Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-11

feared the continued agitation of such
questions will drive from our communion
many of the churches in the border slave
States; and if we loose them, as we have
lost the Southern churches. the time is not
far distant when the church North will be
swallowed up by Abolitionism- DIR.
Hodge, in giving his reasons why the
church should not be divided, long since
said that he deprecated the separation of
the Old School Presbyterians in the
South, from their brethren in the North,
among other reasons, because the North
needed the South, since in the event of a
separation, there is danger that the North
ern church will succomb to fanafical
anti-slavery spirit, and victimize moderate
conservative men. This prediction of
DIR. Hodge is being rapidly fulfilled.
I'd. This action of the Assembly has
injured the church at the North. Con-
scientious opposition to it has already de-
prived some Of our churches of the ablest
preachers and best pastors III our denoni-
inaton. Ii has given our brethren mo
were infected with Abolition heresy Ii
cense to preach Abolitionism. Some OF
them think the most effectual plan for
saving the Union, is to abolish at once.
and forever. slavery in the Southern
States. Hence they, regardless OF all the
dangers and horrors of servile insurrec-
ton, advocate. by their prayers and SER
mons, the immediate emancipation Of the
negroes. The blessed gospel of our
blessed Savior inculcates the exercise of
love to the human family; but some of
our Northern brethren seem 10 forget. not
only that God has any people in the
South, but also that secessionists belong
to the human family / have heard at
least one professed follower of Jesus, an
Old School Presbyterian minister. pray
in the public congregation for the speedy
hanging of all traitors" How different
this from the spirit of Jesus, who, when
suffering the agonies of crucilixion, Of
fercd up for his murderers the prayer,
= Father forgive them. for they know not
what they do" Think YOU that Gods
children, under the public ministrations
of such preacher. can make advances in
the divine life? How deplorable the state
of piety in our churches. May it not
truly be said of many of our ministers
and people ALI seek the negroes,
land not the things which are Jesus
Christs."
Sd. This action of the Assembly has
been great injury to the country. 1t
has sundercd the last tie which bound to-
gether the North and the South. The
testimony of Union men in the border
slave States. and in the South. is that. so
long - CTR church took no action on this
question, they had hope of the country;
but this action took away from them the
last hope they cherished for the reunion
of States. The separation of our church,
es has been regarded by the most eminent
statesmen. as the greatest source of dan
ger to our country. Permit me, in sup
port of this opinion, to read an account
given by DIR. Hill. of an interview be-
tween him and Henry Clay. DIR. Hill
was then editor of The Presbyterian
Herald. of Louisville. He says:
Concerning the greatest source of
danger TO the country. Afew weeks prior
to the death of Hon. Henry Clay, when
he passed through our city on his way to
Washington. at the request of Method
ist minister from one of the Northern
States. who had never seen the great
statesman. we called with him to see him.
He was quite feeble. and spoke of his
death as a probable event within a few
months. He said that nothing but deep
and abiding conviction that the Union of
the States was in imminent peril. could
have induced him. in his state of health.
to leave the quiet of his own home. and
go back To the Senate. the seat of so many
OF his struggles and great achievements.
The opinion was expressed by one or
both of us, that the danger of disunion
was greatly overestimated; that if it ever
came TO the test. il would be found that
there were very few who would be mad
enough 10 rush into disunion. either North
or South. He shook his head ominously.
and replied: Gentlemen, if have stud
led anything, il is the genius and spirit
of the American people. both in the North
and in the South; and tell you, there is
danger. There is a spirit rising up in
both sections of this republic. which. if
not speedily quelled. will bring about a
severance of the Union of these States
not into two, but into half "a dozen little
petty republics. or despoiisms, as the ease
may be- Ii was replied that ON several
former occasions. the North and the South
had been arrayed against each other in
bitter hostility, but that the hostility had
died away. and the parties restored TO
more than their former friendly relations.
'Ah.' said he. that wds before The rise Of
modern 1bohtionism. Fmaticism cannot
b. controlled, and especially religious ia
7 naticism. TIE churches OF tie country
then stood together. and IN their great no-
tiopai assemblies they dre,c the bond 81
Union aad 81 brotherhood together. Nor
most of them hare been rent dsuRder. and
they are acting as diriders. rather than to
bind The country Said he. gentlemen,
you are both miniSers OF me gospel, and
tel you that this sndering OF the reiig-
ious ties rhich haze hitherto bound our
people together. I consider the greatest
source Of danger 10 he country. II our
religious men cannot lire together in peace.
,chat can BE- expected Of as politicians.
reyy rc,c Of 'rhom profess 10 be gorerned