposition. What I said in The Georgia Chris tian Messenger was advisedly said. I had good grounds for my state ment, yet it might have been better to have used the word “bushwhack ing” instead of organized, I don’t know. But I wish to emphasise this fact: That no honest man in Winder will dare say there was no opposition to our meeting in the Methodist church. There has been opposition, to my persenal knowl edge, for seventeen years. There was much during the past twelve months, but it reached its climax during theViolett revival. This article is primarily the out growth of an article written by me and published in The Georgia Chris tian Messenger and later published, without my knowledge or consent, in The Winder News. lam glad said article was published that all fair-minded people might read the actual facts in the case. Secondari ly this is a reply to the statement in last week’s News by Rev. W. T. Hunnicutt. My statement to which he takes offense is: “Just as the interest begin to grow and souls be gan to accept the Saviour, organized sectarian opposition began and con tinued through the entire meeting of twenty-five days, opposition being led by the sectarian preachers of the town.” Mr. Hunnicutt’s reply follows: “Now this is a very grave and unkind charge, and I desire to say that as far as the Methodist church is concerned the charge is absolute ly untrue.” I have talked to numbers of peo ple in various churches concerning the statement I made and the only criticism I have yet heard is that the word “organized” is possibly too strong a word, all agree that the opposition was here and of a very flagrant kind- Yes, the opposition was rife, and it was in the Method ist church and the preacher is in cluded. Brother Hunnicutt knows til is is true, his strong language to the contrary, notwithstanding. New I desire to state why I wrote iDittier tUccMu WINDER, JACKSON COUNTY, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, JUNE 17,1909 SEASONABLE GOODS AT OUT OF SEASON PRICES. While they last we will sell our entire line of Men’s straw Hats at wholesale cost. Yes, but we need the money worse than we do the hats. Owing to the fact we had a shipment of low quarter Shoes to arrive about sixty days late we will save you from fifty cents to a dollar on a pair. We are also showing an up-to-date line of Suit Cases. HODGLS & COOPER, WINDER, GEORGIA. said article, and all I am going to aflinn I can prove. To go back of the meeting a little. 1. I wrote said article because I believed it to be true, and there is no reason why I should change my mind. I make it a rule to attend to my own business and not to med dle with the affairs of others. There are many who could profit by this simple rule. 2. I have been identified with the town of Winder for seventeen and a half years, and 1 know some thing of conditions, especially in religious circles,and to my personal knowledge we (the • Christian church) have not held a meeting of two weeks’ duration that has not been meddled with, either by the preacher or some member or mem bers of the Methodist church. I have invited three of the preachers of said church to debate our differ ences, either in private or in public. They have not yet accepted. 3- Why did I say “organized sectarian opposition led by the preachers?” (a) Because I invited two of said preachers and their congregations to attend the dedicatian of our new church (Brother Hunnicutt was one of them) and the invitation was not accepted, notwithstanding the fact that I had closed for each of these churches during the past fif teen months. (b) I asked Rev. W. T. Hunni cutt if he was going to continue the fraternal relations which existed in rhf; past by calling in for protracted meetings on Sunday nights and prayer meeting nights. His reply was: “I do not want to appear sectarian, and I am not, but Broth er Perry and I have talked over the matter and we have decided not to call in for anybody, but let each church run its own meetings.” He further said “that he should have informed me, but that he had neg lected it.” I went to him because his meeting w r as the first held in town this year. I was anxious to be fraternal, if possible. (Note the arrangement to cease the fraternal relations of the past w’ere made without my knowledge or consent.) I represent as mauy people in this town as any preacher in it. Hence, this looks very much like organiz ing previous to our meeting and of a secret kind. (c) At an early stage of our meeting there was held at the Meth odist prayer meeting a dis cussion concerning special doctrines and a decision reached to preach on some phases of the doctrines of the “Methodist Church.” Neverthe less,some of the members protested in the open meeting, but the result was the town was filled with circu lars on the following Saturday an nouncing a sermon for Sunday morning on “Methodism” and a special subject for the night. Why stay at prayer meeting till nearly 11 o’clock? Why so important to have blue circulars at this particular time? Why did one of your stew ards call on one who had been one of your members who had united with the Christian church and ask said member to postpone being baptised until said member heard your ser mon on “Methodism?” The next Sunday followed with a special ser mon on baptism. I don’t object to a man pleaching on doctrinal sub jects. It is a duty we owe to the masses, yet, why a special sermon on “Methodism,” followed by one on baptism,when you realized a pro tracted meeting was in progress in one block of you? It does not take a philosopher to see the object of this. Is it true that you said we preach a dangerous doctrine? Did you advise some people not to at tend our meeting? Did you invite any of your people or others to at tend this meeting? I make it a rule to ask the people of tV Chris tian church to attend the meetings at other churches and not to put the weight of a straw in the way of any person who is trying to get closer to God. I know of some people who are nut in any church who were kept out of the church on account of the opposition on the part of members of other churches in Win der. 4. I have in my possession more than twenty statements, of an un kind nature, made by members of the churches of Winder, reflecting on my work in general and the re cent meeting in particular. These are of a very low kind, and were even taken up with some of the col ored people. I know what I am talking about. 5. I ask Brother Hunnicutt this question: Did you not talk about our meeting with Brother Perry in an uncomplimentary way? Did you not go out and look for one of Brother Perry’s members whom you thought was inclined to the Christian church and when you found him tell said mem lier that Brother Perry had been looking for him and to call Brother Perry up over the ’phone? Did not you and some of your members talk about the committees which you supposed we had ap pointed to “pull” people into the Christian church? When, in fact, we did not appoint a committee at all, nor even did we send a single individual out to see any one. I really favor having committees to do personal work, but in this in stance we did not have them. More than that, we did not have a single private meeting, not even of the church officers. There was not a visit made except by invitation, so far as I know. Did you encourage or lend your influence in any way for the success of this meeting. “He that is not with me is against me.” —Jesus. How did you stand toward us? Were you for or against? During the entire meeting held by E- E. Violett there was not one unkind word said in any discourse about any preacher or church of this town; not a doctrine criticised or held up in derision. I would be exceeding glad to be on fraternal relations with the preachers and churches, and I ex pect to be, if they will let me. At the same time, I propose to preach and defend what I believe to Ire the truth. I accord the same to my neighbors. Ido ask the privilege of holding a meeting with,..*!: the worry of so many unjust and un kind and untrue remarks on the part of many. Have I ever meddled with any meeting at any church in town? Have our members ever tried to injure any meeting in this town? If we do not teach and preach the truth as it is revealed in the Bible our best friends are those who will, in a Chrisiian spirit, show us the better way. I ask that this unkind “bushwhacking” cease forever. This is enough to convince any fair mind that my statement is the truth. I will say in conclusion, if any one thinks the word “organ ized” is too strong a word, then you are at liberty to substitute “bush whacking.” I think the former EASY MARKS. Winder Wallops Jefferson Three Straight and Yields One to Her Hired Mtm. Six straight wins and one def< at with a total score of nine runs against them is Winder’s baseball record for the season, and that is what we call going some. Games played since our last issue resulted as follows: First game with Jefferson at Win der Thursday afternoon —Winder, hits 5, runs 4; Jefferson, hits (>, runs 2- Batteries, Millican and Colby, Collier and Mobley. Second game —Winder, hits 11, runs 10; Jefferson, hits o, runs 1. Batteries, Alford and Colby; Duke, Collier, D. Duke and Mobley. Saturday afternoon —Winder,hits 10, runs S; College Park, hits 4, runs 1. Batteries, McElhannon and Colby; Harley and Luck. First game at Jefferson Monday —Winder, hits (J, runs 5; Jefferson, hits 7, runs 2. Batteries, Millican and Colby, Collier and Barber. And then came the #l5O game which created so much sympathy for -Jef ferson among the hired men and the game of Tuesday went against the home boys to the tune of 2 to 1. In our knocks obout the world we have run up against baseball among other things and even in our ignorance of the sport we have detected a few kinks in the game. We are of the opinion that this league is a little too small for the umpire’s sympathies for the under dog to run away with him. It might have a tendency to kill the game in this section instead of cre ating more jobs. We have the best of feeling toward Jefferson and wish to assure them that our boys were not mad when they yelled “what.” But we have confidence enough in our manager to believe that had Winder scored a run on a blocked ball he would have told the umpire to change his decision and stick to the rules of the game. Elberton will be here this after noon, Friday and Saturday for three games. Winder has a good ball team which is making a repu tation through this section and do ing a good work in advertising our town. Therefore, Mr Business Man, we appeal to your loyalty to come out and root for the home boys who are trimming the hirelings collected from the four corners of Georgia. Another reason w r hy you should patronize the game is the fact that John Barleycorn i9 not permitted to appear on the diamond regardless of who keeps him com pany, and such a firm stand against the enemy of all mankind deserves your encouragement. The game will be called at 4:30. Winder goes up against the strong Gainesville team next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 24, 25 and 26 and then we look for a bat tle royal. word is rnoe honorable. lam not opposed to opposition to error; any who may desire to may come out in the open and oppose it. I op posed Mormonism in this town and I did it openly, face to face with the Mormon elders. There has not been a Mormon in tnis town since I opposed them. Now, if you want to oppose mo and my work, take your “New Testament” and show me where I do not teach what it teaches and I will change at once. I left the faith of my parents to stand where I stand. If I am wrong I am ready to change again. If there is one thing I de sire above all others, it is to follow Jesus Christ and His word. lam wedded to no man, but Jesus, no book but the Bible. John H. Wood, Minister. NO. 13