Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-12-16
W. W. ILITLhJ
W. c. HAIsLIP, Sec'y.
"ANOTHER HARP SERMON. f"

Under the above caption, most sorry piece of
balderdash is taking the rounds of Newspaperdom-
the obvious purpose of which is to caricature and
thereby to render ridiculous and contemplate, a
most exemplary and piOus denomination of Chris
tians; to wit, the old Primitive Bdptist in the
slang of the day, the 'Hard-Shells Doubtless it
has got into many paper, bit of harmless wag-
gerry, without the suspicion arising that it
is plain attack a body of Christians, who taken
in the mass are as noted for all the essential charac-
teristics and graces of the Christian Religion any
other, in favored land
Why all these cruel and satirical filings at body
of Christians, unObtrusve and so unproVoking it
is scarcely possible to divine. 1t is granted-if we
understand them aright-thst they do not regard
Free Masonry, Odd Fellowship, Temperance SoCie-
ties &C., &c. cons uting any part of the religion
of the New Testment, not even as helps or hand
maids They argue from the Record, that when an
individual takes Christ, he takes on the ''Whoe
drmOr"-the complete panoply, helmet, buckler,
gauntlet, greaVes and all-and after this to put on
additional armor, in the way of Societies. or Secular
and so-called Religious institutions it is to say
virtually that the first Christ's armor is deficient.
Il is sometimes said of them they do not oppose in
temperance rather that they even approve of it, almost
make it article of their faith-that the whisky
bottle is the Wade Mecum of their Ministry-ther
hymn-book-next to the Bible, their best, dearest
treasure.
Oh what a disingenuous calumny 1t is not
all churches goes widely astray and by some adroit-
ness or other, holds to his position in the pulpit
in the laty-a blot upon the churchs escutcheon;
yet the mass of the church may and do remain IN
polluted and unaffected.
"Be ye temperate in all things" is the strong in
junction OfScrpture they honestly endeavor to obey
and live up to-
Temperance, with them, is the "golden mean"
the avoiding of extremes on either hand; not to
starve or guttonze-but to eat moderately, temper
ately; not to be tacturn or lOquacous-but to talk
moderately, tenpTdtsly not to abstain totally nor
drink to drunkenness; but to drink moderately
teupTately; not to neglect the worship of God al
together or to worship Him as the Pharisees debut
to worship Him moderately, temporarily; &C., &C.
Who tn have known. under fair circumstances,
this branch of the Christian church. W say they are
not lsw-abiding, country-serving and Church
going people? Who can say that they make not good
citizens, good neighbOrs, and good friends? Who
dare say they do not pay their debts and view their
word as good as their bond or their oath? To the
shove probably, will answer afirmatively
Perhaps then the face and front of their offending
hath this extent; no more" Nineteen in every
twenty Of them-go where you may-sre proverbi-
ally known to be good Democrats-and the twenti-
eth-be he old-line Wing or newborn Know Moth
iDg-sOund him well, will believe in the doctrines
of the State Rights School
We are not attempting to assume the championship
of any sect or denomination. But, apart from our
honest sympathes with the oppressed and the derid
ed, the sacred ties that bind US to the church. of
which we have been discussing, and which afford
us uncommon facilities TO know as much about it as
almost any one outside its pales-wil never permit
us to see it wantonly assaled broadcast over the
land-Without lifting against it our feeble voice. il
not of successful defence, at least of earnest and
indignant observation-disclosures (Aia.) Gazette.