Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1855-09-22
Tron, The Enonirer,

| From The Enquirer.
Will the Editors of the Enquirer oblige
me by publishing the following letter
which have addressed to the National
America II. ond to which /. disire an ex-
teusivc circulation. in order 10 correct
wrong impressions.
Yours, &C.,
J. McGlLL, Bishop Of RICHMOND.
| To THE EDIroRioF TIE NATIONAL AMER.
CAN.
! Dear Sir:-Not being personally nc.
quaintcd with you do not know wheth-
er or not it will be asking too much from
your sense of justice, when | request YOU
to insert this communication. You have
assaiied me, on the report OF some third
party with the grave accusation Of desecra-
ting Thanksgiving day" with s'politi-
cal harangue." Would it not have been
more consistent with the laws of charity,
first to ascertain if you have resolved cor
rect information? deny tina, | intended
OF really delivered, IA politlcal harangue"
on the day designated; and maintain, that
l have never attempted, or delivered, a
"polfical harangue" since united my lot
with the ministry which you affect to de-
spise.
The discourse which delivered in the
Catholic Church on Thanksgiving day"
was deduced from the oath chapter of the
Second Book Of Kings, where the sin Of
David in numbering theipeopls is set forth,
and the prophet announces to him, on the
part Of God, that he shall be punished
either by "seven years Of famine, by war,
deufeat and fight before his adversaries for
three months, or by three DAYS Of pesti-
lence in the land u and the prophet gave
him his choice Of these three afflictions.-
David chose, in his great strait. to "lall
/ into the hands Of God,'. rather than the
hands Of man." and be selected pest,lence,
which, IN three days, destroyed seventy
thousand men from Dan to Bersh .bee. -
When the King humbled himself and
, "built ali alter to the Lord, aud offered
holeeausts and peace offerings, the Lord
became merciiul to the land. aud the
plague was stayed from Isreal.''
OF ,urse, d. not DESIRE TO impose upon
You AID your leaders the task Of reading
this discourse, nor inilict upon myself the
| trouble Of writing it out; but ] will show
. its plan and substance. that you may Judge
iPthe gentleman, whose zeal supplied you
with your information. was an attentive
heater or just reporter.
! announce that the affections which
humanity has to endure, axe the punish
men,s Of sin, by which death and all those
evils which p-ecede It,, entered into the
world. That in tho economy Of Gods
providence with respect to his favored
people, temporal rewards and punishments
were more frequently awarded than now
under the Christian dispensation, in which
spiritual punishmen,s and rewards for the
chastisement OF sin aud the encouragement
OF virtue, are more commonly dispensed by
Almighty God; that nevertheless, the his
tory OF the Church and Of the world. since
the days OF the Saviour, manifests nume-
Ious examples, like those recorded in the
old Testament, where God has sen, up
individuals. communities and nations,
desoIating Affections, proving his dispeas-
ure, and consequently showing that he had
been offended by sin.
And yet. | argued that in these vista
tons of bis anger, which were doubtless
provoked by sin, twas not always upon
the offenders only the blow fell. as was
plain from the passage ofscripture which
Came especially under our consideration,
and iu which we behold seventy thousand
men struck with death because OF the sin
of their kins who is thus humbled aud
chastlsed in the misfortunes Of the people,
over whom he is placed as shepherd and
guardian. Hence, whsp we see rommu-
mites afflicted BY terrible visitation, like
that which is desolatiug sister cities of our
State, while we cannot infer that the Wit
tins OF the plague are the guilty persons,
We may suppose that some where there ex-
ISIS sin which has provoked Almighty
God to anger, and which he has resolved
to ehsstise. That these di,pensa,ions are
from his providence, aud that be VINO
holds the scourge in his hand, seems to be
recognized by the act vi our municipal
authority, in setting apar, this day as day
Of Thanksgiving for iavors to ourselves, and
of pray or that he would in his mercy stay
the plague from she communities which
are afflicted.
As no one can penetrate the eoansels Of
the Almighty or know his judgments, it
would not be- lawful for US to attempt to
say what stu was here punished or by
whom committed, whether by the people
themselves or by the rulers, BY the partlc-
uar portion Of the country afflicted, or by
the whole country. But, II were allowed
to divine what sin it is winch IN our day
has provoked Gods displeasure, should
be inclined to designate the sin Of Know-
Nothingism; because, holding as do the
Catholic Church to be divine. and the true
church Of Christ, CONSIDER secret con-
spiracy organized for its destruction is sin,
which, sooner OF later. will be visited
with Gods displeasure. and be punished
by him. But, against my inclination to
designate this as the Cause OF this terrible
calamity which our whole State, and even
sister State are in sympathy suffering,
find other places much more criminal in
their effects against the church, and guilty
Of blood shed aud violence, as for instance,
Louisville. the chief city Of the State in
which l was reared. where the most hor-
rible deeds which cry to Heaven-and
yet they are spared from any such vista
| tions.
As il must have been distorted YER
sion Of this passage which your informer