Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1856-11-22
.snnTHEKN AIp so1IErY >

benencsrles are even advised OF It's existence,
much less familiar with its operations. We have
resd the ANIMAL report of its officers with special
pains to familarize ourselves with the nature and
purpose of its designs, and are not satisfied.
1t claims to be Christian Missionary Society,
gotten up on the most phianthropic and liberal
principles, flowing out of the abundance of the
North and intended to supply the moral destitation
of the South. To use their own language:
That we have made the South and the South
| west the field of our operations, we feel assured
will command the increasing appreciation OF every
candid rejecting mind. The grand necessity OF
this selection lies IN the relative missionary cond'ton
of the two opposite sections of our common coun-
| try When we compare the fact that one tnifu
of the Southern population is colored, with tne
| fact that the two remaining thirds, or the Wnite
population of the South, from the hrst setuelnen'
| of the country have never possessed an equai ue-
| gree either of general Christian knowledge, OF Vi
common Christian privileges, with the populatlon
| of the North-there would seem to be no exraV'
agance in the Judgment that the SCUM is Prooa-
| bly taosee as destitute as the North"
Thus it appears that the fact that one-third OF
our population are colored and the impression that
the two remaining thirds, or the white popuiauon,
| "have never possessed an equal degree, either OF
| general christian knowledge, or of common chris
tisn privileges" compared with the people OF tue
North has led these pous souls into the belief that
it is their special care and duty to supply from
their abundance, our moral restitution.
The means by which these good offices are
sought to be carried out consist in the raising OF
large fund of material aid by which Mssisson-
aries from the abundant supply of the North are
to be distributed through the South to redeem and
chrstianze the moral waste that said to exist IN
the sIave-holding regions of the country.
We will not pretend to controvert the fact that
there is quite field for ministerial lsbors in the
South, and wider scope than can probably be
thoroughly cultivated in many years to Come
But is it true, as supposed, that the moral desltu'
ton of the South is twice as great as that OF the
North ?-for upon this plea the Southern AID 80
ciety has founded its organization, and without 1t
it cannot stand unless its purposes be attributed
to some other or additional design. For one, we
think not, and can only believe that the Southern
Aid Society is ostered by purpose, less fanstica
than Abotionism, but just to that extent more
certain and dangerous in its aim.
It is not true that the people of the South
have never possessed an equal degree of general
christian knowledge, or of com mon christian priv
ileges with those of the North. Going back to
the early settlement of the infant colonies, and
though in Virginia or the Oarolinas, there were
no witches burned nor men dragged at the carts
tail, nor ungody heretics driven from their homes
in the zeal of puritan bigotry, we think there
will be found an equal amount of christian
grace and ecclesiastical advantages in the South
as in the most favored colonies of the North. In
this we rely on the history of the country for our
support
Nor is it true that the South to-day, in moral
point of view, is in less enviable condition than
the North. But on the contrary, looking to
morality and religion alone, there is not we'll
informed christian man in our midst who would
be willing to give up the moral status OF the
, South for that of the North. Their relative posi-
tons are clearly exempli6ed in the history of the
Northern and Southern churches for the last lew
years. Look at the angry agitstions they have
purposely and systematically created in their an
nusl Conferences and Synods-at their crimina
tons and recrminations and final separation, re-
fusing to live in christian fellowship, to recognize
christian rights or hold christian communion with
their brethren in the South, based upon their ia
nstical objections to slavery. Look at the lnnu
mersble enormties that now stfict their societies
in the nature of Mormonism, Angel Gabriehsm
Spiritualism, Free Loveism, Atheism, and various
other isms, many of which are colored with reli
gious fanatcism, disgraceful to the age and shock
ing to the sensbiites of every truly christian
man.
Surprising it were true that the number OF min
listers and church accommodations were proper
tonably much greater at the North than the South
what does it argue when we remember the sad fact
scarcely passed from our view, that in the recen
political struggle those churches were turned int
political club and their pastors into the mos
violent psrtizan rranguers-invoking the heavl
est curses on their unofendng brethren of tn
South, and insulting religion by their demands TO
an anti slavery Bible and anti-savery Godl-
Surely it would not be in derogation of christian
2 meekness and humility for the religious societies
of the Sou to pretend to something more OF tn
christian graces than these.
But is it true that the North has any materia
advantage of the South even in church accommo
datons2 We find by reference to the LAST censu
reports that in the South as large proportion o
the population have the advantages of churches q
in the Middle States, and only little less than il
New England. If the census is to be relied on
there is no superiority of Northern over Southern
congregations, except in the aggregate wealth o
their members and the comparative value Of churcl
property. ...
The idea of the North making 8 Missionary
field of the South for supplying our "moral desti
: tuition out of her great abundance--the idea o
the land of the Parkers, BeenhArs and nnttons re-
tborono,, oc.-s;tee IF the South after having 81
thoroughly exhausted on +" bIeod;r,, Ko.n ..
very thought of sLo nave raised and whose
labor is our support, being dependent upon tle
philanthropy of the North-is matter SO absurd
that instead of regarding it with favor, but
look upon it as an insult, if not the subterfuge fol
premeditated wrong.
We seldom go TO church that our good minister
!. does not ask some contribution from his hearers
for foreign missionary purposes. If our destitu.
ton is such as supposed by our friends at the
North, would it not be better to let charity begin
at home, and supply our own wants that the Nortt
D might send her christian philanthropy elsewhere
: We make ourselves contemplate in collecting