Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1860-08-09


BeFWe sometimes meet with individuals,
who abuse and discredit Christianity and doubt
the authenticity of the Scriptures, from Genesis
to Revelations, notwithstanding the day of light
in which they live, and the food of Gospel COM
ment with which they are surrounded. Often
we meet men, who, slightly skeptical towards
the Bible, yet doubt the existence of truth honor
or religion in toto in the church. Another class
with whom we often meet believes in the divini-
ty of tive Scriptures, the truth and honor of the
ehuxh, the teachings Of faith and hope Of Chris
tianity; but so one sided does he hold his eye of
faith, that the church, in which he may happen
to be, is the church and all others are false de-
lusions. If he should be Protestant, Catholicism
is all wrong, and vice uersa. And yet again, if
he be Protestant, he not only holds the exclusive
right of Professionalism, but the unerrng right of
his own particular branch of the church and the
utter wrong and fallacy of all Others and in many
cases, more bitter indeed is that man towards
believer in another of the Christian churches,
than towards one who believes in none. Firm
in his belief of his creed, he doubts all others
and would fain, by force, do that which he fails
to do by reason and argument. History has
taught us this for ages back, and observation
proves us the same to day. That the spirit
which we find existing in the hearts and exhibit
ted in the deeds of men to day, is the same
which existed centuries ago; though, we are
free to confess, that as the world grows older,
and men grow more cunning, this thing, though
not so boldly practiced, is truly on the increase
The fear of the laws, which guarantee to each
and every citizen the right to think and act as
he pleases, provided he does not infringe on the
tights and privileges of his neighbor, prevents
many bad man from putting in practice, that
which, in theory, lies hidden in his heart. Truly,
were it not for the protecting power Of the law,
there are many, very many, who would no more
permit the exercise Of any opinion, not in accord
ance with his own, than he would permit mad
dog to rim at large. But thanks to the strong
arm of that protecting law, made strong, only
by the rights of individuals, as secured in our
think, speak and act as he will, when in proper
bounds. But though the law prevents any overt
act, on the part of individuals, for the suppress
sion of opinions contrary to their own, yet how
often do we see secret power brought to bear,
power which extends no further than the in
dividuals own person and conduct it is true, yet
to that extent, dire, vengeful and deadly. His
eye speaks, his manner speaks, his very actions
speak out the inbred hatred of his heart, a ha-
tired engendered only by an honest difference of
opinion.
This we say we often witness in the Christian
church; but how much more often do we wit
ness this in the world political? We need not
20 back to find this spirit in the past. We need
only look to the present campaign to see exam
pie upon example. Indeed, SO bitter has this
spirit grown, that each of the four great parties
now in the field, would seem to look with an
eye, not only of distrust upon the others, but
with an eye ofhatred. Are you for Bell? Then
there are three parties ready to strike you down
Are you for Breckenridge? Three savage foe
men stand ready to level you with the dust.
Are you for Douglas? The same fate awaits
you. For Lincoln? The same. We can very
we'll see why there should be dstrust between
two parties, viz: Lincoln on the one side, and
the other three, on the other side. The ends
and aims of these respective parties explain all
this. But III reference to the three whose cleo
toral tickets are run in the South, while we see
grounds for honest difference of opinion, we see
no lust reason for all this mortal hate how can
we attempt to explain it by any other means,
than the same which causes the jealousy and
distrust between churches. The same which
produces it in the one, produces it in the other
viz: want of charity. If the church itself Is
wanting in charity it is simply the absence o.