The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-04-18

Church, ana IN fellowship win the Dali
tmore Conference for nearly two years
after the adoption of TIE Buffalo chap
ter, and fully one year after the proceed
ings of the two Conventions 10 which
| you refer, and of the Conference of 1861 :,
you should in March, 1862, for the first
time have practically sundercd your
| Church connection and abandoned the
,ine honorcd edilces and associations
where you had previously worshippcd.-
say that | cannot but regret sach a
proceeding at such q time. We were
then in the midst of raging conflict of
arms, brought upon us confcssedly by
this doctrlue of the right of secession.
1t was time for far more engrossing
thoughts and impor ant action than any
connected with the stale proceedings
of past Conferences or Conventions, and
sailed for at least the temporary suspen-
sion of all religious disputes. The
question Of ecclesiastical discipline in
1860 had been absorbed by that of ma
tonal existence in 1862. 1t was no
longer a contest over The church govern
ment of one denomination of Christians,
but contest to de crmine whe her our
country itself possessed IA Government
tina deserved the name, or was to quiz
city acquiesce in its own dismembermcn
and see State after State despoil it of its
property and defy its authority at the
bidding and for the benefit of aspiring
traitors who desired to govern them.-
Hundreds, therefore, who in the earlier
stages of your church difficulties might
have cordially CO operated with you in
protesting against the Buffalo Platform,
now, 'hat the whole aspect of public
affairs had assumed so tire Itcning a
character, were ncccssarly prompted by
every patriotic inducemcnt to discouute-
nance all occasional displays in the face
of the calamiles which political doc
trines, apparen ly at least of a kindred
KING, had already brough upon The ma
ton.
With this passing remark upon the
proceedings to which you refer as pre-
lminary to the secession of your congrc-
cation, | proceed to the facts connected
with the order of General Schenck,
which you say has I" set at naught the
dearest and most sacred right that any
man can enjoy-that of worshipping
Cod
This is, agree with You, one Of our
most sacred rights, and lie who sets 1t
at naught meri S the scvercst censure.
Bat what are tue facts. as | gather them
from your communion ion and the orders
and correspondence accompanying it
1t seems thai in March, 1862, when
you abandoned your former places of
worship, you secured the :: New Assem-
bly, Roons,' where from that time to
the Is h of February las, you continued
your religious exercises 6 free from any
, interruption whatever'
In your !e ter to General Schenck of
18th of February "a copy of which you
send mc,) you say that when you assem-
bed as usual for morning service, on the
preceding Sunday he 9Th of February
it was found that two large American
flags were displayed Immediately over
and in the rear of the Preachers stand"
1t is to this display, | presume, that the
Provost Marshall in his first order refcrs.
When addressing Mr.. NlcGcough, the
agent of the rooms, he says "I I'M
derstand that considerable disgust is
excited in the view of class of persons
who assemble at your rooms, in conse,
quence of the American flag being dis
played there" and then directs he said
agent to cause tina flag to be conspicu-
ously displayed in the same place, until
fult her orders.
7 1t was, therefore, the disgust mani
fes ed BY some of your congrega ion at
the flag which confronted them on the
morning of the Sth of February that
occasioned the first order of the mill airy
authorities, directing its con inuance
there. 1t was not displayed on the
morning of the S.h in consequence of
any military order, but, as | understand
to be conceded, was left there inadver-
tcntly, being one of many with which
the room had been decorated on the pre-.
vious night, on the occasion of some
ball or concert.
Here the suggestion naturally arises,
that whilst all religious congregations
are equally entitled to the same priyi-
legcs and protection, no mater where
they may worship, yet any one that Sc
lccts as its sane uary public bali and
concert room should hardly manifest its
surprise, much less is disgust, at any
flag that may occasionally adorn Its
walls, and more especially the flag of
the country that shelters it,
That such disgust was exhibited by
a portion at least of your congregation
seems to be an admitted fact. 1t is ex-
pressly so stated, as we have seen, by
Major Fish, in the first order which he
issued, and al hough he states it as the
very foundation of that order, vet the
statement is not denied either in the pro-
ceedings Of the official members of your
Church, who met in consequence of said
order and declined any longer TO &C.
cupy the New Assembly Rooms," nor in
your letter to General Schenck of 18th
February, wherein you in efecte admit
the display Of some such feeling when
you say that the exhibition of the flag
"may have been objected to by few"
Here, then. We have the reason for the
first interference of the military author
tiles in ordering the display of the flag.
1t was not because the congregation had