The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1862-11-19
A SCENE IN A CHURCH IN NEW
ORLEANS GEN. BUTLER REGU-
LATING THE CLERGY.

ORLEANS BUTLER REGU-
LATING THE CLERGY.
The Rev. DR.. Goodrich is one of the
three divines sent North OF Fort Lafayette
by General Butler for having forgotten
their profession. The following from the
New Orleans Delta, of October 19, gives
an interesting account ofwhat the minister
On Sunday last the church was opened,
as usual, for-diyine service. The robed
pastor was. there in his desk, and large
and fashionable congregation filed the
pews. There were present, too, several
army officers, and among them Major Geo.
c. Strong, General Buffers Adjutant Gen
eral. Like NEST of the officers of the
Regular Army, the Major is member of
the Episcopal Church. He sat in front
pew, and with all the reverence of man
Of faith, he stroye to follow the mutilated,
jumbled and garbled service which Mr..
Goodrich offered That the soldier was
indignant at the indecency and audacity
of the little minister was natural; but he
remembered that God sees all hearts, even
Mr.. Goodrieh's. The 'sceremonies" rolled
on and on, and finally the Major discover
ed that the minister had omitted the prayer
for the President, Of the United States,
which is as much part of the Episcopal
service as belief in God Is part of the
Episcopal creed.
A hymn was chanted, and then the audi
ence knelt as if to indulge in silent PRAYER,
which silent prayer might have been in
tended for the success of Jefferson Davis,
for all that we know to the contrary
While the congregation were in this atti-
tude, Major Strong rose and said to the
minister: swat one minute, sir With
the suddenness of guilt surprised, the con-
gregation stood erect, awe stricken and
pale. Turning to them, the Major said,
81 came in here for the purpose, and the
sole purpose, of wor5hipping God; but
inasmuch as your minister has seen fit to
omit invoking blessing. as our Church
service requires. upon the President of the
United States, [ propose to close the SER
vices. This house will be shut within ten
minutes The minister now stopped
forward to remonstrate but tho soldier
reminded him calmly that this was no time
for discussion. The minister then offered
the benedietion, and so went out his light.
Of course there was some STIR. OF
eourse,Southetn gentlemen were indignant.
lOfeourse they pulled up their shirt col
lars. exchanged glances with the Indignant
Southern ladies; but the men were mate as
fish and as stationary as thcstatue of Jack
son in the square yonder. The ladies,
however,; focked round the Major, who
was affixed in citizens clothes, and shak-,
ing eirivery large fists at him, character
lied him in such terms as, .Oh, you mon
ster of cruelty" and then, turning to the
livid minister, cried out, Good bye and
some of them calculated wildly, ''He's
going OF to prison" Again they turned
upon the officer, who looked calmly upon
the madness of the matrons and maidens,
and in concert once more bawled out, oh
you monster of cruelty; you'll never dis
turb us in heavenr' An Irish coachman,
who had worked his way in from the YES
tibulc, upon overhearing this, unable to
restrain his wit, observed, "Bclad, there
is no. danger of that Other indignant
remarks were made bv the indignat South
.erp ladies, but the indignant Southern
men stood motionlcss all the while. Dur
ing all this abuse of the ladies, Major
Strong stood forth in Barbarian dignity,
as the ladies, we suppose, thought; but
he felt, wepresume, very different from
Mr. John, Horner eating that Christmas
pie.
The minister was not arrested, but he
was subsequently sent for by General But
Ter. What ,transpired, of course, we have
no means of knowing; but Mr.. Goodrich
is on his parole, and is, We understand, to
be sent North. Let him go back to Con-
necticut, the State of his nativity, and to
all the obscurity which Stonington can
give him.