One Lord's Day morning, before Mr. Nicholson commenced his sermon,
he said: "It is the painful duty of the church to withdraw fellowship from
Sister Tucker, who had been living in open adultery." I was sitting in
front, and I rose to my feet.
Mr. Nicholson said: "You sit down, the elders will attend to this."
I said: "No, the elders will not, but I will. What you have said is
not true about this woman. She has been a member of the church for two
years, and neither you nor the elders or any member of this church but
myself have been in her home. I do for that woman what I would want
some one to do for me, under the same circumstances. These elders never
reclaim the erring or pray with the dying, but this poor little lamb has
come in for shelter, and they are pulling the fleece off of her."
All this time Mr. Nicholson was telling me in angry tones to "sit
down". He then called on the elders to take me out, came down from the
pulpit, took me by the arm intending to put me out himself, but he could
not move me. I turned to the audience, told them what the preacher said
could not be proven. The Normal was in session and there were many
strangers present. I sat down as calmly as if nothing had happened out of
the usual, and waited until the close.
Mr. Nicholson came to me after service and said: "We will settle
your case."
I said: "Do your worst and do your best."
That afternoon the elders met in the church, and withdrew from me
because I was a "stumbling block," and a "disturber of the peace.
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