Show HERETIC LADIES While the lamp holds out to burn there will doubtless be differences and disagreements disagree-ments regarding religious beliefs and practices As CHRIST taught but one gospel gos-pel and that a very plain and simple one in the opinion of everybody it seems somewhat some-what strange that there should be such a VAriety of views and so many diametrically opposing opinions among the professing Christians Not oi y erg there scores of radically different beliefs ar > d forms of religious observance but within each of these beliefs and forms there arq wide differences dif-ferences individuals of the flamo sect opposing op-posing each other in interpretations ann practices In the light of the frequent dissensions dis-sensions and numerous quarrels in church it is to be feared that the unifying influence in-fluence of CHRIST is not strong enough to make an impression on some natures The little community of Alpharetta Georgia is just now sadly torn up religiously re-ligiously The Methodist has been the popular religion there for many years the great majority of the people belonging to that church Lately some Seventhday Christians appeared there and began work in a little while they had made several converts and were making such progress that the Methodist authorities took the matter I in hand and with a view to checking the secession from their church cited cfour prominent lies Mesdames J M HOWELL HOW-ELL J M DODD and REXXIE LCTSOX and Miss MINNIE DODDS to appear for trial on the charge of heresy The Atlanta Constitution contains an interesting account ac-count of the trial which took place before the Rev C V WEATIIEUS and a committee or jury of sixLaymen ANDERSON S BELL prosecuting The ladies appeared without counsel and conducted their own defense When asked to plead the defendants read a statement as follows Wo as members of the Methodist church plead not guilty of the charge of heresy with which we have been charged by Brothers BROWN HQOK and WEST We are prepared to prove both by the Bible and the Methodist discipline that we are innocent of holding to or prac tising heresy They then went on to say that it was true they were observing the seventh day of the week Saturday for the Sabbath but that they were prepared to show by the Bible that they had the authority of GODS word for doing so They read Exodus Exo-dus xx 811 and claimed that the commands com-mands there given compelled them as believers be-lievers in thegood book to remember the seventh day and keep it holy and not the first day Concerning immortality they read 1 TIMOTHY vi 1510 that only GOD hath immortality And thus they went on quoting scripture with a cleverness and glibness that must have been surprising passage after passage being made to do duty in their behalf Finally they presented pre-sented a letter in which the Bible and the discipline were made to sustain them in their attitude The letter concluded thus i We have read of the Dark Ages how that Gods people were cast out as heretics and many of teem put to death but never did we dream that we should live to see anything of the kind in this socalled land of liberty In the language of PAUL as he stood before FELIX we would say You cannot prove the thing whereof you now accuse us But this w 6 confess unto you that after the way which you call heresy so worship we the GOD of our fathers believing rftaieh rft 1f all things which are written In the law and prophets We will not yield to discouragements discourage-ments but hold up the Man of Cavalry to flash his light to those who are sitting In darkness In Cultist there Is perfection We can be cleansed from every spot and stain through the merit of IIU blood His righteousness may be Imparted unto us and In Hh strength we stand today It was all tonopurpose however Strong as was there defense it cOuld not avail The Rev WEATHERS charged thejury that the question to settle in the case was not whether the accused were obeying the Bible tied its teachings or not but was their belief in harmony with Methodist doctrines Heresy he defined be that which Is contrary to the fundamental principles prin-ciples of Christianity The jury found the ladies guilty of heresy and necessarily the verdict carries with it the declaration that all who do not believe and practice the Methodist doctrines are heretics however consistent and devout they may be as members of other Christian denominations I This is a queer world I |