Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-09-26
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Words Of Wisdom.

One OF the most hopeful symptoms Of the
'timesis the increasing frequency Of such ar
ticles as the following in Northern journals.
Newspapers are not only formers of public
opinion, but are formed by it, and when the
papers in any considerable numbers take a
position, it may safely be regarded as an in
dication of prevailing or a rapidly forming
public sentiment.
We quote from the P~ittsburg, Pa. Union:
DIVISION OF CHpReHEs.-We give place
this morning to an article in relation to the
differences existing in the Methodist Prot
estant Church. BY doing so, we neither
undertake to take sides in the controversy,
nor to adopt the views contained in the doe
ument. The writer is a man of sufficient
ability to take care of himself, and his ar
guments do not require our endorsement.
While sc cannot but regret the divisions
which have taken place in several Christian
Churches between the Northern and South
ern wings, while we regard them as being
calculated to produce alienation of feeling
between the people of different sections Of
the country, We have still the satisfaction Of
believing that the union of the American
States is strong enough to stand, if all the
Churches should preach and pray in unison
for its dissolution. The question Of the per-
petuation of the Union, go far as men are
concerned in its solution, is one Of numbers,
and unfortunately for the spiritual welfare of
mankind, there are more people ont of the
Church than in it. When it comes, then, to
an issue at the ballot-box Or in the field, the
millions who are travelling the broad road
are supposed to be Of at least as much i'm
p~ortanee as the few thousands who are climb
ing the narrow path. 1t seems to be a part
of Gods providence that the temporal wants
of even sinners should be supplied. He
sends rain upon the just and unjust. He
causes the sun to shine upon the evil as well
as on the good. And it is probable that the
cheering influence Of the noblest govern
mont on earth, like the sun and the rain,
will continue to gladden. the hearts of poor,
weak. fallen, sinful creatures whom the
Churches spurn from their communion. In
our humble opinion, some Of these bodies
are getting entirely too pure. They make
an annual onset against the sin of slavery,
as if it were the only evil in the world
They spend weeks in discussing the griev-
anee of separating the negro husband and
wife, but a case Of seduction of a layman's
daughter by a man IN holy orders is dispo-
sed of in a few minutes. Like the Pharisee
who went up into the temple to pray, they
look down with contempt on the wickedness
Of their Southern brethren, and every Sum
day the minister ~enliyens his hearers with O
iattering tribute to their own perfeetions,
while he directs his thunders against the a.
nominations of South Carolina. Slavery is a
pleasant theme in a northern pulpit. 1t has
no tendency to become personal. The full
ninating denuncistions of wrath hurled at
the dealer in human flesh, pass gently over
the ~grey-haired old miser, who has spent a
life in expressing and cheating poor white
men, end robbing widows. aud he reposes
peacefully in the corner of his cushioned
pew, while his coaehman waits outside in the
rain, aud Biddy is toasting her face in the
preparation of the Sunday dinner. The
sermon does not hurt him. 1t is meant for
those Southern fellows who don't hear it,
and if theychoose, they can put it in their
pipes and smoke it, or let it alone & smoke
themselves, just which they please. 1t al
ways has been popular, and it alwaFs will
be popular, TO remind men of their superb
ority-to magnify the vices of foreigners
and strangers, and contrast them with their
own virtues, and hence We may expect the
Northern pulpit to appropriate the warmest
portion OF the Internal regions to niger dri-
yers, and give the more desirable localities
to stock swindlers.