The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-10-21

The following article is taken from the
Chicago Times. We commend it to the atten-
ton of Democratic Methodists within the linn
its of the Ohio Conference
Rockford Methodist Christianity. i
We invite the attention of our readers to
the letter from Rockford in: an other column,
respecting the expulsion of several e.ergymen
from the Methodist Conference lately held
there, because they were Democrats. Yester-
day the Springfield dispatches to the poor old
morning abolition sheet of this city tltedthat
the Rev. W. G, Blundcn was being tried By
the Methodist Conference in that city "upon
the charge of being o copperhead 2 A day
| or two ago We quo.ed from an Abolition cx--
change an instance of young lady being dis
| missed from school for refusing to join in sing
ing political song. The Cincinnati Enquiy-
| ca. recently gave the boast of distinguished
divine who, in administering the sacrament,
refused TO allow Democrats to partake-a In
our local columns of yesterday we detailed the
| refusal of the Loyal Union League of fhis
city" to admit an honorable and prominent
citizen to membership because he deposited
With Democratic banker, and we might multi
| ply numberless instances of like intolerance.
i From the order of Secretary Stanton dis
| missing Edgerly for voting the Democratic.
| ticket to the murder of Billinger, through all
! the intermediate forms which such prescrip-
ton has assumed and different manner OF ac
ton it has taken, the spirit is the same The
religious tribunal which would expel mem
Der from It's midst because of his political opn-
ion would hang him hereto if it possess
ed The power. There is an efectual check for
this soulless bigotry. Let the Democrats. res
olutesy refuse to support any institution of a
pr fsssed religious, benevolent or business
character, in which they arc subjected to such
insult. We trust the Democrats within The
limits of the Rockford Conference will have
sufficient selfrespect to refuse to support prea.
chers of the abolition persuasion who have
thus gratuitousIy insplted and naligned them
/ IF political opinions disqualiiy man for the
ministry, they disqualify for membership of
the church. The action of the Rockford Con-
ference was direct imputation upon the
Christianity of every Democratic member. of
the church. 1t wss a charge of hypesI icy
against every such member As such they
are bound to meet and repel it.
More than this, the action of the Conference
was equivalent to the declaration that. CARR
sonism would be the rule of Interpretation for
the Gospel of Jesus. The precepts of Christ
His mission, suffering, and death on the Gross.
and the infinite grandeus of the objects they
accomplished, were subordinated by the Con-
ference of the malevolent fanaticism of the
infdels The clcrgymen whe were Democrats
were retired because thoy refused to become
parties to proclamation so bideous and infer
nal; because they refused, as ambassadors for
Christ, thus to prostitute that which was most
solemn and awful; because they refuse to deile
the temple of the Almighty, and desecrate His
affairs, and mock His name, by substituting
for His Gospel the advocacy of g licentious and
venomous partisanship.
THE LETTER FROM ROCKFORD.
Abolition ssChristianify,s-P
ton of Democratic CIergymen.
ROCKFORD, ILL.,, Oct. 9.
To the Editor of the Chicago Times: -
Will you allow me the use of your ID
expose to the gaze of the world one of the Hlost
bare-faced and cruel acts of the party in pow
er. "Facts are stubborn things
The Rock River Conference Of the Method |
list Episcopal Church Held its annual session
in our city recently. In its body it had few
individuals that dare be men and think for |
themselves. They are national men, true as |
steel, but can not adopt all the acts ofthe Ad- |
l,inistration. They believe in the Gove4n-
ment as founded by our fathers and make a |
distinction between Government and Admin
istration. These men are made victims to the |
iron heel of oppression.
Last year the Rv. Mr.. Jewett, one of the
oldest members of the Conferences, was thrown
aside because he could not adopt all the poll
cies of Abraham. He has done more for the
Methodist Episcopal church during the last
twenty five years than any man in the Confer
ence. He has travelled, and preached, and
built churches and parsonages, and forded riv-
ers and sloughs, and Jared hard since 1893
and now what does he get in return? He is
turned out in his old age to take care of him
self; and for what? He dares to be Demo
orat (what he has been through life) I; this is
the only charge +
And then there is the Rev D. E. Howard
! man Of talent and great popularity, who is
compelled this year to retire, for no other rea
SON than that he is national man. i
And then take another, the Rev. J. w.
Agard, holding the same views. learn that
since conference at Aurora, where for the last
years he has been the presiding elder, and
very popular, the pulpit has been shut against
AIM. So
And all for what !? Because they cannot,
consistently with their calling as ministers of
he gospel, preach politics. There is no other
mpediment. Has it come to pass that the de +
nocracy ofthe North must be compelled to
lear this kind of preaching upon the Sabbath,
md nd that men who dare preach Christ and Him
,rucltled must be rejected and thrown aside
With the taunt, You Copperheads"? This is
he type OF christianity at tho present time. / !;
'hame on those who set such examples to their /;
locks: What can they expect of Us poor sim
ers, IT they take this course TO reform men |? 4
hope now that have opeped this subject /;
nd let you and your readers see the inside :
'erking of secret power, you; or some of your
correspondents, will do the subject justice. I'll
1ould seem that the party in power would
teal the livery of heaven to serve their pur- 4
oses; would turn the pulpit, the social prayer o
Irele, and every thing else to their account to
airy out their end, namely the dissolution
the government Now that the issue is K
lade, want to know if Democrats viii con- Of
nue. to support Abolition preachers.
Yours, JUSTICE.
What is fatter than fat A fatter-er al