Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-05-07

though we revere the memories OF LutncT, Me
lanchton, Calvin, Cranmer, Bucer, and the Faith
ers of the Reformation, and believe them to have
been actuated by the purest and hoGest Of mo.
tives, we do not claim infallbity for any one q
them. We have no cannnized saints.-Whilst
the Lutherans have adopted the great funda-
mental sentiments of truth he proclaimed, we
have much better guide than the esteemed
writings Of Luther, or any other human creed -
even the Word of God. We read the transla-
ton OF the Bible he gave us, we sing his sublime
hymns, and use many of his forms Of prayer,
because We believe they express the teachings Of
the inspired Word of God, but we would prove
recreant to the great principles he taught us, if
we regarded him as our Prophet, or adopted his
opinions without the exercise OF our reason and
of comparing his teachings with that Of much
higher teacher, even Jesus Christ, the Head of
the Church, that great rock on which the Chris
tian Church is founded, and against which the
gates of hell cannot prevail.
But DR.. Bellinger was not yet satisfied with
his triumph over bis fellow-Aldermen, over the
Constitution of his country, and the rules Of
common propriety, he went step further he
after several days of reflection, prepared and
published the offensive paper already referred to.
Whilst cogitating on the getting up of this re-
markable production it is little surprising that
he had not recollected the caption on the first
page of the United States Catholic Miscellany
Congress shall make no laws respecting the
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"
the underscoring is mine. The sentence may
easily be found, as it surrounds the figure of an
American Eagle holding cross in the talons Of
his right foot; and chalice in the left-which
is somewhat significant, as both the cross and the
cup have been usurped as the exclusive property
of the Romsh Priests.
The other remarks of the Editor of the Cath
lie Miscellany, in commencing to Catholics and
Protestants the letter Of DR.. Bellinger, may as
we'll receiue passing notice here. He says he
"could almost regret to sec so much of accu-
rate, learned research and eloquent sarcasm ex-
pended on so despicable an adversary" The de-
spicable adversary" (Mr. Gildersleeve) will no
doubt take some notice of bis eloquent sar-
casm," and will try to see how much weight
there is in his accurate and learned research"-
which happened to come from my Library. He
goes on "The allusion to Luther in DR.. Bellin-
ger's speech in Council was merely incidental,
one to which no reasonable man could or did
object" 1 suppose he and l collected public
opinion from different societies of persons since
| met with not solitary indivi 'ual who did not
condemn it, and some OF them spoke of it as a
silly exhibition of inflated vanity"
The editor bestows some very refined and
gentlemanly compliments on the Rev. Mr.. Gil
dersleeve, such as malignant Dravado," "despic-
able adversary" who was to be unhesitatngl y
trampled Oh "as toad or other noisome reptile" !"
| am prepared to have similar contemptious mis-
siles hurled at my head. Fortunately the Bull IS
shorn of his horns and his hooE so worn, that
he would find it rather difficult in Charleston to
trample even on toad. The editor proceeds
"we are not sorry that he has been forced by the
malignant broyado of the Richmond editor, to
give our community an insight into Luther's
real character" Now the editor of the Misce-
lany knows as we'll as do that the Richmond
editor had no more to do with the bringing out
this terrible Bull against Luther, that was to
demolish not only him but Gildersleeve at one
blow, than the man in the moon. He knows
full we'll that DR.. Bellinger sent his interpreter
of the German language to me, to obtain the
volume from which he culled the sentences here
and there to bring the charges against Luther
What use was made OF the book which
chcerfuly lent h m, and offered him the use OF all
Luther's works, will show in future number.
Certain it is, the big gun against Luther was
loaded, primed and ready to be let off long be-
fore Gildersleeve was thought Of, and suspect
before the proceedings of the City Council had
travelled to Richmond, and if he could have
found no one in Charleston to give the word, ne
would have fired his blunderbuss in the air, if it
were only to enjoy the CONSERVATION which would
be created among the Protestants Of Charleston,
and especially among the humble followers of the
poor "exhumed and dissected" Marin Luther.
Overcharged guns generally rebound
There is yet one other thought that suggests
itself to the mind, in pondering over the recent
outrages threatened in our city, the mode adop.
ted BY an Alderman to permit Protestant
clergyman to be driven from our midst, and the
remarkable contrast between the conduct OF the
Roman Catholic and the Protestant.
Mems characters are formed from the school
in which they are educated The principles we
have imbibed influence our character and con-
duct.
The Roman Catholic is taught to render i'm
pIcit obedience to the Church. That Church
he believes infalibe. Our version of the Scrip
lures he is not permitted to read, and he is not
allowed to use his own, according to the deci-
sons of the Council of Trent, without a special
permission from the priest The result is, that
If the priest gives no permission, he is left with
ont Mblical instruction: hence, in passing q sum-