Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1855-03-28

Know.ss Alasism u lslei h! q

\ AS tho KnSs. Nd binds seem y anxious
to bring doyp up3 iii head " the De-
mocacy the ilost w slpldcr Infringing
religion in.sthe pa eat pohtA contest,
we. publish Che following extract, which j.
taken from phamphlct written BY Il
!, ttmcmber or the self.sIyisi american
Eparty.,' but known BY the cognomen q
the Know Nothing party. The Trenton
True American,' 4 KNOW, Noshipg paper,
haA die nrdcle cbpiea iyto p cbhsnns, anJll
the editors says he has the pamphlet and
viii loan It 10 any " NE Methodist breth.
rem who wish TO read Il. The article y
a direct and shameful attack upon tie
Methodist Church, and we ask d careful
pcrusal Of the same, not only BY Methodists,,
but BY every man who has in bis breast
even but ono spark Of Christianity
Read Il, and then ask yourself whether you
arowilling to submit your Church and
religion to medication ofInfdel- political
damagogucs, whose only aim II, the Iap-
plause of theyile Of tho earth:-- 1l NJ
"But again--the very organiza.
ton Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church isdangerous 10 the liberties
Of free people. Suppose b crisis to
arrive in political action, in which
the hierarchy ofthc Methodist Church
is interested. Trolnthe dependence
Of oil the parts on one great central
power, it is easy to perceiye howthe
sufrages Of most Of the members
may be controlled BY the bishops. III
Let the bishops suggest to the presi-
ding elders that the interests Of their
eccl esiastical despotism will be sub
served by the election OF a certain
set Of men to office;--the presiding
elders use their influence over the
the preachers, the preachers over the
class leaders, and the class leaders
over their class members, and thus
the balance Of power may rest in the
hands Of SEVEN ErIscorAL MErnoDrsr.
BIsIiops, There is as much danger Of.
this, as there is Of llomanisin accom-
rplishing a similar result, provided
the occasion requires it. It may be-
said that the members ofthe Metho-
dist T.. Church are too independent
to be thus Influenced; but while they
submit to the degradation TO which !
have shown they are subjected in !
Church matters, let them not speak
of independence ID politicalmatters.
Let them come enthusiastically free,
and then it may be hoped that they
would dare to become politically free
if the bishops undertook to prevent |
!. lhave thus briefly shown that
Episcopal, Methodism is anti.Amer- 4
lean ia its spirit, and tendency, and I
that It is dangerous foe I'd republic. |.
canism. Ihase shown that it had |
its origin in nsn,,pation- that its very |
organization provides for the support |
and extension ofdssumcd po,ccr, and \
this power may be oprrcssipslg rrcr-
cised Eit'om restriction. Ihaye shown
that Methodist Episcopacy contains
initselfthe very elements Fan aJso-
'ute dtspotism, and therefore must ulti-
mately unless checked, subyert and |,
destroy our republican Institutions.
In this, ! have uttered no harsh cpl /.
Ihets--I have insinuatcd nothing !,
against the scripturalncss Of Metho-
dist doctrines, or the piety and god
|iness. Methodist members. Ihaye
simply spoken Of the government Of
the Church. lhave spoken as an
American citizen, and call on every
rue American in the Methodist
Church to use hisinfiuence.
% effect radical reform in this mat
Ter. The timehas come when Amer
canism and Romanism are arrayed
n hostile attitudes. Remember
;hatyou are not prepared to stand
~ Americans while You are the sub
ects Of a hierarchy, The tauntwill !
come with irresistible force from the
'assals ofthe Pope; rs despotism
my more sinful or dangerous in the
3omish Church than in the Metho-
list ?"H Oh! then be Americans--be |
rec men, throw Of your ecclesiasti- :
al chains, and then you will Be pre- 9
Jared consistently to aid your fellow |
'ountrymen in breaking the yoke Of !
Ecclesiastical despotism With which
rome has bound her ignorant and !
subjectsr' X " Z. '%E,,
~ TCOAGNfI1NTf,A rtoN,S \ l: liz