Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-07-26
From the Chattanooga Advertiser.
Methodist Episcopacy Threatened
with War BY Knew Nothingism.
Where will this anii-American.
ism and Sham Christianity end!

Wncre VIII his anti-AWerlCdn-
ism and Sham Christianity end!
Has it come to this? Is itpossible
that 80 soon the press is called up
on to publish indications with such
startling evidence as the heading Of
these remarks indicate? Well may
we say with the language Of the Mo-
bile Register, @once discard the prin-
lciple of universal liberation, and the
"largest liberty" Of religious faith,
and why should not one sect or re-
ligion be prosecuted as well as anoth-
Ter? Why should Methodist Episco-
pacy, or Protestant Episcopacy, be
spared, if Roman Episcopacy is open
to attack? Throw the door open to a
religious crusade, and there is no bar
to the entry of any band of assail-
ants stimulated to the assault by sec
tartan feeling, fanatical sentiment OF
political ambition. There is no safe
| ty to any religion outside of the
broad and open field of liberation re-
cognized and established by the Con-
stitution of the United States, which
leaves every mans religious belief
and religious conduct to be settled by
Ibis own conscience with bis Maker
These views are general and of uni
versa truth, and we have expressed
them before. We little thought, how
ever, that we should so soon have to
recognize their practical application in
the strange scene created in this coun-
try by Know Nothingism."
In the Mobile Register we find a
continuance of this subject 1t says,
'there lately appeared in the West
ern Waterman a long and carefully
written article, penned, as the editor
states, by an American which is
deliberate and pronounced attack up
on the anti-Republican tendencies Of
the constitution and church Govern
ment of the Methodist Episcopal
Church This article is copied with
out comment, into the South West
ern Baptist published at Tuskegee.
Alabama. We copy some passages
of this article to show its spirit and
its aims; and we commend it to citi.
zens of the Methodist Episcopal com
munion, believing that they will see
in it how dangerous weapon is re-
|ligious intolerance-how easy it is tc
turn its keen edge upon those who
have welded itagainst others, and how
lperilous it is to depart from the Chris
tan spirit of liberation inculcated il
the Bible, and heretofore animating
informing and adjoining the free inst,
tutions Of the American Republic
at (Americanism) encourages 8
spirit of inquiry into everything that
has bearing, direct OF remote, upon
} the principles of our government
It looks, especially, with jealous eye
upon those organizations which, un-
der the cloak Of religion, generate and
: disseminate principles subyersive Of
mans inalienable rights, and directly
hostile to the liberties of free and
independent people. Hence Roman
ism-that monster of despotism and
Ioppression-has elected its prompt
attention and decided action. Anoth-
err foe to human right, srerAng a par
alysing influence orsr freedom of
thought and action, and directly hos
tile TO the Development Of true Amsr1-
canisns, is found in Episcopal Mslh-
oaism.
= ain the exercise
of bis independence as an American,
to call attention to those features of
her government, which fit the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church to become,
whenever circumstances may demand
it, a powerJaI instrument to sn6uert
and destroy the liberty nov enjoyed By
the sons and daughters of Ameracai-I
It is his design to show that hers are
the elements on which corrupt politi-
clans may, at some future day, work
with disastrous results; AND THAT AZ
TER AMERICANIsM HAS vANQUIsHED THE
EMMIssARIEs OF ROME, SHE. MAY HAVE
TO FIGHT THE BATTLE OVER AGAIN WITH
METHODIST EpsCoPAcY. EPISCOPAL
METHoDIsM Is ANTI-AMERIcAN IN TTs
SPIRIT, AND DANGEROUS FOE TO REPUB-
LlCANIsM.
1have thus briefly shown that E.
piscopal Methodism is anti-Americal
in its spirit and tendency, and that it
is dangerous foe to Repu5Acamsm.
I have shown that it had its origin in
usurpation, that its very organization
provides for the support and extension
of assumea.power, and that this pow
er may be oppressively exercised
without restriction. T have shown