The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer., 1863-02-13

10 pring tnem 10 tnelr performance, is 10
press upon their hearts and ,consciences
the great doctrines of the Cross. The all
comprehending source of sin is alienation
from God. Bring them back to G6d, aud
you bring them back to all their duties.
This is my theory, and has been my prac-
tice since entered the ministry.
81 believe, moreover, in the complete
and absolute separation of the Church and
the State. As minister Of the Church,
l hold that have nothing t, do with the
affairs of the State. 1 have no commits
sion to uphold the State; much less have
l any to seek its overthrow. For me to
use in any degree my sacred Office, or the
influence which it gives me, to subvert
the State, to breed discontents in it, to
hinder its legitimate action, would in my
esteem be sacrilege-a high and heaven
daring sin. As citizen, I hold it to be
most important and indispensable part
of my duty to God to obey law, to submit
to the authorities, to pray for them, to
render them the honor due their several
stations, and to promote peace and quiet
ness. These things, I solemnly declare,
| have habitually aimed to do"
Can any one believe that for this posi-
ton, for upholding the canons of his
church, for refusing to use his sacred Of
flee on either side of earthly controversy,
this Christian minister is made to suffer
the penalty of Punishment
The simple fact is, that a few Aholi-
tionists have induced General Curtis to
issue an order worthy of Leo x, or of
Diocletian, not only expressing its own
wickedness by its recital of reasons, but
adding the atrocity of seizing Presbyte-
rian church, taking it out of the hands of
the church session and church authorities,
and prescribing that its pulpit shall be
filed by man acho shal& pray for the
blessing Of God on the Presidents Enaam-
cipation Proclamation, and everything else
that this Administration chooses to do in
the way of "eforts.' Let the President
of the United States, Commander-in-
Chief of its armies, study carefully this
astounding act, done in the name of this
free and enlightened people, and see ii it
be different from the acts of the persecu-
tors of Christians in the darkest ages.
We know not, we care not, for the pur-
pose of these remarks, what DR.. Nc
Pheeters may be-loyal or rebel; the Or
der on its face is the object of our re-
marks, and on its face it is sin which is
no less than that which in ancient times
was visited by the lightning stroke of Di-
vine vengeance. 1t is laying unholy
hands on the ark of God. 1t is entering
the Holy of Holes with unsanctifed foot
steps. 1t is commanding men to worship
after the manner prescribed by man. 1t is
erecting the will of military officer above
the Divine command. History will not,
and need not, go back Of the order to ex-
anime the character of either clergyman
or soldier. 1t will find in the order the
simple fact that because clergyman de-
Tended the purity of the ministry, and re-
fused to take any part in earthly conflict,
therefore he was punished. Because a
Presbyterian clergyman, in the General
Assembly of that Church, upheld the law
of his Church, he is punished. Let Mr..
Lincoln regard it, and tell us whether we
have come by backward progress to the
dark ages, or the times of the king who
threw Daniel into the lions den for In
sisting on worshipping his God not ac-
cording to the law Of Darius.
There can be no justification of this or
der of Gen. Curtis, on any principle Of
civil or religious liberty. The General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church is
here declared amenable to military law,
and the advocating in its sessions Of the
doctrine that that Church owes no allegi-
auce to any earthly power is made the
cause of military punishment Think Of
it! A clergyman, in the solemn sessions
oHthe high court Of his Church, is threat.
ened henceforth with military punishment
if be dare uphold the doctrine that his
Church owes only the allegiance which
Paul and John, and the dead saints and
martyrs of all countries aud ages, mem.
bers of one and the same Church, owe
"A military officer of the United States
regulates the forms of worship in the
Presbyterian Church, forbids the worship
Of God after the forms of the Presbyteri.
an Book of Government, commands pray.
ers for blessing on political schemes
and appoints q committee to conduct .
Church!
Is this America Is this the nine
teenth century? Do men imagine tha,
God is to be worshipped in compulsory
forms in this country9 IF Mr. rsLincoll
Approves this act, he would do well n