The Trinity journal., 1856-03-22
Churches.


gard to our remarks in last weeks paper,
headed "CHURcHEs." We are pleased to
see that Mr. Anthony has taken notice of
our remarks. 1t may be that the result of
a little agitation of the matter will prove
beneficial to that cause, of which we believe
hsm to be a sincere and devoted teacher.
Mr. EDITOR Some editorial remarks
headed CHURCHES" published in your pa
per of the 18th, seem to me to convey to
the minds Of your readers q very wrong i'm
preston concerning the mission of the church
to which belong, as well as of others, which
| am happy to believe, are teaching the
great principles of right, which if received
and acted upon, would send light, peace and
JOY to the whole earth. Any remarks which
y0a, or any other Of those | look upon as
friends, might make concerning my Oocn fee
bic eilors in the cause of Christianity, how
ever severe, should have been received kind
ly, and in silence profted by, but when that
cause is like to suffer- which is dearer to me
than life, cannot keep silent, but must beg
the privilege Of making word of explana-
tion, if that will place it in more favora-
bic light, without transgressing the bounds
of truth.
When you say " that religion is but an
other name for party, &c" | am at loss
to understand you. You are careful to as
sure us that you care not an unbeliever or
a scoffer at religion" If you believe in true
religion, would it not be well to tell us who
haue made it another name for party p
Have all gone estray? " Is there no balm
i'll Giead, no physician there Z" Is there
no church teaching true religion ? Then is
there need of reformation, and if you will
lead out, so help me God | will follow ! If
you mean by your sweeping remark that pro-
fessors of religion are sometimes hot-headed
party men, we answer the church can nev-
er call them to an account for their political
views. But can it be proved that political
church members are the most hot-headed
If you mean that the churches have turned
into political parties, factS tell us to the con-
trary, for in every church there are members
of all parties, and in some cases rather than
break the rules of party, they will vote
against a brother One-third at least of
the NJ. e. Church, and NJ f. Church, South
in California where you arraign them as two
beligerent parties, do not really disagree
upon the subject of Slavery. | can show
you men belonging to the little society at
Weaveryille, born and raised in the South,
and are here with Southern prejudlces. l
lcISh l could shOlo yOu more. Il they will
live godly lives, it matters little to me how
they vote when they go to the polls. If you
mean to say that the pulpit has been turned
into " stump" let me ask, where | can
not recall a haLEdo1en sermons during my
whole life in which the subject of Slavery
was referred to- | have never heard any
unpleasant contentious over the subject by
church members the nearest an exceptson
to this statement, has been between mem
bers of the same church | do not believe
that onc-third Of the ministry in California
ever refer to the subject in the pulpit,
assure you sir, " the teachings of that Di-
vine Master whom they all pretend to fol-
low, are not lost sight of and forgotten -
Christian ministers must have opinions upon
subjects of Importance to the country Mev
love, as well as Others and in their zeal to
defend these, in some instances they may
have overstepped the rules of propriety, if
so they are individually responsible, then
hare nerer mdde their OplniOn terms of cam
mun1On, and their congregations are at lib
erty to receive them or not, yet in charity
we must admit that when they have referred
to the subject, it has been because they
thought an important Christian principle
would be served byit, # they erred, we should
not condemn their church for it, or even
doubt their sincerity.
Concerning the division of the Methodist
Church in California, we answer, the church
es were divided before coming here, and that
not ABOUT political ODlntOn bnt a matter
of Church discipline, majority upon each
side when the division took place were of
the same opinion, politically. Both churches
wished to cultivate the field in California,
they are both here, they cannot we'll be uni
ted now, though andiriduaAy they are, with
few exceptions, each rejoices at the prosper
ty of the other, and would to God there
was a minister of that church here nol0, that
those might be accommodated whose preiu-