The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-07-27
HAVE THE PROTESTANT MINISTER'S
TAUGHT FAI.SEHOODS!
IFrom the ShelbvYile Exnositor1
[From the shelbyville Expositor

lEEOln LAPVsltOIsl
The Protestant Clergy have always taught
their congregations the doctrine that the
Church of Rome is an enemy to true religion;
and, inasmuch us it claims for the Pope, its
head, temporal as well as spiritual denomna-
tion, an enemy to free go"crnment. They
have taught their congregations to beware Of
its insiduous approaches to power in our
country, and to watch with jealous eye all
its movements. Their teachings have al.
ways been accepted MS truth-we have never
known them to be questioned by any but
Roman Catholics, until within the last
twelve months. Aud now, here, aye, even
in TENNESSEE, daily do we hear the correct
ness OF their teachings, denied, and that too
by men protesting to be Protestnnts. Can it
be that the ministers Of our holy religion
the men, who have done more to make
American society what it is than all the poll
ticans in the land-can il be that these pure
men hare been teaching us fdlSehoodsl Have
they unjustly, and without he fear God be-
fore their eyes, misrspresented and libelIed
the Roman hierarchy No! fellow citizens
they have done no such thing. They have
taught us truth, nothing but the TRUTH and
yet for paltry partisan purposes, antlAmerl-
cans, and anti-Protestants, would persuade
you to the contrary. The Church of Rome
is all that your ministers have represented it
to be; and if at this good hour its votaries
were in majority in this country, you would
no more be permitted to read the holy
Scriptures-your Protestant temples of wor-
ship would be shut up--your school houses
purged of all books that teach Christianity
and the darkness of superstition would settle
upon the " hole nation. He who denies these
truths Tor party purpose, is false to our coun-
try-a traitor to God and mainland unwor-
thy OF the protection OF her free institutions
We speak plainly, because we feel that it is
our duty to do so. We cannot silently hear
the Nashville Union or any other anll-Amer-
can denounce such men as the pious Breck-
enrdge of the Presbyterian Church, and 9TH
er ministers, as "reuerend hypOcriteS," rs en-
gagged in "InternaI plottings against The hOer
ties of man." because they have warned the
people against the grasping ambition and
insidious policy of the Church of Rome
We feel when such men are assailed for such
an offence, it is time for every Protestant, and
every friend of "the truth of history" to speak
out in condemnation. When the broad is
sue is made whether these ministers and all
the Protestant Clergy, have been for years
inculcating in the pulpit, and in the social
circle faIsrhoods against the Roman Catholic
Church, or whether they have taught the
truth, there should he no ncutrals; every one
should come up to the support OF the sacred
cause of civil and religi 'us liberty, the rights
of conscience or freedom Of opinion. by Pa
pal tyranny and usurpation, as taught by all
history, and by the Protestant Clergy. The
issue is to be determined, so far as Tennes-
see is concerned, on the second day of Au'
gust next. Will not the people of Tennes'
acquit their Clergy Of the monstrous charge
involved against them, of falsiiying the es-
tablished history of the Christian world