New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-25

| Those eminent Defenders of the Faith, those
stern and answering champions of evangelical
Christianity, pure pety and an unblemshed Church,
the Administration newspapers, are just now e1-
cetdingy exercised, and are alternately signing and
swearing over q Michigan martyr whose name 10
Stebbins. Tbs individual it is alleged, held the
honorable and responsible Office Of Deacon OF the
Free-wiIl Baptist Church in Alpine and Sparta
Michigan 1t is further asserted that for the crime
| of voting for Mr.. Buchanan his brethren-"in-
quisitors" they are called BY the indignationist'-
have brought Stebbins into judgment, and have
rot only elected the sufferer from his office, but also
| from the Church itself This event has created an
immense sensation, and will probably occupy prom
inent place in all eccesiastcal histories hereafter
| written Sparta, already famous name, will become
doubly famous, and men, as they think Of the Bu-
cbanan martyr in Alpine will also remember the
sau Uttered saints son Alpine mountains cold"
We certainly believe that Stebbins will go unchal'
lenged into the next edition Of Fox's Martyrology,
and will al.o have his biography prepared by the
same clergyman who certified to the good religious
character of Franklin Pierce. II the e1-deacon
be fond of fame he is likely to have stOmachful.
His praise will be in all the Pro Slavery churches
of the country. He will be eulogized by every
chattel breedpg, man selling psrson in the land.
| Should the Rev. Dr. Ross hear Of his misfortune
and the ears Of that man are long enough to hear
| for an immense distance-Our opinion ia that the
recusant D. D. will offer Stebbins deacOnship in
bis own church. Then, too, in other quarters will
his fate be lamented. A tear will be dropped fer
him by the levotees of st. Tammany. That emf
| nent man Of God Fernando Wood, will be
especially indignant, and so will the sanity AID.
Wilson Those religious newspapers, The Boston
Post, The ~ Y. Times The N. Y. Herald, The
Pennsylranian and Tile Clereland Plaindealer will
actually canonize him in their chaste and Christian
columns. Happy Stebbins What were DIAGONAL
hopors in Sparta Michigan, to worldwide fame
| Ike this
We have taken it for granted that this story is
tue one, although it may turn out roorback'
Now, there are two points from which this tale OF
persecution may be considered In the first place,
We suppose that the Free-Will Baptist Church in
Alpine and Sparta is perfectly independent body,
and has an uDquestOnable right to exclude aud to
| admit members, and to make aud unmake deacons.
II majority of its communicates could not c0nscl-
| entiOusy cOnsOrt with man who voted to sustain
man. stealing and Border. Ruffanism, as Deacon
Stebbns most certainly did, why there was nothing
else for it but to expel him. 1t was altogether
private affair, with which Democratic editors had
nothing to do. We do not by any means say that
we should advise other churches to follow the ex-
| ample of this one. We do not cay that thousands
of cases might not arise in which such action would
| be harsh and unjust But what we do say is, that
the decision must be left to independent churches
| themselves, and that mere outsiders have no call
whatever to mt eddie with the matter.
Again. we do not see why it should be considered
| such hardship for q man to be expelled for his
Pro Slavery opinions, and no hardship at all for
ant tber person to be summarily treated for Anti
| Slavery opinions. We remember when it was a
very common thing for church members to be
dealt with, and even excluded on account of their
hatred Of Slavery; but we do not happen to re-
uember that any Democratic editor shed tears over
| the tyranny. We remember that an excellent cer-
gynan was obliged to leave Mobile between two
days for preaching little plainly about "the inst
| tuition" Among all the churches of the South we
would have permitted any of their members to re-
main in fellow ship who had voted for Col. Fremont
ard had dared to the act and defend it. Yet if
| explosions had taken place by scores, the dumb
| dogs Of Democracy, 50 far from barking, would
have wagged leir tails for joy.
The Buchanan party during the late Presidential
contest resoutely and maliciously sssaed the
| Churches Of the North. Pastors and members were
alike denounced as false to their vows and traitors
to their God. They were charged with the most
shameless hypocrisy, and the most unlimited false
hoCd-with manufacturing fictitious tales of out
RACES in Kansas, with striving to promote there
murder and anarchy, and with employing their
sacred calling and profession to ee;tthe overthrow
| of the Govern ment of the Union. Not during the
widest excuses of the Restoration was the Chris
tian Church SO persstently, scandalously and
wickedly mall. NED as in the United States,
| by the Democratic party, in the year
| 1856. Taking the keynote from the lie
b,istered lips Of Douglas, every tide-waiter and
every man who hoped to be made tide waiter
towled OF wbined or brsyed against the wckedness
Of political clergymen. Every penfioned pen sent
| out daily diatribes agsinst the wise and good,
against men Of unspotted lives Of cultivated intel
lect and of polished DaDners-pasquinades in which
no microscopic power could discover q trace Of re-
spect for Whatsoever things are lovely, humane or
| decent. Men must be more than human who could
confront unmoved such storm of vituperstiOn and
abufe; and if persons like Stebbins are looked upon
| ..h a;.t,,.t hv their falow church ,nembers WIN