Friday, June 12, 2015

Don't Let Words Hide the Facts Says Jason Heatherly of Saluda, N.C., 1914

“Words Vs. Facts” by Jas. W. Heatherly of Saluda as published in the letters to the editor of the June 4, 1914, issue of the Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad Hustler, Hendersonville, N.C.

Editor Democrat:
Webster compiled a book of words, the majority of which are never used. Words are little sawed off chunks of wind which are misused at times to defy facts. Some people use many words with no effect while others preach sermons by their silence. Frivolous words skim over the surface, and only facts will remain and bring results. A man’s verbosity doesn’t always reveal his intellectual qualifications. The man who uses virulent prattle to vilify or ridicule the other fellow’s opinions generally sees the other fellow win out.

A weak man can talk big among his own crowd, but it takes a strong man to express his sentiments to those who oppose him. History reveals the fact that very nearly all of our great men, those who have done the most for humanity had to fight their way to recognition midst adverse circumstances and cruel opposition. It’s the laugh to hear the fellow who has accomplished naught refer to the fellow who has made good insultingly. The fellow with brains enough to do the stunt that is worth while will be knocked by the fellow that cannot do likewise. It’s perfectly natural for the fellow who lives in a shanty to envy the fellow who lives in a mansion.
God breathes His divine approval into every movement for reform and betterment of mankind. The man with a message for mankind or a mission will if he has ability and integrity eventually wear the laurels of recognition. Every reformer of the age is an intermedium. The progress of all ages has had its intermissive and few reformers live beyond their interim. Satan says: “All a man hath will he give for his life” but Satan is a liar. Every man with his heart in his work will do or die. Death has no terror for the individual who believes in himself and goes into a work full of hope and ambition. Thousands have kissed the shroud of death willingly for what they believed to be the truth, yet hailed by their enemies as teachers of error.

He’s the hero who braves the howling mob and speaks and acts according to his own convictions midst showers of abuse and adversity. The gates of oblivion are standing ajar for those who oppose the other fellow because of superior talent or misunderstanding

When John Wesley discovered that the book of Revelation taught free grace and stepped out in the by ways and hedges and handed it to all who would incline an ear to hear, a terrible howl was heard in Christendom and the strong holds of ecclesiasticism shook like a mighty earthquake had struck ‘em and the clergy unfastened their denunciatory temper with no limit as to speech.  Did John Wesley quit? Ask the next Methodist preacher you meet. And so it has been all down the ages, God has used human agents to break the fetters of pride and release those tied down by tradition and priestcraft. Now as we are about to step over from the gospel age into millennial age another voice is heard in Zion and it’s the voice of a reformer. He has the message of the hour, a message that is needed, a message that should be heeded, a message calling our attention to Bible truths that we overlooked in the past, a message that has reached every nook and corner of this old earth notwithstanding it has been abused, slandered and every thing done to stop it yet it is heard wherever you go and adherents ready to defend it at all cost and with their lives if necessary! In the years to come after prejudice, ignorance and envy have been relegated to oblivion you’ll hear the now opposers of Pastor Russell praise his efforts and works of reformation. Many preachers are already beginning to acknowledge that Russell is doing a good work—those who a year ago bitterly opposed him.
--With best wishes, Jas. W. Heatherly, Saluda, N.C.

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