Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: REPLY TO LETTER I. Courtesy Extended ; Two enquiries ; Great names do not change Error into Truth; The power of a religious theory true or false, in the formation of character; Our Position Defined; Lexicographical definition of terms; Application of these definitions to the subject in debate; Annual and General Conferences composed only of bishops and travelling preachers; Exclusion of laymen from these bodies; The clergy the basis of representation; Episcopacy never to be changed; An effort to change it rebuked; The legislative, executive and judicial departments of government all filled exclusively by the clergy; Dr. Bascom's opinion; Methodist Episcopacy deprives laymen of the right of choosing their own pastors; Anecdotes of Dr. Rippon and Robert Hall; The argumentum ad hominem; Extent of our endorsement of the article from the Western Watchman. It always affords us pleasure to open our columns to any person or community to vindicate themselves from intentional or unintentional misrepresentation. The article to which the foregoing communication refers, purports to have been written by an American citizen. It is assumed that he has most grossly, wantonly, and malignantly assailed the Methodist Episcopal Church. Far be it from us to be the means of circulating presumptuous and malignant misrepresentations ''g£ the largest body of Christians in the United States."' 'We can assure our good brother Hamill, that, welcome as he is to our columns, he would have been still more welcome, had he not appended the endorsement to his communication, of the three very respectable names, to secure its publication. Highly as we respect these gentlemen, all of whom are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, we beg leave to assure them that their honored pastor is always welcome to our...