Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-06-20
tn. C,.rp,-IbOlltIOu r.uatlelsm.

The Ciergy-Abolltiou fauatlesm.
Northern papers continue to remind us oil the lana
teal sayings and doings of the Northern clergy
Having almost entirely abandoned the preaching Of
the gospel, they now engaged in the more plea
SAINT and congcnal business of melting to bloodshed
and treason. aud inilarnng the prcjudices oil their
ocks against the people and institutions of the South
Perhaps, however it is well enough that it is So
unfit for the duties of the pulpit there is degree oil
mer in throwing aside the cloak of hypocrisy they
have so long worm and coming out openly and above
board in the service of the master they have all the
while been fighting for, syly nd in disguise.
The fierce and aggressive tone of the pulpit at the
North. illustrates plainly enough the immense pro
gress Abolition has made in the course OF few year
1t is not to be denied that there time, not very
far back when, il Northern clergyman had uttered
such sentiments as have been lately avowed by thou
sands of them he would have been driven with
contempt and derision from the pulpit He would
net have been allowed to degrade his holy office, and
bring religion itself into dsrepute, by indu ging in
incendiary haraugues counselling resistance 10 the
law and constituted authorities of the land, and en-
couraging wild and awcss NIB in their attempts
at violence and murder. Such conduct, on the part
Of n professed minister of the gospel would not only
not have been tolerated few years ago. but would
have provoked upon the head Of the offender the in
dignant denunciations of nearly all classes of the
Northern people But now it is entirely different
The progress of the fell spirit OF Abolition has been
SO stealthy and rapid that complete and thorough
revolution has been effected in the public sentimcn;
and feeling OF the North in reference TO this subject
Instead of preacher meeting with rebuke and odium
I,,t;a colI; tol-a
inpoltca contests, he is greeted with applause for
his apostacy and demegogueism, and encouraged to
persevere in his efforts disturb the public peace
and promote alienation, dislike and hatred between
sections and individuals He is now. openly defended
by the men for what, in days gone by, he would
have been severely and bitterly censured-defend,d
too, in the name OF patriotism, morality and religion.
The foul spirit Of abolition appears TO possess the
fatal power of pervertng, corrupting and debluchng
every human being upon whom it iasteus. Not on, -,
who hasever fairly under its influence, but has
hal to surrender his manhood, his dignity, hs self
respect and common honesty itself 1t converts pa.
triotS into traitors good into bad and preachers
themselves into something less than devils.
We may regret that Abolition fIna;icism has taken
possession Of the Northern pulpit and made way with
both the patriotism and the piety of the men who
regularly occupy it But that s""h is the fact nrv
events of the last few months and present indications
sufficiently attest. Scarcely a clergyman can
now be found at the North, who is not
irrecaimably infected with the pestilent hercsy,
and who is not openly bent upon wagng a
bitter and relentless warfare against the domestic in.
stitutions Of the South Having taken the field in
opposition to slavery, their avowed purpose is 20
give it no quarters but to keep up perpetual agn.
ton upon the subject in the hope of finally ctIecting
its extnguishment, whether by peaceable means
or forcible is to them n matter of utter
indifference. Assuming to speak and act in the
name of Almighty God" they are ready to be-
leve any means legitimate and just, which will SOON
est and most effectually accomplish their purpc-
ses. When men, either in politics or religion turn
raging fanatics, there assignable limit to their
folly or their wickedncss. The Northern clergy
therefore, in the violent crusade they have thus en-
tered upon may be expected to prosecute then WORK
with n Zeal and rancor but little dreamed Of Ar
army of priests apt to leave stone unturned il
the pursuit of their objects. Imprsonments stripes
chains death itself all recognized as strictly or
thodox means of accomplishing their ends provided
resort to them should at all endanger the saft,
OF their own carclsses.
We are already told by Northern journal that ,
Convention of the Clergy, is soon to assemble in or
der devise measures for the purpose Of carrying
on in the pulpit, systematic slavery agitation. No
satisfied with blasPhemously protesting against tn
legislation Of Congress, they propose to concer
together with view TO combined action against Tia
property and even the lives of the Southern peopl,
The house Of God is to be desecrated, and con.
yerted intoa regular bear-garden where these wolve
in Sleeps clothing may stir up excitement and strife
preach sedition and treason and incto to murder it
self IL the Northern masses can tolerate the perpe
tration Of such folly and such crime in those they
chosen for their moral and rel gous guides it is tim
for them to quit playing the hypocrc, and pretend
ing to auy regard for Christianity or its teachings
1t is useless rthem to deceive themselves or attep
to impose upon others The world is wise enoug
to discern an mposter, matter in what guse h
may appear The South, however has nothing t.
fear fro,a the madness and hypocrisy Of Nor,her
religionists 1t only regrets that tie Church an,
where should be degraded by such unmitigated knaye
and fanatics.