Pope Vs Hildreth

The following extract from the Cleveland Plaindealer pertaining to the late ohuro'a trial of the latter gentleman, may interest some of our citizens who ere well acquainted with both divines. Dr. Pope complained before the Norwalk tribunal that he had been INTIMIDATED, and that personal violence bad been offererl him. 11e was asked if hu aooused any ff the committ'íe or counsel, or any member of the official board of the clmrcb, of inciting any one to offer bira violence. He said he did not. He was then asked if he acou-ed any of ibe membere of the Norwalk church of doing bo. He said that he could not acense any of them, but inquired how it could happen that violence had been offered him. One of the affleial tnembers of the church who was present replied that Dr. Pope had no one to blaine except himself aud that his own conduct had provoked it. The cironmstances as related by a prominent member of that church ore briefly these: After reachmg Norwalk Dr. Pope went to the house of a man not a member of any ohurch and asked two ladies, daughters, about wbat they knew in regard to Dr. Hildretb's Rssociations with certnin neigUbor. They said they knew nothing and rnakiug tbeir excuses left the house. Dr. Pope then interrogated an older daughter on the same subject. Meanwhile the younger ladies had hunted up their brotherinlaw, who is well known in Cleveland, and told bim what had occurred. He hastened to the house and on entering Ihe eldest daughter, calling bim by name, said: "This is Rev. Mr. Pope, who is snooking around here for t-omething about Mr. Hildreth." The brotherinlaw proceeded to make some very fervent obsprvations, saying among otlier thiugs that if it were his house and Dr. Pope had come there on suoh an errand when he waB not at home.nnd had Hsked bucu quentions of his younir daughters he would boot bim out of the house into the si reet and then boot Iiim througb the slreets hs Ion as there was any leather in his boots. Dr. Pope said it wan evident that he was not wanted there aud he would leave tne house. "No yon won't just yet," said the irate brotheriulaw. "You came bere for an interview and you're going to get one before you go," wbareupon he proceeded to commeut npon Dr. Pope'R courfeui language more forcible than pohte. One of the persons coonected with that iuterviev is a ineniber of any ohurch. Below íb an editorial from the snme paper after Dr. Hildreth's vindication. But now that it is all over it occurs to the outsider to ask, What has been accomphshed by it of beueüt to anyone? What bas the Methodist churoh gained by this airing of very dirty linen? What has Dr. Pope profited by it? Does he really thiuk it pays him? lu what way bas the cause of religión been prospered by the exhibition of "mahce, batreü and all uncharitableneas" developed by the unfortunate affair? To the good Methodist the revelationB of the investigation must have been exceedingly mortif ving. The earnest chnstian, no matter of what denomination, could not but have been grieved. To the ungodly, who have unhappily always enough pretext for jt-ering at the "brotherly love" among profesaing cbristians, this untortunate scandal will be as "nuts and figs" for a long time to come. And what possible gcod could have been accomphshed - had Dr. Pope succeeded in blasting the reputation of his aged fellow-minister of the gospel and eloquent rival and driving him away from his neighborhood - that could compénsate for the evü to the churoh and lo religión that must necessarily result from the scandal? These are seriouB Cbristmas reflections for Dr. Pope. Saturday ruorning abont 150 prohibitionits held a convention at the court house to see what Waslitenaw would do about submitting the great qnestion o! local option to the penple. To-day a petition signed by about 1800 voters will be laid beforo the county clerk, who, must then within 40 daya, give Uue notice that it will be submitted to the people. In every county where it bas been voted vpon, it has been oarried.