An Apology to Brother Whyte
By Editor
BRO. WHYTE: The Review came to hand to-day, and I was truly pained at the remarks made on my last letter. Now if there was any thing offensive in it, I humbly beg pardon. As to my being too fast, you cannot judge unless you had received my first. I sent a short communication over a year ago that was never noticed, and as the second was of a character that demanded a notice, or suspension of the paper, I thought I was entitled to one or the other, and I wrote the third time, but as you state you did not receive it. I admit I should make some apology, not only for this but also for a letter I wrote to a Bro. Gurney in Jackson, Mich., in which I stated that you were not honest, which statement I gladly recall on the ground that you did not receive the letter and article spoken of,—and will always be glad to make amends for wrong thoughts, or wrong sayings, when convinced of the wrong. We may say many things however, which our readers will understand are only conditionally wrong, as I understand you in charging me with fanaticism, you must truly have a discerning spirit to make it an absolute charge, if that short letter was all you received from me, to judge me by. And if I am to understand it as an absolute charge and you are unwilling to recall your words, I still have the blessed right to appeal to a higher judge in the matter. Again, it seems to me very unaccountable that you should cancel the 40 cents when I am able to pay you. This I cannot allow, and enclose the amount. As to my continued subscription, it is still undecided, I had no idea that other matter must be set aside to make room for mine. But if I am never to be heard, as I never have been before this unpleasant occasion I decline taking the paper. Not by any means that I consider you bound to publish all I choose to send. You certainly have the right to reject what you please, and I also have the right to stop the paper if I think I am not used right, without incurring the necessity for any unkind remarks, especially when I am willing to pay what is due on the paper. If that miscarried letter and article yet comes to hand I hope you will either publish it, or return it at my expense. If I know my own heart, God will bear me witness, I have no feeling toward you but fervent charity, and would not designedly do you the least wrong. Time is too short to indulge in selfish, unchristian repartee. If we do wrong, let us rebuke in love, and let the past be forgotten. Yours in Christian love,
P. E. ARMSTRONG. REMARKS. With pleasure we let Bro. Armstrong speak for himself in the above from his pen. We claim perfect freedom of judgment as to what shall be published in the Review. Let those who think we err appeal to the Trustees of the S. D. A. Publishing Association. We shall abide their decision according to the By-laws of the Association. And we allow that each subscriber has the perfect right of judgment as to continuing his subscription for the Review. We shall be glad to send Bro. A., the Review, because, we think he needs just such a paper, but his continuing his subscription would not make the least difference in regard to publishing his articles.