The true Democrat., 1855-09-25
Coming out from Among the Wicked"

Our ideas of religion are, that it should be pure and holy to be acceptable to God-that those who seek to serve God in spirit and in truth should obey his holy woid.-"Come our from among the wcked"-" void even the appearance of sin'--" Let your light 50 shine before men, that they may see your good works, and g,orlty your Father which is in Heaven."- Are Tot these commands of the scriptures? Many witnesses who have left the know noth- ing party condemn it as sinful and wcked-as lntolerant-proscriptiv ptive-destiuctio of those social relations which so happily flow from the observance of the holy Injunction of Christ to love our neighbors. Sensible, patriotic and truthful men, who have left the order bear witness that they are convinced that it is in- consistent with the obi cations of Masons-n violation of the principles of our government- calculated to create civil war and bloodshed and humiliatng to freemen, because 1t robs them of freedom of thought, freedom of action, freedom of conscience--in fine makes them slares; and rot stopping at these monstrosities teaches them to have an "antense'' feeling of hatred instead of loue for their neighbors.-- Sinners we are perhaps we have too exalted an idea of true and undetiled religion--perhals we look for too much Godlmess and purity of character from those who profess to be follow CTS of Christ--but our notion is that the fa- shions or disorders of the times, cannot change the religion of Christ and that God will frow Il upon those who seek to degrade and to destroy true religion, by blending churches with such an unlawful and sinful ORDER as these wit. nesses have testified know nottingham to be. If tn ese things be so, how can tha churches prosper? What sinner will heed preacher who holds intercourse with know nothing councils from which men are flying and hold ing up their hands in horror and publishing to the world that know nottingham is demora- izing, revolutionary, unpatriotic and desperate ly wicked.
 If the churches permit their preachers to go about the country teaching their members and others know nottingham instead of devoting their time and talents to inculcatpg the pure and uudefiled religion of Christ, how long will 1t be before southern shareholders will suspect such preachers of being abolitonists in dis guise? And whether such conclusion should be true or not, know nothing preachers would, ifrcceived at all, be looked upon with dstrust and would be shorn of their power to do good The effect upon the churches in the south may well be imagined. We would deplore the severe shock which the cause of religion would receive and the many evil consequences which would ensue.
 We have been led to these reflections bv the concurin9 testimony of many, perhaps hundreds ol truthful men who have left the order, and tp warn others t. beware oft, have stated, through the newspapers, what they thought of the se- cret midnight ORDER.
 Mir. Harrison Blevins of Independence coun- t!, ATkansas, Is a witness who has found out many things connected with the ORDER that should cause not only every christian, but all patriotic citizens to have nothing to do with know nottingham.
 We call attention to the letter of Mir. Blew ins, which we publish to-day It contains warning, to the fathers of the young men and youth of this country to cause them to avoid this denaord1zing clan of undermining secret partlzants, for they can only teach them to do evil" How pure and bright, republican, chris tlan- like and ennobling are the principles of de- mocracy compare to the dark actckea and mOnaichac0l principles of know nothingism.