Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-05-16
The Methodist Church.

4uc mctuo0Aoe OuuxcAs
From the True american, the Know Nothing
Organ, published at Trenton. we clip the follow
ing onslaught upon the Methodist Church. 1t
will be seen that the extract fully confirms what
we have frequently asserted hat the leaders of
the Know -Nothings would not hesitate to make
the same war upon any religious sect, that they
have been making upon the Catholics, whenever
they might see that they could make political
capital thereby. And it is So Already they
pretend to have discovered that there exists in the
Methodist Church great central power, in the
hands of the Bishops, and they have seized hold
of this to the prejudices of all other sects.
If any Christian man can read the extract and
not feel alarmed for the safety and purity of rel
gious liberation, vital in its preservation, he
must be much of stole in feeling.
In our condemnation of the Know Nothinga we
have been governed by no preferences fer the Ca
tholic faith, and sympathy for its creed. 1t is
the principle of liberation, guaranteed oa sects,
by the Constitution ofthe country, which we have
defended. We would give to every man his right
of conscience, and resist any attempt to bring the
religious element of the country, or any Church,
into the political arena We are protestant in all
our opinion and edsrsst;nn, and we have contem-
plated NTH alarm this sftempt 70 bring Catholi
c;sm.into politics, for ne saw that it must even
stusto. sonaef or1s1ers IN political prosecutions
a<Ainst Prut1fant ssscts. It has come sooner than
we anticipated. The Know Nothing organ at
Trenton has raised the cry against the Meth
odist Church, and thenceforth that Church is TO
be put on the same category with the Catholics,
as dangerous citizens. Every attempt will be
made to iniame the other protestant sects against
this,-to arouse all the old prejudices and bigot-
tries which have been inculcated against it by
other denominations.
We appeal to Christian men and ask, is it not
time TO pause, reflect and then act,-act with de-
termination and zeal2 If you love your holy
Igion, and value your privilege to enjoy it, is it
not time to arise and rebuke that fell spirit of am
bition, which seeks to gain the honors of the gov
ernment over the PROSTATE body of the Religion
of Christ,-by tramping Its principles in the dust.
and using the prejudces of different sects as the
instrument Of its destruction
Around the humble atars of the Methodist
Church, gather many "reminiscences of youthful
training, and youthful devotion. We have loved
its simplicity, honored the single-h arted devotion
of its members, and the republican tendencies OF
its organization. But all these cannot shicldit
from the modern Vaccinations of the Evil One,
who seeks to bind the Church in the fetters of
darkness and destruction, by involving its differ
ent sects in cruel and relentless persecution
against each other. Religion or Know Nothing
ism must fall in this country. Which shall it be 2
Here is the extract, Read reflect:
ssThe very organization of the Methodist Epis-
copal church dangerous to the liberties OF free
people, supposing crisis to arise in political
action, in which the hierarchy of the Methodist
Church is interested. From the dependence of all
the parts on great central pocer, it is easy to
perceive how the suffrages Of most of the members
may be controlled by the Bishops. Let the Bish-
ops suggest to the Presiding Elders that the inter-
est of their ecclesiastical despotism viii be sub
verted by the election of a certain set of men to
Office ;-the presiding elders use their influence
over the preachers, the preachers over the class
leaders, and the class leaders over the class MEM
bers, and thus the balance of power in political
contest may rest in the hands of seven Methodist
Bishops There as as much danger Of his, as
there is Of Roma,sisns accomplishing similar re
s,alf prorided the occasion requires It,
:. l have thus briefly shown that Episcopal Me-
thodism is Anti-American, in its spirit and ten
dency. and 1t is dangerous foe to Rpublca,aisna.
have shown that it had its origin in usurpation,
that its very organization provides for the sup
port and extension of assumed power, and this
power may be expressly exercised without restric-
ton. have shown that Methodist Episcopacy
contains in itself the very elements of absolute
despotism, and therefore must ultimately, unless
checked, subrert and destroy republican isti-
t,stions."
The Oldest Postmaster In the United States
The Baltimore Sun gives a list of the Oldest
Postmasters in the United States, at the head of
which stands the name of John Bickel, of Jones
town, Lebanon county. Pa. In letter to the
Post Office Department, lie speaks of his appoint