Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1898 — A Protest. [ARTICLE]

A Protest.

Whereas, the series of meetings just closed, have been attended with glorious results, in converting sinners and reviving the membership of tho church. Therefore bo it resolved: That to tho earnest effort of Rev. C. Fenwick Reed is duo a great portion of the good accomplished.,. That it is with regret that ,we read the attack of tho Rensselaer Republican upon this worthy Stovjiit of God. TTuili we as members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Rensselaer Indiana do hereby denounce the Articles as grossly unjust, unchristian, unmanly and untrue. That the Rev. Reed did not come to us as a “wandering, clmrnctorlosß, egotistical, evangelistical blackguard,” but as the endorsed and approved Evangelist of the North West Indiana Conference of United States of America, and with the special endorsement of the Presiding Elder of the Valparaiso District. That wc individually and collectively accept tho aforesaid articles ns a personal insult to tho Rev. Reed, to our Pastor Rev. H. M'. Middleton and to tho entire membership of this church. That a copy of these resolutions

be presented to the Editor of the Rensselaer Republican and that he be requested to publish the same as conspicuously as the articles in the paper of Monday were published. Passed by the unanimous vote of the Official Board of the M. E. Church at its regular monthly meeting, held Monday evening March, 28, 1898. - , _H. M. Middleton, President of the Board. Attest: J. F. Warren. ) Secretary. We cheerfully give space to the above resolution, and the statements they contain fully establish Mr. Reed’s standing as a recognized evangelist in the M. E. church. It is very probable that the tenor of many of Mr. Reed’s remarks and criticisms were misunderstood or misrepresented. Not only in his references to the newspapers but perhaps in many other particulars. But if he did not say much that was wholly unjust and uncalled for, and calculated to create a very unfavorable impression, and much bitterness of feeling, then he has been misrepresented and misunderstood to a remarkable and very unfortunate extent.