Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-07-07
Sajly apptal,
CUREusIrEEs OF HISTORY.
TIE APPoINTMEET or BISHOP POLK
HYv z. w1Lm1yE m'coRD.

OF this age Directly Win the dnclehts. dehCe
the curiosities Of history become more striking
and novel than the vsgaries Of fiction.
Mankind is strictly an objective being,
fact that may be proven by his actions, in
every period Of his civilization. The histOri-
csI causes Of many events are often more
suggestive than results have proven, ana not
tbs least is that OF the appointm7 mt Of Bishop
Polk BY President Davis, 30 the command Of
TIE western DIVISION Of the confederate army,
which is but one more evidence OF the fit
ness and sagacity OF JEFF. Davis for bis position
over any other man in the republic. |
cannot wait to compliment any Of the sp-
pointees Of this moat wise administration, until
l hsve first paid the well deserved tribute to
tbe President himself, who seems TO have
been CO cu'ating for years who would be the
most sens bic msn in this division Of the re-
public, for the various Offices OF the new
regime.
In such iuiicious appointments as DC shall
make st This crisis, lies the prosperity OF our
future power, 2 fact which seems to be well IN
c rstood by the intrepid chief Of the Conted~
eTst- Government.
The recent appointment OF Bishop
Polk, dem 1nstratss two very essential attTi-
butps in the philosophical as we'll as political
.
knowledge and judgment Of the character sBj
capacity Of z msB, for one OF to- most impor-
tsnt Offices in bo Government; and secondly,
. influences Of such choice upon ih' Future
character Of our people, and its history on
foreign nations
Tee circumstance, however uHiqge, hads
silge PARA Isl in comparative history, and
that Suggested he the identical uses
IN tie religions wars which have dsEolated
society, from the exodus ot AbTshsm out Of
Bshvion. down 10 the age in VII IN We live,
the f-rcsst and most deadly conflict Of all,
hes b-en ihat % infdelity against the rsligisu
Of Jesus Christ.
II anv age has escaped this ecourge since
tbr hour o. his crucifxioB, II has been for the
wsrt of poser, and not the will nf inidelity.
Tbsre seems to eAist in the bumsH mind
natural principle Of morality, susceptible Of
the extreme opera ions 0s these two opposite
svs ems # philos0phs. These demonstrate
and are the leading features OF IA 'ioDsl senti-
mert, the superior Invariably ssizing bold of
C5ristis nifty Eitb a jealous fzHsticism, while
the sppesrar5e Of its opposite (iahislty.) is
the invaris5le precursor Of the de0sy OF ma
ti0nal virtue, and The phenomena OF revolu-
tions and morbid thirst for 0ower.
The sword drawn bV the first ksiiHs in the
East sgainst ChristeBaom. has lorg since been
buried hanea.h The rubbi.h and ruiHs Of false
and ratina philosophy, upon which bas ksen
tie inspiring monuments Of Christians power
and sdvsEcemeut The limits Of iHfd-lity
were for a few centuries bounded bV the re-
trastirg confines IF IsIsaic empire, until The
semi-barhsrian. inst W. king from his sncss-
trsl alumher Of ages, without history CT Teli-
gion, began 30 cues ion the authority Of the
sacred law by which the world bad been re-
deemed from barharisn.
This occurred in Germany fret, and France
after desoiating revolution, wbeuin the fatal
a.-A. q III
it., and The leading spirits Of the sge b'came
the pupis # Spi1osa and Frank. L seems az
if the mind, sick ofrfvoiu,ion had fallen into
sort OF moral desperation, ard rHd7aToTed 20
repay. with The vile spite Of inflsitv, the IN
hsIlowai wrong Of political anarchy.
Nor has the vile teachings of the speculative
German philosophy coHtented Itself with de-
sirovrg ne national sentiment and virtue OF
the older division Of the republic, but 'he semi
barbarian advances to the very threshold Of
Cbristerdot7. and points the wasting sword Of
the Ksif again at our hesTts upon our native
shore.
tua fsr-s4eing and ssgacious Davis, under
stsnfifg we'll the deep philosophy hidden be-
hind this suggestive movement, has chosen TO
send down 10 The great future, the insignia
Of trge cause, through the unyislding pages
Of history.
Thst this moral pasfileace had its rise in
Germany, shpTa c=nBot be doubt, although
The spirit Of infdeltv originated in France
long before civilization formed tbs advance
guara Of letters in GsTmania. Infdeiity, IN
Fortunately, vas carried to that rninOus and
prscocious nation with its literature, who
seizes upon II in an early and unpTapistinu7
hour, to myEtifv~ theiT poetry, and obscure
the- rrs7 ignorance Of the philosophy Of the
arcients.
In this they have deeeisei society, wherever
3 their miserable influence has extended, hV az
.'ffctirg TO be the inventors of 4 new school,
when he fact is too pslpsbls 20 the historjan Q
thatth Germans have invented bnt few orig
inai sxiOms: but have attached themselves 70
those systsms of philosophy which were re
ierted at Alexandria and TsTsus Tbs rips
scholars Of these renowned cities spurned those
Doctors who have become the T1ssfers of the
Germans, and 70 the credit Of the Islam and
Of-omsn may add that their works were not
allowed 10 be translated into TIE languages
spoken " Mohamm-dan nations, for many
centuries sftsT The rise Of bat religion.
The phfiozophvOf the appointment OF Bishop
Poik shsli be sustained by history, both in its
comparative aad practical science.
About the wear 537 ~ our era in The reign
OF Thand0cious, a bold and daring band OF
infdzls snd robbers, came ont Of the wilder
ness Of Germania, and established themselves
IN the hill country of Siiile-ia, and soon began
10 disturb the bordering countries Of Asia
some centuries until their strength was estaa
Ii-haa Nv their raising ZanC, their bandit
chief, r. ne throne IF Cors'sntinopls.
When This smi-harbsrisn folnd himself es-
tsbHshs5 dpon the Christian throne, BE- ap-
pointed hfz entire housebo!d, and body guard
from among lis ferov men, and rewarded
thrn exiravagantly out Of money from The
Bublic treasury.
In he face OF these atrocities, ths Chris.
tIsn army spHoiRte3 the bishop Of Constant
noBle ss their leader, (afterwsrd Leo 2d. }
snG ma ched ag inst The in6dejs in their capt.
tai. putting he whole band to fight, and
possessing triumphantly the Christian capitol
and throne
This vas The frat time in eighteen centuries
that risioTy has san ice an array
bv placing Christians Ben r, ~ it,
bead. and the second .anrs last even
of the came kind, is that Of a chic
in this country, who has chosen to set 'be
uifre above the standard Of the C0Tfedsrah
army, for The purpose Of driving out the intide
usurpers Of Christian dynasty.
Truly mankind is an objective being, and n
age Of the world has exhibited ary eXrsptio
to common rule apart from he influences o
that age. The great moral and political con
test lies between inf3elity and the Christian
rel gion. This feature was visisis in the crn
sades Of eight hundred years ia Palestine; nG
was il sUbdued in the subtle siesss IT Sebasto
Dol The MsleKoM, heddns ana III tBe oioou.
landmarks of the north. whose red stain can
not he washed out by the Crimean war, o
Dsnube's dark tide; but the gres question r.
mains to be settled in the new world by
Young and srdent nation in its first century.
This being a religious war, The Presiden
bss sptly chosen d bishop of be church {
meet the emergencies into which this division
Of he republic hss been plunged by the inhdi
pulpit Of the North.
Il IL emphaficsllv war ofinddelitY agains
The religion Of Christ, and German heTac
against the ancient and sublime traditions Q
our early Hebrew masters.
These inventors OF pure philosophy estab
Hsaad the principle of natural sristocrs"y an
domination Of tho suneriors over barharou
css. which principle, in Itself suggested ib
institution Of slavery a5 a moral as we'll as pt
liticsl ecoDemY-
Il It nos wonderful that this most eujnen
divine is net az every step OF our advancemsE
By the modern fable If the equality Of race
thereby upseting ne venerable traditions ar
customs Of the early Etrustres OF religion an
corserveTs ~ literature and law.
Thus TIA moral spirit Of the oil divisions
this republic has been destroyed hv Il
phvloeopbical fables Of Spirora, Frsnl
Yoitaire, and their disciples, and revolutio
become ths WatchwoTd Of vsnerative az
free peopls
The bold sig0 which hang out in The "a -eI
sky Of The Christian era, now shines sloft
the West, and IL we nav be allowed 70 divil
bv the corresponding points Of compass (Thi'
The sHcisnts sursiy did, this cireumsian