> IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I jio ^^" niH ■^ 1^ 12.2 ■U n^ Mil 20 us lAO m — 1''^ 1''^ < 6" ► Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 145B0 (716) 872-4S03 ^^^^' ** ^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/iCIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiquat Tschnical and Bibliographic Notas/Notes tachniques at bibiiographiquas The tot The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in ths reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. Q Coloured covers/ Couverture de couieur □ Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagie D D D D n D Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur^ et/ou pellicula Cover title missing/ I I Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ I I Cartes gtegraphiques en couieur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couieur (i.e. autre que bloue ou noi Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations on couieur Bound with other material/ Reli4 avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re liure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorsion ie long da la marge intiriaure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouties lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela itait possible, ces pages n'ont pas iti film^as. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a ite possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mithode normale de filmage sont indiquAs ci-dessous. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couieur r~n Pages damaged/ D D Pages endommagies Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restauries et/ou pellicuiies Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages dicolories, tachetees ou piquees Pages detached/ Pages d^tachies Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prir Qualiti inigale de I'impression Includes supplementary matarii Comprend du materiel supplementaire Only edition available/ Seule Adition disponible The pos oft fllr Ori( beg the slor oth( first sion ori (~n Pages detached/ r~~| Showthrough/ |~~1 Quality of print varies/ pn Includes supplementary material/ rn Only edition available/ The shal TINI whi( Map diffe entii begi right requ metl Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partieilement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata. une peiure, etc.. cnt M fiimies d nouveau de facon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. D Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplimentaires; This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film^ au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X »X y 12X 18X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Harold Campbell Vaughan Memorial Library Acadia University L'exemplaire film* f ut reproduit grice A la gAnArosltA de: Harold Campbell Vaughan Memorial Library Acadia University The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Les images sulvantes ont AtA reproduites avec le plus grand soln. compte tenu de la condition at de la nettet* de l'exemplaire fMmA, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est ImprlmAe sont film6s en commen^ant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'lllustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont fiimte en commenpant par la premlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'lllustration et en terminant par la dernlAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol ^»> (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la derniire image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — ► signifle "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifle "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre fllmte A des taux de rMuction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clich6, 11 est film* A partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessalre. Les diagrammas suivants illustrent la mtthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 " ■"' ... ^sfs.^^.y'^^ p I III I mi i^iinpii I ■■iiimi nil i i? iAf i^SH <^^w. 1 ' » » i;^a||MJjj||j|||^ S-' ^ ' !"< i', ... iettttl *^. PRINT LETTER A a84M TO TBI NOVA SCOTIA ^miml fifttsit S^si0cwti0i, BY THE Rev. JOHIN- PRYOR, r>. O. r#v CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION 18 68. «« TO THE MEMBERS or TH K Saptisit (if^entral ^si^odatiQn ^( Sov» f rotia. Halifax, May 8th, 1868. Dear Brethren : Having been absent from the Provence, I liad not, till within a few days since, the opportunity of reading certain letters published in the Christian Messenger, from the Granville btreet Church, purporting to be answers to f'fl Dr. Crawley's lettei-s addressed to the Baptists of Nova Scotia. I have now read the Church's letters. I do not intend to characterize them ; no language of which I am master, could describe my disgust at their contents, and my loathsome abhorrence of their shameless audacity, their slanderous mis- representations, and deliberate falsehoods. I am simply, and as briefly as I can, about to make a few remarks upon these misrepresentations and falsehoods. I begin with remarking upon the attempted excuse of the conduct of some of the cliurch members, m excluding me from the puljnt on the Sab- Bath immediately succeeding the first diurch meeting held on the subject. At that meeting I frankly and circumstantially related to the male members, who had assembled in the vestry, being called there with my full concur- rence, if not at my own request, all that occurred during the evening re- te'-red to. I told them my reasons for my visit beir- late, and I requested the church to look into tlie case as fully as possible j^'or I felt assured that a candid and truthful examination, would at once ; lonstrate how utterly unfounded these reports were. I fully concurred ii. the appointment of a Committee of investigation. Had my advice been asked, however, I cer- tainly should not have selected some of the men who were appointed on the Committee. I felt it hard, that, at the very time, when my mind was harassed by these rumors, a charge of a totally different nature should be brought against me, and inquired into ; still so fully conscious was I of a perfect freedoui from any thought or apt of wrong, in either case, that I readily assented to the appointment of that other Committee, with reference to ray conductance of Miss Vass's affairs. These Committees having been appointed, I urged again the fullest investigation, which I surely would not have done had I been conscious of anything improper in either case. 1 then solemnly de- clared my innocence, and the business which had called us together being concluded, I returned home not a little depressed by certain assertions of an extraordinary nature, which had been made by two or three of the members with reference to myself. 6 73% Fmm that meeting I toent direclhf home. Hear what flie olinn-fi sayw on tlii» jioint, " Thev went honu' woepinfj. liut where did their Pastor po? To this iM)int h't Mrs. Baxter and Dr. I'ryor speak. Mrs. Baxter says, " therer was a j)er8on let into Mrs. McMillan's hkhu on Friday nifjht (same Friday nijfht), eonld not say wlio it was, at 20 minutes f 'st 12 o'el»K'k. Tlie door was U)ektnl. I was jKMM'ly myself, iiad on n inustanl ixMjlticc. At 10 minutes \r,\nt 2 tlie person went out." 1/ nn// one went there ni that time, I was not that person, I went directly houK! from tlie mca^tin};, iis nearly as I can recollect, at about 10 o'clock, or a little afh'r, nor did 1 leave my house till after breakfast next niominj;. Of this my whole family can bear testi- mony. How easy it would have been for the church to have made encpiiry Of my family. Uiit this they did not do. Ay- to my sayinj^ before the coun- cil, " I thou<;ht it nothinower to do so. From what follows, in the note, is not my meaning evident, though 1 couched it in modest language, I am consenting because the brethren have decided upon it, tln-ough <;ompulsion and not concurring ? I I'n'clare I was surprised and shocked at the contents of Mr. Selden's note ; and as soon as I had fulfilled an engagement which I had pre- vivtusly made for Saturdiiy morning, I went in)mediately to Mr. Selden's ofhcc. When I saw him, I most urgently remonstrattnl against my exclu- sion frimi the pul])it, and stated the distressing consequences that must follow from the conviction, which would thus go abrofid, tliat my church be- lieved me a guilty man. I st.-ited the cases of ministers with whom I was acquainted, whose people, instead of acting as my brethren intended to sict, had ui)held them, under similar accusations, and who eventually had been vindicated. I assured them this would be the case with me. All that was needed was calm investigation. To Mr. Selden's assertion that it was feared, if I occupied the pulpit some of the congregation would get up and go out, I replied, that as t was conscious of perfect innocence in the ease, it would not affe<'t me, if persons did leave the meeting, although 1 thought 'ijit J h on there would be no danger of the occurrence of such a thinfj, if proper ])ains were taken, and the deacons did their (hity. Messrs. Ackhurst, Kand and J. Johnston, Jr., were present. Mr. tliind (I think it was he) siipfjestefl my t'oinj' into tlie pulpit with Mr. Welton, and sayin)perated at this harsh and unjust conduct of the church. My son-in-law, Mr. Demi lie, in particular, resented the wrong very openly ami strongly ; and Mr. Sehlen and other members of the church were also excited by these acts of my friends, ami out of this grew the hostility of which I was made to bear the consequences, and to which Mr. Selden alluded, when he said, Mr. Demille wius my worst enemy ; and this too was the ground of that most unwarrantable attack upon me, by Mr. Selden the Chairman, which is referred to in Jud";e Johnson's pamphlet. I firmly believe, that had not this false step been taken by the members of the church, .and had they faithfully and tryly, and, without irritation, entered upon the inquiry, the groundlessness of the charges against me, would have been discovered, and Granville Street Church would have treated their Pastor, as the members of my former church in Cambridge have since treated me, with increased love and affection. But in conse(iuence of the bitter and ac- rimonious spirit hence excited, arose the " prejudice, the passion, the wounded pride, the ill-will " which fWjm that time was m.anifested, and still continues to be manifested by some of the leading members of the church : and who, by every means in their power, have sought, and, alas, too successfully, to influence other membei-s ; and thus, have met- amorphosed the body, from the position of investigators of reports, and inquirers into the truth or falsehood of rumors, into the attitude which they have ever since maiT\tained, of heated partizans, detemiined at all hazards, and however falsely, and wrongly, to bring me in guilty. Their acrimoni- ous hostility, their bitter spirit, their utter disregard of the principles of honor, justice, truth and Christian charity, have been so clearly proved in Judge Johnson's letter to the church, and in Mr. Paysant's pamphlet ad- dressed to the Rev. Mr. Saunders, that I need not further dwell upon it. I must here, in passing, correct another intentional misrepresentation made in the church's 1st letter, and repeated in the 2d, viz : — that Mrs. McM., could scarcely be considered a member of my congregation, and that consequently I did not hold the position of Pastor to her, and that my visits therefore were not pastoral. The base object of this false statement is plain. Now what are the facts in the case ? Briefly these. Some time afler com- ing to reside in Halifax, and afler I had been the Pastor of Granville Street Church for nearly a year, I was requested by a member of my congregation to call upon Mrs. McMillan, a sick person, who, .as I was informed, was a Baptist, and would be glad to be visited by me. Of course I called to see her. / had never seen or heard of her till then. She seemed quite ill ; a consultation of physicians, I understood, had been held on her case. I con- versed and prayed with her and called twice .afterwards; at my third visit, i*lio i«<>(>ni(Ml HO fur ivrovcrfid, tliiit I did not call njjain upon her, and iiiurkfd litT out of my sick lixt, the list for fru(|ut*nt viHitM. From that time I noticed her, un one of the n'jriihir attendants of my ministry ; hut thrive month)* not having elapsed, my usual interval of visits to my eon- {^re^ration, I did not even know wh»Te she then resid»'d, for at my last "visit to her, I unilerstoud, she was altout removin;r. Some time atler that, I met her in the street, and she informed me, slie was hoarding; at a house in Uar- rin^ton Street. I lisked my wife to eall and see iier, which she did. Mrs. McM., and family remained at that house two or three months. I never called upon her, while she was there, as I knew my dear wife would look after her; but I saw her regularly in church on the Saliltath. Afler some time 1 missed her from church, and on makin;r incpiiries of her husband, I learned that they had removed to (iranville Street, and that his wife was (piite sick, and confined to her bed. Mrs. I'ryt)r and I then visited her, sometimes toj;ether, sometimes sejiarately. While visiting her, one day, she seemed more than usually ill, I thoujrht danf^erously so, and- 1 felt con- strained to in(]uire more minutely into her religious state, and her previous life, and she informed me, with all frankness, that she had been a member of a church in Boston ; but that she felt aggrieved at the way in which she had been treated, her mind had become soured, and her religious feelings great- ly depressed, and sometimes she felt as if she had no religion, lioth Mrs. I'ryor and myself became deeply interested in her, and we frc(|uently called to see her, prayed with her, lent lier suitable religious books, &c. She was very grateful for the interest we manifested in her spiritual welfare, iis well as for other kindnesses and attention showed to her by my dear wife. Her life was spared, and her health somewhat improved, though she continued quite an invalid. But as soon as she was able, she attended public worship regularly. She was frequently present at the Wednesday evening prayer and conference meetings, and always on the Sabbath, when her health and circumstances permitted her to leave her home duties. From Granville Street she removed to Mrs. Maxner's boarding house, where as she was still quite ill, I went to see her, as did also Mrs. Pryor, who sent her by the ser- vant, and sometimes hei-self carried to her, religious books, and many little comforts suitable to so sick a person ; facts of which Mrs. Maxner most un- accountably professed ignorance. Mrs. Maxner, as I understood from both Mr. and Mi's. ISIcMillan, having previously to their coming engaged the room occupied by them, to pei-sons from the country; upon the arrival of these persons, they gave up their room, which I have reason to believe they would have done in any case, though Mi's. Maxner wished them still to re- main and ottered them another room, an otter, however, which they declined to accept. There were other reasons also which induced them to decline the otter to remain. They did not like the looks of things in the house. Some things about Mrs. Maxner and her daughter did not appear to them very respectable, and they had heard rejiorts that were unfavorable. As Mrs. McM., expressed these things unhesitatingly to me, 1 can easily imagine her speaking of the same things to some of the other boarders there, and who might state what was heard to Mrs. INIaxner, and hence a resison for the strong feeling shown by her, against Mrs. McM., and her great readiness to testify before the secret committee, and the false statements made by her in reference to an interview and conversation with a respectable medical gen- tleman of this city, who holds a very important and responsible office here, by appointment of the government, which statement this gentlemen charac- terizes in a note which 1 hold as " an impudent lie." . Hence, too, her false statement that Mrs. Pryor had never been herself, at her house, nor had she ever sent her servant, assertions which Mrs. Pryor positively declares to be untrue. This Mrs. Maxner, whose misstatements are thus proved by Dr. V.i t)f pr sh< th« M. do dn wf int tei c bm Gofwip aiitl Mrw. Piyor, hm well h» l)y inywt'H' and Mr. and Mrs. MoM., i» o\w of tliv women, u|M)n whom, tin* tnanai^en* of IIiIm pru8«>fiition, liavu ri'liod to |)rt)ve that " blindH weiv drawn and tluoi'M Im-ki-d," upon licr a^Hertion tliat (the, in her rooni in the lower (tt«»ry, heard the HountI of the key turned in the (loom in the veeond story. Roouih were tlwn taken by them in Mrn. Morton's house, which they were ohlijred to leave, Iteeause tlie eeiiin^ fell down. It was while they rewided here that Mr. Punly says the ehan^e of dre^s t(M)k ]ilaee, whieh leugli they sometimes made remarks to me, about her evident poverty, and anxiety for work, I never heanl one of them, say or hint of anything like Improi)riety in lier. My daughter was at her house likewise, and my wife frequently went to see her, and often sis we returned from evening visits, and of necessity passed her room, Mrs. Pryor would make the remark, as we lieard the wheel of her sewing machine, there is that poor, industrious young woman still hard at work. After too when Mrs. P. was busy Avith work connected with the poor of the church, if I Pastor. As Albermarle Street, was , to reside in without her husband, nsuccessful, she again begged me to 5 to let in Pleasant Street, she ex- l-.Ired. These rooms were also on llfax. In the same house, resided net Ml sta tha I specially equested and liav- and she a trifling of these oquented [y cousin . M.., could ch she is i. McM.'s No one hout also nly a few ny one of me, with I a house y field, a ted as the bought of McMillan, lillan re- el anxiety he rooms removed )yment in re, and as •t time, he treet, was husband, ;cd me to t, she ex- [e also on ;e, resided lee of my least oncv and fre- e privacy |city more the only |you, dear ,ve acted Irequently Id as she kient, and Ifrequent- libout her 11, say or ler house 1 returned [or would \, there is too when irch, if 1 needed clothes (|uickly mended, &c., she would ask me to run u]) and get Mrs. McMillan to do them. Yet this is the woman, and under the circum- stances which I have mentioned to you, and which an^ well known to them, that these conspirators against my good name, would have the public believe I was visiting with improper motives ! In all my congregation I had no one more grateful for my religious minis- tration, and when at times I expressed my discouragement, and fear that she was not making the religious progress I hoped for, with tears she acknowl- edged tlie too great apathy she was conscious of, and her want of spirituali- ty, but said that she did feel deeply interested in religion, and though she mourned over the coldness of her heart, yet that she earnestly prayed ibr her salvation, that she read her Bible, and hoped she was profited by it, that she had given up reading fictitious works, m which, she had formerly taken much pleasure, and begged I would continue to interest myself in her spiritual welfare ; that she did hope that a gradual change for the better was being wrought in her, that she knew she strove more earnestly to curb a naturall^v violent temper, that she was more interested in religious, than in worldly matters, and that whatever good was in her, sue owed to the persevering efforts of Mrs. Pryor and myself for her welfare. Now, dear brethren, I believe that a Pastor's zeal is not to be all expend- ed in laboring only for the conversion of his people, though that is his great object, but that it is his duty also to superintend their total character ; that his aim and endeavor should be to enlighten and strengthen the mind, by filling it with the knowledge of God, to rectifv bad habits, to chasten evil tempers, to make his people better in their families and in every sphere of life ; to exalt everything that is low in them, to ennoble them in everything, and to make them happier, the friends of truth, the servants of God. Here was a case, in which as a Pastor I did feel a peculiar interest, and I believe that every earnest Pastor, has among liis flock those wiio call for his especial efforts and i)rayei'8. 1 know it has always been so with me ; and though this young woman came from a people, who had been kind to me, beyond all that 1 can express, wa.s a comparative stranger here, had very few friends or acquaintances ; and though she was frequ'intly very ill, many times, as I believed near death,' and my visits to her were therefore fre- (jueut, as were also the visits of my dear wife ; yet they were not more frequent, tlian they would have been to any other member of my congregation, men or women, young or old, black or white, under the .«?,ine oircuuistahces. I have labored to be a Preactlier of the Gospel, but as* earnestly have I labored also to be a faithful Pastor, viaitmg iiiv peoi)le, comforting them in their lioui-s of sorrow and attliction, warning them when I believed them walking in dangerous paths, and trying in all things, to acquit myself well in His sight, who had called me to be a good minister ol' Jesus Christ, and a laborer in my Master's vineyard. It would not be difli- cult for me to prove, that visits to other meinboi's of my flock, and even to those who were not of my own flock, but who in sickness and sorrow, were dejirived of ])astoral visitation, because their church tor the time being, was without a Piistor, were made every day, and sometimes twice a day, and sometimes late in the night. It was this anxiety for her soul's welfare that led me to visit Mrs. McM., on the evening so often referred to. On going down Pleasant Street on that morning, on business, I noticed the window of h(ir room darkened; and on inquiring 1 tbund that, during the night, she had been very ill, believed she was dying, and she looked then as ill as she could be. I urged her to send for her physician, and promising to call in again 1 left her, supposing that her physician would of course be sent for, as she had promised, and that she had done so. I um told that I stated to the Deacons that he was scut 10 for, possibly I may have done so, for 1 really thou<;ht he had been sent for. My little grandchild in whom my very heart was bound up, was dangerously ill that day, I went out to my daughter's house, and remained there all day, nor did I leave till the evening, so anxious did I feel 'about the dear child. On coming into town, and making some vii^its, that I had not been able to make duiiug the day, and spcndmg some time late in the evening at a friend's house, the time rapidly wore away, and my promise to see Mrs. McM., did not occur to me, till quite late. It was a fine evening, and I thought though it was late to do so, yet I would run down to her house, and if she had not retired would call in. On going to her house I saw the light burn- ing, and trying the outside door, found it was locked. I did not like to dis- turb the inmates of the house, by knockin<; at the door, as I knew that Mrs. George who lived in the house was quite sick, I knocked at the window, in- stead of the door, and Mrs. McM. seeing who it was opened the door. I found her much better ; she had been sewing, trying to make up for lost time. I talked with her about her illness during the past night, called her attention to the many sudden deaths that had lately occurred in Halifax, and urged upon her the need of preparation for death and judgment ; I did this the more earnestly because I could not tell when I should have an op- portunity of warning her again ; for she told me her husband had obtained a situation in St. John, read me the letter she had received from him that morning, and told me she expected to go there at once. The church have said in this connection that there is a discrepancy here between my statement and that of Mrs. McMillan. There was no such dis- crepancy in*the testimony before the council. As to any seeming dilFerence while before the secret Committee it can easily be explained, when you learn how that Committee took down the testimony. While I was being examined before them a number of questions would be asked me, and an- swers given, and no record made of them ; presently at my answer to some ?uestion, Mr. Beck worth would say eagerly " put that down, put that down," did not understand, why, if they were recording any answers to ques- tions, they did not put them all down. This thing was constantly oc- curring, sometimes it was one, sometimes another, who would say, " we had better put that down, had we not," and then there would be a consultation, one would say " I don't think it worth while to put that down," and another would say " Oh yes, put that down," &c. Now this was constantly occur- ing. 1 could not understand what it meant, after trying to conjecture in vain, at last I said, " Do tell me what you mean by the (juestions you are asking me, and what is your object in putting some answers down and leav- ing out others ? " Oh, answered Mr. Sellen, the Chairman, you will see the reason soon. As indeed I did see the reason subsecjuently, when after hav- ing examined me at two sessions of upwards of three hours each, and hav- ing recorded about one thirtieth part of the answers given by me, and the testimony of others being then read to me, I perceived the craft of the men. Everything that tended towards exculpating me was omitted in the record, but anything that could be made to bear the slightest tendency towards criminating me, or contradicting the testimony of others, was carefully put down. Now I take it for granted the same measure that was meted out to me, was measured out to others, and as I am informed that the Committee kept Mrs. McM., in her examination before them, from 3 o'clock .in the af- ternoon till about 9 in the evening, and as all her recorded testimony could have been given in the space of an hour, while her examination lasted near- ly if not quite six hours, you will easily understand how a seeming discrep- ancy might have arisen. " Did Dr. Pryor talk with you on religious sub- jects, did he say anything to you about sudden deaths ? " " Yes." It is not worth while to put that down. " Did he talk to you about anything else ? " , sent for. ingerously 'e all day, ear child. in able to ning at a I see Mrs. ing, and I use, and if light burn- ike to dis- ' that Mrs. rindow, in- e door. I p for lost called her In Halifax, lent ; I did ive an op- i obtained < him that aancy here J such dis- diiference when you was being le, and an- er to some fhat down," to ques- ;tantly oc- _ " we had msultation, nd another itly occur- jecture in ns you are and leav- wWl sec the after hav- and hav- e, and the )f the men. le record, ;y towards refuUy put ted out to Committee jn the af- lony could isted near- g discrep- gious SUD- It is not ng else ? " . 11 •' Yes I believe he did, he talked about the letter from my husband, and my going to St. John." You need not put that down. " Did he say anything concerning the rumors about you in the city." I don't remember that be did, he might have done so." " Now tell me, did not Dr. P. talk to you about these rumors ? " Perhaps she would answer, " I don't know but what he did, he might have done so." Put that down, and down it goes on the record in these words, " Dr. P., talked with me about the rumors circulated about me in Halifax." While at the same time, all that was said in accord- ance with my testimony, respecting my conversing with her on sudden deaths, her religious state, &c., is omitted, and hence they manage to make a discrepancy. I am not surprised that all the (questions and answers at Mrs. McM.'s examination were not put down. Said Mrs. McM. to me, "are these gentlemen Christians ? " " Why do you ask such a question ? " "I never was so insulted in my life. Questions were asked me of such a nature, that I had to put my head down and cover my face with my hands, and even Mr. Selden, pitying my distress said, ' You need not answer those questions.' " , Not reflecting how late it was when 1 came there, and being deeply in- terested in the conversation, I was surprised on looking at my watch, to see what the hour was. I left at once, and on going out of the door, I saw a person standing near Gas Lane ; without any very definite motive, I scarcely know why, I crossed the street, instead of going up and passing him, when he came swiftly towards me, with a club in his hand. He bejjan addressing me in most abusive terms : making gross remarks and accusations. I asked him what he meant, that he was under quite an erroneous impression, that I had been to see a sick member of my congregation, &c. But finding I could do nothing to quiet him in his state of excitement, which seemed to me to be occasioned by liquor, I left him, saying I would come down and see him in the morning, and everything I thought would be explained. 1 have felt sorry ever since, that I did not give him in charge of the policemen, but under the excitement and embarrassment of the occasion, I acted as I thought best at the time. This is a simple statement of the facts of the case, and any one who knows me, would readily believe that the statement is true. I certainly did feel that I was Mrs. McMillan's Pastor, and accountable for her, as one of my flock, and I believe every Pastor would have felt the same ; and yet these men, with their usual misrepresentation wish the false impression to be made, that Mrs. McM. was not a member of my congrega- tion, and that therefore my visits were not pastoral. VVith reference to another point in the same letter, I would just remark that an idea is intended to be conveyed, that after visiting Mrs. McM., at her room, Dr. Crawley and Judge Johnson came away with an unfavorable impression ; whereas I know from both gentlemen, that the exact opposite was the case, and that the inference which the church have so uncharitably drawn, is utterlj' untrue. Before examinmg the charge " doors too often locked " I would wish to say a word on another passage intended also to convey a bad impression viz : " blinds too often drawn down." I remember nothing, and know noth- ing about blinds being down. It is quite probable, that in a room, the only window of which looked toward the West, to keep out the glare of the after- noon sun, the blinds might be put down ; and I learn from Dr. Crawley that Mrs. Maxner herself, the woman upon whose assertion the charge is made, said this might be the reason. I can only repeat, I cannot tell whether at any time the blind was up or down, when I was there, I know nothing about it. I come now to a charge which was alluded to in the 2d letter of (iie church, "doors too often locked," but which is made almost the entire subject 1^ 12 of letter 4. 1 hesitate to quote the passages bccaase of their loathsomeness, yet in order that yon may understand the animus of these conspirators against not my life, but that which is dearer to mo than life, and the utter groundlessness of the charge, I suppose I must, shall I say, degrade myself, by copying it into my communication. Here it is in all its native odiousness and malignity. ■" On the one hand we had for example the positive evidence, that on a large number of occasions after Dr. P. entered Mrs. McM.'s room, the door was locked after him. Why lock the door after him ? — Dr. Craw- ley did not, nor did any of Dr. Pryor's advocates attempt to show that the fact of the door being locked did not necessarily point to guilt. Where it is E roved clearly, that a minister of the Gospel is repeatedly locked in with a ad woman, in her bedroom, we ask what are you going to do with the fact. Will the fact yield or give way ? If there exists a grave doubt as to whether such is the fact, then give all legitimate force to the past character of the accused. But then when it is a fact beyond question you have to grapple with it, and what can you do with it ? What amount of charity can give a favorable interpretation ? Do you say he may have thought the woman's character was goo'V Why lock the door ? What woman of good character would not be ofti 'led, if she found a ministei- locking her door when he came into her roons nd that room being her bedroom.' Such a fact will protrude itself throu^ the thickest mantle of charity. You cannot get rid of it, it meets you at every turn, its hideous countenance is ever upon ycH." My brethren, my friends, I want to be cool, I try to be calm in writing these remarks, but 1 declare to you my blood boils, as I read over these and similar passages, reeking with malignity and falsehood, steaming up from the bottomless pit. I find it impossible to restrain my indignation. I have thrown down my pen, I have paced my room, I have cried to my God, Oh my God give me patience, and calm my perturbed spirit. These devil- ish statements, devilish in their intention, devilish in their falsehoods, coming from men who profess to be followers of the God of truth and love ! But I want to give only a calm statement of facts. T restrain the ex- pression of my feelings, and ask you, friends, dispassionately to read over again these statements of the church, and demand the proof. On what irre- fragable proof are these statements founded ? What is the solid foundation on which they are built V Was the door of any room, while I was visiting this member of my congregation in her sickness and distress, ever found locikcdy Did any one ever at any time while I was there try the door, and find it looked V Surely some one must have done this, or these assertions would not have been made and reiterated. Or did any one see me lock the door, or, see Mrs. McM., do it V No, friends, no ! nothing of the kind. The statement thus put forth, rests upon the mere assertion of two women, one of whom declared, that though she had a family to look after shef never left her window, but sat at it all day long, to watch when I should pome down : that she peeped in at the keyhole, but could see nothing wrong ; that she climbed up on the back porch, and tried to listen at the window, and once thought she heard whispering. The testimony of this woman was rendered utterly worthless from its contradictions to her husband's testimony, as well to her own, and from its manifest absurdities in other respects ; this was one. The testimony of the other woman was shown to be equally unreliable, from the falsehood proved against her as well as by the letter of a respected medical gentleman of this city, as also by the assertions of Mrs. Pryor. Yet upon the testimony of these unreliable (I use the lAildest term) witnesses, the charge made thus against their former Pastor, for more than 35 years a minister of the Gospel, rests. And now what is the amount of their testi- mony. One of them said, she was in her bedroom, which was separated by ;1 loatlisomeiiess, se conspirators , and the utter lej^rade myself, itive odiousness sitive evidence, McM.'8 room, ? — Dr. Craw- show that the t. Where it is ckcd in with a > with the fact. ! doubt as to past character 1 you have to unt of charity e thought the oman of good king her door room.' Such a . You cannot enance is ever n writing ahn ad over these , steaming up ndignation. I :d to my God, These devil- ihoods, coming love ! train the ex- to read over n what irre- i put suuh a non justice ? of these two ain nothing tliis shamc- ics speaking Why let me here in my and others astor, have I freely their !M. with the the Com- IcM. and by iteration, the ife has been nd trutliful- unded their in the fear iour." Oh, fani! "Oh, ne honor be n. ye escape n. ■ some mis- ^ who may the Gran- losen Pas- iiss, had lost mversation, en preach- fter a long turn to it, been Miss tor, on the ngregation situation. nd by her unwilling With this was a per- 1 do all I i said she I did not !conntant, and sub- y to give to be her ;d me to ered her Id her I 15 would give it consideration. I thought over the matter carefully. It seemed to me tliat as one consecrated to tlu; service of my Lord, I could not re- fuse where property was to be devoted to his cause. Besides, as Miss Vass coutem])lated a change in her establishment, I supposed 1 should shortly be re- lieved of a part at least of the burden. I consented therefore to undertake the office, stating again to Miss V., that though I had confidence in my judgment 80 far as busmess was concerned, yet that I was not an accountant. I was answered, " act for me as you would for yourself, this is all I ask." The change in Miss V.'s domestic arrangements, which I had anticipated, did not take place ; conseouently there was thrown upon me a burden which was heavy, but which I did not feel that in honor and justice to her I could refuse. The building of a large house on the peninsula was in progress, and it was necessary, as contracts had l)een made, and some of them partly fulfilled, to finish the house and surroundings. I tried to keep everything straight and square ; and I acted for Miss V. in this case, as in all others, as I could or would have acted for myself and more carefully than I did for myself when I built two houses in Cambridge. The house after being finished was not thought suitable for a residence for Miss v., and was sold. At this time, as it wjis diiHcult to hire a house, I concluded to build or buy one ; and was in treaty for a site, when Miss V. said to me she wished a house built for herself in the city, and one for me also. As there had been some talk among friends about a parsonage, sup- posing she referred to that, I said, " You mean a residence for the pastor for the time being." Her reply was, " No. I wish a house built for you, and which, being yours, Mi-s. Pryor would not be turned out of, should you be taken away before her." This was a generous proposal, and I expressed my gratitude for it. This intention of Miss V. was no secret. She often talked to others about it, as well as to myself. A site Wivs bought, plans drawn up, and proposals received, — all which met her full approbation. She stated to me she wished me to take the whole matter in my hands, and that she wanted to have nothing to do with the building, etc., until the houses were finished and ready for occupation. I took the business into my own hands, as requested. The building of these two houses involved a large expenditure of money, which sometimes it was difficult to procure, at the time when it was needed to meet engagements. Mr. Ritchie knows how often I was put to straits, and though he used every endeavor j)ossible to get in outstanding debts, mortgages, etc., yet so pressingly came the demands — in more than one case a suit being threatened — that I was conipellod to raise the money by notes in the banks. It ought not to be thouglit strange, if, with my ignorance of ac- counts, especially as they became so multij)lied and divei-se, some errors may have crept in ; but I am fully persuaded that no wrong has been done to Miss Vass, and I form my conclusion from this, that while I lived most eco- nomically, and certainly within my income, I have expended a considerable sum of money out of my own little property which I possessed before I undertook her business. V A S S A C C O U N T » . My accounts were investigated by Mr. Demille. He examined all my papers, made enquiries at the banks and elsewhere, and finally made out a new account. According to his showing, mistakes were found all through my accounts, some of which affected Miss Vass, while others, to an equal extent, affiacted myself. Now, the true nature of the questions ought not to be forgotten. The charge made against me was, that I had taken $4,800, or upwards, of Miss ■v'I% N Vaas' money, and used it for my own pur|M)8c.s. The Cliureh charged hie with fraud. It was for fraud that they suspended me from communion and virtually excluded me. Now, if it cojjld be shown that this amount could be accounted for, — if it could be shown tliat it had all been expended in Miss Vass' business, or that the deficiencj was only an imaginary one arising from entries made in error, which would vanish when the errors were corrected, — then the charj^e of fraud must fall to the ground. Whether I used Miss Vass' money wisely or unwisely, and wliether 1 ought or ought not to pay the penalty of any mistakes that might have arisen through inexperience, would be a question not for the Church, but for another tribunal. I have already alluded to the credit of $500 and the entry of the Howard money, $47.5. In addition to these, it was found that in ray accounts I had omitted all mention of payments made on discounts, which amounted, as far as could be ascertained from examination at the banks, to $91 7.41. Another account of $290 had been omitted. My erroi-s in this way against myself amounted to, — Overclmrges ayainst myself $1,072.45 Omissions of jmyments inudc 1,416.41 $2,488.86 On one charge brought by the Committee on the McVean account, which at first amounted to $1,051.87, great stress was laid. This was afterward reduced, u|)on further examination. I (|uote from the Church's reply to lion. Judge Johnston, page 42, Appendix: "Upon the request of brother Greenwood, the Chairman of the Committee, it was resolved that the Com- mittee have power to deduct the sum of $418 from the amount stated in their rejjort, as overcharged by Dr. Pryor, as paid to Messrs. McVean & Co., and that the further sujn of $402 be deducted from said overcharges as soon as the note of Messi-s. McVean & Rheeland, in favor of Miss Vass, lor the latter amount is handed over to Miss Vass ; thus leaving the net sum of $231 still overcharged as being paid Messrs. McVean & Co." The note alluded to in the above was presented before the Council, and I now have it in my ])ossession. IJy this extract, it will be seen that the dis- crepancy in the McVean account was reduced from $1,051.87 to $231. A check of C, Twining for $530 was charged against me, but on no sufiicient ground. Tliis I refuse to acknowledge. A check of Messrs. Ritciiie, drawn in favor of Miss Vass, for ^1,431.52, was also charged against me. This I deny having received, but maintain that it was j)aid directly to Miss Vass, — first, from private memoranda which were shown to the Council ; and, secondly, from the fact that it was drawn in Miss Vass' favor, whereas all tlie money that I received was drawn in my name, as was clearly shown before tlie Council from returned checks. Tlie following is a statement of accounts charged against me by the Church, and my statement in answer : — CIIAUGl'.S »Y TIIK COMMITTKK. Overcharges aijainst Miss Viiss $753.82 Omissions 1 .050.00 McVean account 1 ,051 .87 Ritchie cheek 1,431.52 Twining check 530.80 $4,818.01 17 MY 8TATKMENT. Overcharged against myself $1,073.45 Omissiona of paymenta mode by mo 1,420.68 Deduction from McVcau account, made by Church, aH above . 820.00 Kitchie'H check, not paid to me, but to MiHii VaHS 1,431.52 Twinncy check, not received 530.80 $5,275.45 The Committee afterward brought in a new report of which, liowever, I 4Ud not receive HufHcient notice to enable nio to examine it in time. It con- tained fresh charges to the extent of $822. Had it been an arbitration, where each side might have ready access to the books and papers of the other, I could have entered into larger explanations. With reference to this I may say, that an amount which I have charged to myself, in the firxt part of the account, I now believe to be an entire mistake, made througis my ignorance. It was a credit of $600, which must have been paid by me instead of received, (since it was a Bank deposit, made in favor of Mi.^s Vass.) It wiis in this way that I accounted to the Council for the money which had been entrusted to my care. I made mistakes in accounts, nothing more . Those mistakes occurred on both sides, and arose simply from an ignorance of bookkeeping combined with want of method. I also laiil before the Council two papers, one of which contained an in- ventory of Miss Vass' property when I took charge of it, and the other an inventory of the same when I relinquished the charge. Here too the result was favorable to me, and showed that whatever mistakes had been com- mitted by me on paper, the solid value of the property had increased. Let it never be forgotten that the true tjuestion is how. to account for the mistakes that appear. In the Report of the Committee, they constantly treat my statements of mistakes and omissions, as so many attempts at ofisets to business charges. They acknowledge that a certain amount was spent on dis- counts, but refuse to " allow " it. They will not " allow " the Howard pay- ment. Yet it remains a fact that these were both mistakes which when ad- justed, would account for an apparent deficit to a large amount, when all the mistakes are corrected there ajjpcars a surplus in my liivor. Under t lii'HC circumstances there could have been no fraud. If tlie case Were one of a business settlement between Miiss Vass and my- self other items would have been brought forward. I undertook the man- agement as a friend. She brought me up and held me to account as a mere business agent. If I were to make out my account as a business agent, 1 should have the right to charge commission for my management at the same rate which was charged by her former agent. This connnission would amount to $3000, and would leave her largely In my debt. As to the idea of intentional wrong or fraud entering into my mind, they must be utterly imacqnaintcd with me who could harbor the thought for a moment. 1 hate to speak about myself, and yet there are times when it may be necessary. Allusion has been made to the circunistance I now mention, liy othei-s. I had invested nearly my whole property in a stock company. A friend, who had been invited to make an investment in the same company, went to West Columbia, and made a pereonal examination. Upon his return, he called upon me, and urged me to sell out. On enquiring into the reason for this advice, after some time he informed me he believed the property, from the way which it had managed, was in such a condition, that the stockholdei-s would lose all they had in it. Now I had upwards of $40,000 invested in that stock, and had I taken the stock into Boston, and 3 ! (ttrt !t into tlio handu of my bmker, it could OHHily Iiavu I>ecn sold for par. or, above it. It was a 8))eculatioii, and if any one choose to buy it on specu- lation that was his lookout, and not mine. " Caveat emptor." These and other pressing reasoas were presented to me. Nearly all I owned in the world, the property whicli would be the means of snstainiii); mv dear wife, and family, should anything happen to nte, would be lost ; for I had implicit confidence in the judgment of my friend, and knew he stated the truth in the case. Tlic full sum could be realized in cash bv my broker without my name being mentioned or known. I knew that tiie usages of men of business would l>ear me out, if I sold. I thought over the matter. I remembered the golden rale. I remembered Him who reouired of me U* do justly according to my conscience ; and in the fear of God, however great might be the sacrifice of my property, I determined to do what I be- lieved to be right. " Fiat Juatitia, mat caetum." 1 refused to sell out, and thus harm another, by benefiting myself. What my friend anticipated cnnif to pass. 1 lost all tnat I had received from my father's estate, from my grandfather, and from other sources ; and I, who had been the possessor of u comfortable inde{)endence from the age of fifteen years, at nearly fifly, had to become dependant upon my own labor. 1 never have regretted what 1 then did. Jt pained me, indeed, to have lost the good opinion of the friend whose advice I refused, and others, who looked upon me as absurdly scrupu- lous. Though I have felt the need of that money, and never more so than during the past year, I have never regretted my decision. I did right in the sight of my God, and in his fear ; and not for all the riches of the world would I do that, which would pain my conscience, and interrupt my free- dom of communion with my Heavenly Father. And yet I am stigma- tized, by the Granville Street Church, as a fraudulent man, and under this charge, liiey have withdrawn fellowship from me. " Oh, Father for- give them," I wish I could say, " for they know not what they do." Do you ask, why I think they are not sinning ignorantly ? Let me give a single illustration, that of the five hundred dollars charged wrongly against my- self. 'On the first evening when the Committee, who had this matter in charge uiet me, they pointed out discrepancies in my account. I was greatly sur- prised at what they said ; and though I could not, and did not understan«l liow they came to their conclusion, yet as I supposed they were good ac- countants, I took it for gi'anted they were right : and deeply depressed 1 was, as you may suppose, at this additional trouble thus thrown upon me. Immediately upon going home, I searched every place I could think of, where I had thrown waste paper, my boxes, my stove, into which 1 was ac- customed to throw any papers I had done with, but all without avail ; I found u receipt or two, and one or two memorandums bearing on the matter, but that was all. I then looked over Mr. Ritchie's account, as that was the most important one, and compared it item by item with my book. In the course of my examination, I discovered I had charged myself with $500, whereas in Mr. Ritchie's account it was but $<100. I met one of the Com- mittee in the street, tlie same day, and mentioned it to him, and in the even- ing, when I was again called before the Committee, I stated it to them. Observe now the Churcli's account of this simple fact, and you will judge then whether they are sinning ignorantly. The fact of the sura wrongly charged against me, could not be denied, but by some craft and ingenuity it might be evaded ; and here is a specimen of " cunning craftiness," in whicli these men have showed themselves to be adepts. *' In regard to the larger sum we may remark, that Dr. Pryor pointed out the error himself. He took the book in his hand, and turning over the leaves rapidly, put his finger on the item (against which there was a cross made, before it came 19 re it caino into the handf* of the Committee) and said, '* But if 1 have madf errors it^ainst Miss V. I have made eirors arrainnt myself!" The innuendo in this extract, had been made at one of tlie ehuroh meetings in my presence, and I had carefully answeretl it, as al>ove, stating also, iw was known to every urchase. I shall state the circumstances as brieHy as possible. Mi.ss Vass owned a valuable pi-operty on Hollis Sti*cet, which, however, an it was unproductive and bur- dened with ta^les, she desired to sell. I had tned hard to dispose of it, and it was placed in the hands of several persons, that they hiiglit sell it if they could, but without success ; as no one seemed willing to give the price Miss V. had set upon it. She informed me (»ne day, tnat Mrs. H. had called upon her, and talked of purchiusing the property, and she requested me to see Mi"s. H., na she would be })leased to sell it to her. I saw Mrs. H. and son, and we had a conversation on the matter, and an offer was made, which J deemed inadequate and [ left. The next day Mrs. H. called again on Miss v., and wished to have the dealing directly with her. This Miss V. refused to do, and again referred her to me. f called upon Mrs. H. and stated to her frankly and decidedly that Miss V. hail set the price of .£2,500 upon the property, and that unless she Mrs. H. came up to that price, the matter was ended. After consultation with her son, she agreed to give the price ; to pay 10 per cent, down, the remainder at the end of the year if required, but without interest for that year. Without assenting or dissenting, I went home and saw Miss V., and we talked the matter over ; and she fully and heartily agreed to take the offer, and to forego the interest for the time specified, and desired me at once to conclude the bargain. This I did, and an agreement was signed between Mrs. H. and son, on the one hand, and my- self, as Miss V.'s agent on the other. Now see how Granville Street Church has stated the case, and remember thiit the transaction was stated exactly as above, at two church hieetings, and not denied by Miss Vass, and never has been denied by her, and was also stated before the Council, so that these men cannot say, tliey were ignorant of the facts in the case. Here is their published statement. " He sold a property of Miss Vass' and agreed not to exact interest for a certain time. When Miss V. heard it, she was displeased, because she had expressed her unwillingness to take less than the full .sum with interest. Finding that lie had gone contrary to her wishes Dr. P. went, &c." Could you suppose men could dare thus to misrepresent the simple fact, aS I have stated it, and which, as I have said, they heard from me, more than once, in Miss V.'s presence, and was not denied by her ? Where on earth, except from these unblushing falsifiei-s, will you find a similar misrepresentation ! But this is not all, let me state further. ' The bargain between IMrs. H. and Miss Vass was concluded, I think on Friday afternoon. On Monday morning Miss V. sent for me, and, greatly excited, said she would not forego the interest for a year, that she had been told it was not a good bargain ; that she could not sleep on Saturday night because of it, nor was she able, because of the worry of it, to go to church on Sunday, and that she must have the bargain bi-oken off". 1 reasoned with her on the matter, showed her tliat she was the firet to mention Mrs. H. to me, that she had heartily I I \ I 20 11 ■' ;iii(l fully AMMcntHl Ut tlni terms, and ttwit it wiu« with her full coiiciirroncu, and ov«>n at licr own n'«|iH>) had been tlu« case In-funs ahsol .tely lose liur reason. I did nut know what to do. 1 consultrul Mr. Ritchie, I asked him if thent was nu way hy which the har^rain could he broken off, he Raid there was not; 1 then asked what would be tlie coiiwqueni-e, if Miss V. [)er»i8t(Hl in her de- termination ; he showed mc she would be eom|)elleil to adhere to her bar- (| l»y t\w. (iovornorn, nnd wok oooiiny in^ it, iinil iix \w wuh a f':ir yoiiii^rt'r iiiiiii tlinn myxoH*, it wan not nt nil pruba* lil«> tliiit th«> riiiiniiiHtion ^\(,llM *'V(>r t'oinc into my linncU. With rosjMM't to dli «>8ulniir\ Nyarv. I have only to Hiiy that Miw V. rei- <|iH'!nts published in the reply by the (dnirch ; and inse documents, as amonjj the very best refutations of the fa!sehooear; and this Coimcil, adhering; to the principle acted u|M)n by Festus, informed us that in the absence of the accused, they would not incpiire into the truth of the charries brouj;ht an them, durin}^ this process, by Judjie Johnson and myself, that such unheard-of violation of every principle of rij^ht should not be pei-severed in, but tluit 1 should be permitted to be present, and meet my accustii-s face to face. No, they would not permit me to hear and (jucstitm, as tiiis woultl prevent the partial record they were makin}^ a<;ainst me, wliich they were accustomed to speak of as •'the recorded testimony." The ])lan of takin the very r brethren, lease to be itural tem- «r feelings kDce and a callous to can mnke lohsolation. try months thank my ay heart to n unto the auch to fill rth the ac- as regards lout shame ice, and tor acrifice tor t cheerinff h spirituu im for the ed to find r lives the — for the I Canaan, doctrine, sngth, my ong them, Ic services house to grace of Ireaults of the gos- lands. ind tbank- , in the If that in- last and Ithe Bap- |nesa, and work. , and for iB disap- jnat op- ining, in Ithe first movement, to grow into the reputable Academy and College, that you now possess. It is most pleasant now, to remember the success and growth of the College years ago, — notwithstanding its pecuniary difficulties, — and the christian harmony that ruled among us, when the lamented Prof. Isaac Chipman, Dr. Crawley and myself, were united in its instruction and man- agement for many years, during which no shade of difference, even for a moment, ever disturbed our brotherly attuchuient, or interrupted our united labors ; when we -saw the ranks of our pupils in the College, even at that early day, often filling up to the measure even of the ])resent numbers, and the countrjf rapidly becoming occupied by students from the College or Academy, m the various professions, while the entire tone of feeling on the subject of education, was changed and reformed. It cannot justly be ques- tioned that previous to the year 1850, and the acquirement of our endow- ment fund, a large amount ot the labor was performed, and most of the pri- vations and sacrifices endured, on which the subsequent growth and present success of our institutions, have been founded, and I have reason to be grateful for the share I wa^ permitted tu take Ijoth in the suffering and the success. Among such remembrances as these, I find some Oi my rewards, and precious indeed to me is the retrospect. There are balmy breezes and sweet sounds that come along the intervening years. They are dear memories to me now, and greatly have they relieved — by God's goodness — the despondency and sorrow that have often lately threatened to overwhelm me. But in the midst of the crushing griefs, these cruel and unjust men have occasioned nie : when I have seen the hearts of my dearest relatives bleed- ing, have witnessed the agony of my beloved wife, the chosen one of my youth, the dear partner of my joys and sorrows, and my fellow laborer in the Gospel, to whom, as she well knows and testifies, not for one moment, even in thought, have I been faithless ; in the midst of these sorrows, even when my heart has almost buret, — I have not ceased daily to pray that God would of His great mercy, give these n\y slanderers and persecutors a knowl- edge of their sin, and rei)entanoe unto salvation, lest they be found in the end to be lost souls. And when, as I iiave said, I look back on the past, and see myself in memory " surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses," how, I ask myself, shall not the voices of tliis nuiltitude of true men, di'own the voices of malevolence and lies. I turn to you, dear friends, wliom I seem to see ai'ound Lie, who have " known my manner of life from my youth up, who have had an intimate acquaintance with me in the different fields of njy gospel labor, where for so many yeai-s, I toiled among you, as an instructor of the young — a teach- er in your Sabbath Schools — a j)reaclier of righteousness — the Pastor of a beloved flock — I turn to you, and now call on you to witness," how holily and unblameably I have lived among you, liow I never spared myself, my time, my talent*!, my worldly means, if I could benefit you, and advance the cause ot my blessed blaster, liow I liavt' warned and exhorted you with all dili- gence and faithfuliHss, young and old, men anci women, — the aged as mothei-s, the -younger as sisters, iliat you should " walk unblamably in the Lord." I call on all oin- bretluen througiiout these Provinces, where are so many that now reap the benefit of my laboi-s. I call on you to bear witness to my exertions for your various interests as a denomination, — in your Academy at \VolfVine,--as joint iiead of the College, together with the ijrethren I have named, — aiul afterwards as its fii-st Pre: ident, — and in various other educational as well as missionary undertakings, in connection witli vener- aljle ministei-s, who have gone to their rest, ami who loved me as a dear sou, 28 as well as others still living among us, in all those labors and sacrifices to which you are indebted for the highly improved condition you now hold in these rrovinces. As witnesses to my character as a Christian and a Pastor, I call on the dear people of my former charge in Cambridge, who have already borne kind and faithful testimony, wlueh many of you have seen, and who have unanimously, and most afl'ectionately received me again into tiieir mem- bership tand communion, and to whose testimony I may unite the unani- mous expression of confidence in my Cliristian character, and acceptance of the acfjuittal passed in my favor, by the Council held in Halifax last sum- mer, given by a number of ministers of the highest respectability and worth in Boston and its vicinity, which tostinjony as well as that of the Cambridge church, may be seen in a note hereto appended. And now, dear friends, J trust you will believe me when, in the presence of the great God, before whom I must soon apjjcar as my judge, and with Ilim as my witness, I do solemnly declare, that neither in thought or deed, have I been guilty of the sin and crimes laid to my charge, by the Granville Street Church ; but that I have ever endeavored, to walk before my God in truth, purity, and holiness, among them as amongst all othei-s, and to cultivate a conscience void of ofl'ence towards God and towards all men, — Oh God Thou knowest ! Truly and affectionately youi-s, in Christ Jesus, J. P. ^ in APPENDIX. I made nppliciitioii by letter to tlic Old Cainbridge Baptist Church for adniis* sion to mcmbcrsliip December I'J, 18C7. The Church felt unal)lc to act upon this ai)i)lication, for want of jn'oper docu- mentary evidence, and believed tluit any ])recipitate resolution to admit me to membership, even if the action should be rij;ht in itself, would deprive the matter of proper moral support. The subject was therefon; given to a committee, to i)ro- cure evidence and pursue such course as should eunble the Church to pass rightly upon the question. Tlie committee (;orrespondcd with Rev. W. McKenzie one of the clerks of the Council ; examined the correspondence between the Granville Church atid myself, together with the decision of the Council and the final decision of the Church : and then arranged to invite several of the leading clergymen of our denomina- tion, in that vicinity, to meet with the Conmiittee, and some of the other brethren of the Church, to advise what course ought to be pursued in relation to my appli- cation for admission. On the 28th of February, 1868, most of the clergymen who had been invited, met the Pastor, the Standing Committee, the Clerk and several brethren of the Church. Letters were also received from some who had been invited, expressing regret at necessary absence, and the most cordial good feeling towards myself. After the reading of the decision of the Mutual Council, the examination of docu- ments, and a free interchange of views, the following resolution among others was passed : — Resolved, That the Old Cambridge Baptist Church be advised to receive Dr. Pryor to membership on the finding of the Halifax Council. The conference was then dissolved, after which the accompanying expression of opinion, was unanimously adopted by the ministering brethren present, to which some others subsequently added their names, and bears the signature of them all. The following resolutions embody the sentiments of a conference of ministers whose signatures are appended, in reply to a subject presented before them for their advice by the Baptist Church in Old Cambridge : — In view of the facts now presented for our consideration, we, the undersigned, are clearly of opinion, I. That we have no occasion to go behind the decision of the Mutual Council, which unanimously acquitted the llev. Dr. Pryor of all criminality in either act or intent ; and thus put him before the public as a man unjustly censured by the Granville Street Baptist Church. II. That the repudiation by said Church, of the finding of that Council, in flagrant violation of an implied promise to abide by its finding, together with their subsequent proceedings, manifestly unwarranted and vindicative, completely absolves all other Baptist Churches, from obligation to respect their disciplinary action in the case of Dr. Pryor, as valid on any ground, either of courtesy or denominational usage. 30 III. TJiat Hr. Tryor, thnn>:Ii fcniporarily siitrcrinfr in rcpntntifm, h«.« romv nut of a harsh oidcal, witli imiin|iain'(l chiistiaii and iiiinisti'rial characlor, and is still as worthy as ever of nnivorsal i-onfidi'ntf and csti'cni. IV', That shonld any irf^nhir Itaptist C'lnircii n-ccivc Dr. rryorinto their fel- lowship we eoiild del'eiid their lu'tioii as every way ri;;hteous and lionoraltie. IiARO> Stow, 1). 1),, Late pastor of Ifowe St. Chtireli, Boston. lioi.MN H. Nkam:, I). 1)., I'astur of 1st liaptist C'hnreh, Boston, " Brookline. William Lamsox, I), D., SuMNEU H. Mason, I). !>., Danikl C Kddv. n. D., (r. VV, (jAKDNEn. 1). ])., William Mowk. C. W. ASNABLI., D. 1)., W. V. (lAKNEIt, W. II. S, VENTRE3S, J, D. Fulton, " " Canihrid}fc, Canton St. Baptirt CUnireli, Boston. 1st Baptist (Jiuireli, Charlestown, Broaflway Clnireh, Canihridy;e. Olil Camlirid^ro, Baptist Clnirch. diaries St. Bai)tist Chnrch, Boston. Ilynt wre nnahle to lie present : — " After haviiifr soniiht all the liu'lit I eoiild oUtain, I should deem it my duty to assume tlie res])onsiliility of welcominj.' Dr. I'rynr to cliureh fellowshij) as far as I had an opjiortunity of expressiiifr it. P'irst of ail 1 have the hijrhest dejjree of coiitideiice in the christian «'haracter of Dr. I'ryor. There is no livinji ininister, I lielieve, with whom I have In-en lonjrer »>r Ix'tter acipiainted; «nd there is no liv- iiifi man whom I more profoundly trust, as a man of veracity, honor, fidelity to his own convictions, and love to the name and cause of Jesus. Then, with this view of his character, the eircumstances of his jiosition yive him a claim ujton those who trust him, to sustain him apiinst thost; who would injure him. Amonj;- Episcopalians and Presbyteriai^, a mnn who is unjustly excluded from a ehureli may apjieal to a (^onrt liij^her than a eliureh : with us, the only resort is to an- other Chureh or Council, or both. The Council of Ministers and others who reviewed the doinj^s of the Church in Halifax, n-presented the highest standard of inttilligence and piety in the denomination in Nova Scotia. They were a Presby- tery of trusted men ; and their decision in his favor, is more than a counterpoise of the Cliureh ajjainst him. A church, you know, is not infallible. The apostle John in his 3d epistle, bewails the state of one church, swayed by one mnn, who cast the brethren out of the chureli, because they received tliose whom the ajiostle approved. If, in the first century, a church would thus fall nnder malign influ- ence, it may l>e so in the 19th century. John promised to remember Diotrephes, we may imitate tiie Apo«tle's example. * Yours faithfullv, W. ITaoue. Dr. H.if^ne is pastor of the Shawmut Avenue Church, Boston, "I deeply reprtt, that the state of my health will not jiermit me to 1>e present at the conference conceminn: the case of Dr. Pryor, to which you invite me. It would afford nie the highest pleasure to be jiresent and aid in doinp justice to an honored and time-ap]iroved servant of God, wiiom from my knowledjic of the case, I rcf^ard as ;;reatly wronged. Sincerely and confidently do I Iiojk', that yon may be divinely diret'ted in restorinj>- to his place in the cause of Christ, him, whose ministry God has so larfiely blessed in the past. Please frive my warmest; love to Dr. Pryor, anil assure him that nothin}; but physical inability prevents my lieiiifr present. .Tudpe Johnston's ,^bility to weinh and ajiprcciate evidence, and his intejrrity in statinjr the truth, and rcnderiufr justice in all cases, needs no individual testimony. Yours in Christian esteem, 'i W. F. STunnERT. Brother Stubbert is Pa'-'tor of the Bajitist Church of AVatertown. 31 ^ '{' I ap^nd also some extracts of a letter from Dr. Murdoek, one of the Hocretarics of the Foreign Missioiiarv Uiiiuii who was obliged to be absent in order to attend an extra meetin^r of the Board, at New York. " I would not assume for myself, any oompetoncy either on the ground of wis- dom, or authority to review the action of the Church in Halifax, but I cannot refrain from the observation, that their candor and prudence would have more Approved themselves to good men everywhere, had they submitted the very grave questions they had in hand, questions affecting the official standing, as well as the personal character of a public man, and an accredited minister of the Gospel, to the judgment of an impartial council, as one of the very earliest steps in the set- tlement of the case. I can conceive of no circumstances, apart from the most positive and irrefragable proof or an open confession of guilt, which could be held as justifying a church in acting in the triple character of accuser, judge and exe- cutioner, in a case so important in its bearings on personal character and the public interests of our blessed religion. But whatever may be advanced in favor of the abstract right to proceed, un- aided by any external advice to the extreme measure of excomnmnication, or whatever may he said respecting the rectitude of their motives, in this part of the transaction, it is clear that their subsequent course has placed them in the wrong, and made them amenable to the bar of public opinion. If I am correct in the impression I have received of the proceedings in the case, after Dr. Pryor's exclu- sion from the church, he and his friends arraigning the justice of their action and they defending it, it was mutually agreed between the parties to submit the ques- tions at issue between them, to the judgment of a council composed of six persons to be selected by the church, and six to be selected b^ Dr. P. All this at least was reasonable, and christian, strktlif in accordance with the long and clearly ettaif linked usage of our churches. It seemed to intimate a willingness on the part of the church to have the case adjudged by men of candor and intelligence ; men, who might be supposed to be as zealous for truth, and the purity of the church, as themselves and who would come to the investigation of tne case f^ from previous committals, from local prejudices, and the heat of party passion. Had this coun- cil pronounced Dr. P. guilty and approved the previous hnding of the church, he would have been doomed to shame forever and been hopelessljir branded as a "man forbid." He entered into the stipulations for this council with this prospect fully before him. It speaks much for his confidence in the justice of his cause, that he was willing to face such an ordeal. The church on the other hand, reopened the case and submitted the revision of their action to the council, with no nsk to the reputation of any one of its members, and with nothing to dread but the pos- sible judgment of their brethren, that they had committed an error in reference to the form or the precipitancy of their action. In view of the vastly unequal risks respectively by the parties to the issue, we cannot say much in favor of the mag- nanimity of the stronger party in consenting to submit it to such an arbitrament. It was an act of the barest justice, accorded to an accused and suffering brother and having submitted the question to the council, the church had no further re- iiponsibility in the matter beyond the obvious right and duty of faithfully and candidly presenting their side of it to the arbitrators thus mutually agreed upon. It was the right of the council to decide what testimony was relevant and what irrelevant and bow much or how little time they would give to the hearing of the case; it was competent for the Court, to make its own rules and to be governed by its own sense of the proprieties of the case. And sc when it had finished the liearing and closed its deliberations and made up and declared its verdict, it was the simple and piuin duty of the church to have accepted that verdict as final, and to have rescinded their vote of exclusion. It cannot avail the church in refusing to accept the result of tiie council, to set up a plea that a body constituted as this was has no scriptural investiture of cclesiastical authority. The authority of this council is grounded on tiie mutual agreement and stipulations of the parties to it. Long as christian men are considered as lx)und by their express covenants, a council constituted as this was, must be regarded as valid and its decisions are morally binding on the parties, by whose will or consent it was set up to hear and try the issue submitted to it. 32 1 have fiinw into the statonu'iit iif the oasc, ns it is now iK'forc you, my dcuir l)rotla'r, at sudi li-nytli anil iinrticniaiity Itocansv tlii' action whicli Dr. Pryor seeks at yonr hands is virtually a trial and condrnination of the Halifax Church. I think that the action of the Onincil at Halifax conijMJScd as it was of j^ooil men ami true, — men who were known to he loyal to Christ, — men, moreover, wlu> may Ik.' assumed to have acted under every im-entive which can nnike christians zealous for the purity of the church, and faithful to an accused hrother, ilms virtnnlhi nnd imifht nctnalhj to conclude this case. That church ou^rht to have said at once, on rcceivintr the ilceision of tlu^ (Council, "your decision is not in accordain-e with the view we have taken of the case, hut we are lialile to he ntistaken and j)o.ssilily wc have heen hiinded hy |)assi(>ns en;;endcrcd in it» disi'ussion. Vim have come to it with fresh eyes and unprejudiced minds and are moiv likely therefore to have reached a decision at once Just ami merciful and therefore we will accept and act upon it, and leave the issue with CJirist our Master," Instead of this, they have in effect said to the Council, "Yonr verdict is at variance with the decision which wc have nnide in the case, and we therefore reject it." (i) Under these cireumstaiu'cs Dr. Pryor comes to your church, with the record of the Council in his hand, asks you to receive him to your fellowshi]i. I think it not onlji ijour rlijht, hut i/our dntif to respect that record, and especially, the Jindimj of the Council. If yon are satisfied that he is an innocent man. mid a christian, it is yonr simj)le duty without re<::ardin;^ the maimer in which su -h a course nuiy Iks re«'eived, to o|)en your doors to him an