The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-08-15
Truth Well stated.

exposition of the infamous and corrept-
ing tendencies of Know-Nothingism.
Prof. i. is one of the most eloquent
and popular divines in the South west.
ern States and has long been consider
ed the head of the Methodist Church in
that section of the country. He expo
ses with a bold and mastery hand the
awful consequences that must inevitably
follow the success of this God-defying
infdel combination.
Gin July last, I had just heard of a
new organization in this country-se-
cret in its movements ; and going IN
der the name of Know Nothings. Its
principles l understood to be opposition
to Catholics and foreigners, and to be
planned in the dark, strengthened by
oaths and manifested at the ballot box.
It filed me with alarm.
"I saw in it the elements of rapid ex-
pansion and awful explosion. 1 exhibit
ted them to the class that graduated
that month, and forwarned them to have
nothing to do with it. Had / been in,
spired, L could hardly have foreshadow-
ed its history more accurately than ]
did. Of my prediction nothing remains
to be fulfilled but the ~outpouring of
more blood. My forecast in relation to
it ought to insure respect for my judg-
ment, in and about Oxford atleast, but
it is the very forecast which is raising a
buzz of discomfort against mezz6t this vi
,cinity now. This is tho sin which
brought out against me the reoendite
presses which I have named above. 1t
is called !" dabbling in politics." but its
true name is Uupalatable truth
This is the sin for which + am soon
perchance to be sacrificed. They that
stoned the proph9 Of old are yet alive,
and why Should rexpect a better fate
than theirs? Well, / do not know that
d better use could be made of nay old
carcass han the offering of it upon the
alter of this "Anaerican" Baal. An
incense might arise from it that would
do more to purify the Church and the
State from thiF modern abomination
than anything which can emenatc from
my poor frost covered brain. The pub
lie has now the sum total of my politi,
cal sins, public and private. I shall
speak at large of the new order in an
appeal to my church at some future day,
if may be allowed to do so. 1 am
committed against it and I shall oppose
it forever-not in the class room, but
every where else; not as a partisan, but
a Christian. This the patrons of the
university should know. For all the
honors and emoluments of earth l could
not be induced to assume neutrality in
to it. If all experience be not
a falsehood, and all history a fable, it
will throw this country into eeaseless
convulsions ifit be not crushed andzthat
speedily.
In my view, every man who has a
scruple's influence should raise against
It-now Immediately, ere it be forever
too late. Indeed it allows no neutrali-
ty. With its protested Americanism it
assumes an absolute dictatorship, It
will allow no man to question ftsa1uri-
ty or its policy. 1t gathers within its
pale men of dignity, talent, and piety,
preachers and tea ;hers and with them
the most ~deprayed, abandoned desperate
God-defying sinners upon earth binds
them by oaths in bonds of Fellowship,
sets them all to work in politics, md
nothing but politics. / fluid a Chris
tian brother among them l read to
him II Cor vi, IA, and so on, and 7
him to come out from such con-
nexions; and it addresses me in tones
of despotic authority on this wise.
Sir my name is Politics you are a
and clergymen should have
nothing to do with politicsI |" "Right,"
cries my brother; {" old man, you'll
ruin yourself if you mcddle with poll
tics !" 1 say to him Your oaths are
the laws of God and your.
Church." "Sir" it responds, "do
you thus denounce the pious of my or
Ter? Have you no respect for the
,hurch OF your place ?" 1 denounce
he sinners of the band, and the saints
-eprove me The saint shields the sin
and the sinner the saint. Il such
| combination is not enough to make
he Church and State both shudder, 1
not what would.
"On me the new order bears with in
olerab.e pressure. It rises before me
ike the ghost of Banquo at my very
tep in the pathway ofduty.
"I am a preacher. If 1 preach up
the sanctity of oaths, it regards it
elf insulted and attacks me according
y. If 1 preach to Christians to come
ut from among the wicked, it insults
ne for assailing Know Nothings. I'll
reach that the love of Christ Is not
by State lines, it charges me
nth attacking the article of the creed
gainst foreigners.
II am q teacher. If I teach that IN
awful promises are not binding, 1 shall
e charged with justifying the exposure
f Know Nothing secrets: FL set the
esson to my pupils wherein j. b. Ray
avs that every accession of a man to a
ountry is an accession of treasure. II
m to be published to the world as in-l
octrinating my pupils in anti Know
Iothing politics. As I am ever to be
ored by this young mad bull, 1 had as
ell take it BY the horn at once. Ldt
he order keep its hands off me, the
and the constitution; and l viii
ever disturb it and when it creeps
.om its den, under the name of politics,
it'll one arm arounda Methodist preach
r, and the other around the desperate
emagogue and Introduce them to me
united by triple oaths in indissoluble
ands of Wedloek, L shall not stop to
,quire whether its name suits its char
cter, or what the delieacies of my call
,g demands of me but undermyChris-
impulses of horror, I will pronounce
ne Union adnlterous by the prior espou-
Of the one and the utter prostitution of
ne other. I will warn the first by the
aade of Wesley. to return to his first
we ere his candlestick be removed out