The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1863-12-04
Rev. (O Ebony WCrship kirbv.

pastors to 90 and hear Mr.. Kirby preach, men
Of all sects and parties assembled at the M. E.
Church, in which the aforesaid Kirby was an
nouncf.d to hold forth. The Rev. Mr.. Sample
addr essed the throne of grace in fervent, Chris
tisn supplication, and the other preliminary
fervices having been performed, ''the orator Of
the day. the Reverend E. w. Ebony Worship
Kirby stepped forward and-madc a political
speech We are informed flor we were absent
from home at the time, and, therefore, were
precluded from hearing Mr. Kirbys perform
ance) that the whole discourse was nothing but
TRADE of partizan abuse. Instead of offering
up praises to the Almighty for his berignily to
our country during the past year, he mocked
Him by thanking God that Abraham Lincoln
is President and that A. G. Curtin was re-elect-
ed Governor, thus attributing to fallible, errng,
mortal men, the blessings bestowed upon us by
our omnipotent Preserver. Instead of thank
ing God that in His merciful Providence he has
not chastened US more severely for our national
sins, he sloried in the very guilt which is bring
ing ruin and desolation to the land. He was,
also, bitterly objurgatory upon those clergymen
who, true to their calling, prefer ''to preach
Christ and Him crucfed," to Eliminating from
the pulpit the greenback gospel of Abraham
Lincoln. The minister, said he, who remains
neutral concerning the issues of the war. is
either coward or q traitor, and deserves a
traitors death, nay, more, a traitors hell. En-
go, every clergyman who does not preach poll
tics is a traitor and deserves eternal burnings
What think you of this, good people of Bed
ford and you, ''neutral' ambassadors Of the
meek and lowly Jesus who listened to your
gentle brother Kirbys anathemas Is the man
knave, devil, or only a fool? A compound
of the three could scarcely so belle the sacred
verify of Christian doctrine. But let us, in
charity, conclude that the fellows head is turned
by the worship of his ebony idol, the ''free A.
merican of African descent" Let us remem
Der that Nebuchadnezzar once set up golden
image and commanded, go people, nations and
languages" ''whoso falleth not down
and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast
into the midst of burning fiery furnace" Old
Neb's head was turned on the subject of the
yellow idol, but when he was "driven from men,
and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was
wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were
grown like eagles feathers and his nails like
birds claws" he lifted up bis eyes unto heaven
and his understanding returaed unto him. IF
kirby's idolatry of the negro be not punished as
was ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS worship of the golden
image, it will be because he will get off on the
plea of non compcs mentis. He may never be
driven to chewing urass. but if ho lives to asne
to his senses, he will surely be made to eat his
own words.
But what makes the negro worship of Mr..
Kirby peculiarly nauseous to those who know
his past history is the fact that he used to loathe
1t just as much as he now loves it. Even when
he first came to Bedford, he inveighed quite
sharply against it and preached a sermon in
which he protested loudly against the introduc-
tion OF any subject into the church which would
create sclism, politics. of course, included. But
MIR. Kirby went farther than this in the direc-
tion opposed to that in which be is now travel
ing. Just after the General Conference of the
M. e. Church had adopted the New Cbapter
on Slavery, which made ''non-slaveholdinc n
condition OF membership" the East Baltimore
Conference, of which Mr.. Kirby was member.
assembled and adopted the following preamble
and resolutions:
"Whereas, The late General Conference. by
the adoption of the New Chapter on Slavery.
has gwen serious offence to a large number of
our members upon the border, disturbing the
peace OF our societies and tending to the disrup-
ton OF the Observation-Disclosures
Resolred, That in the judgment of the East
Baltimore Conference, the substitution of the
Ne'o for the Old Chapter on Slavery. was an
unnecessary and injurious change, and it ought,
therefore, to be repealed
ReSotred, That there can be no administration
under said New Chapter in this Conference.
ReSot,ed, That we respectfully ask the several
Annual Conferences, at their cnspino eossons
with view to the harmony Of the whole Church,
10 give their assent to the following: That the
General Conference be and is hereby requested
TO repeal the Chapter on Slavery. and instead
ihereof empower each Annual Conference, with
IN whose bounds TIE relation of slavery exists,
to mako such regulations upon the subject as
may best subserve the interests of the Redeem
er's Kingdom among them"
MIR. Kirby voted for these resolutions and his
name stands in the same column of ssAyes,
with the names of George d. Cheno,ceta, Samuel
KepIer and W. lee .Spottssrood By this vote Mr.. |
Kirby said that save-holding is no sin, and if
no sin what has the church to do with it, or it
with the church? Let Mr.. X. explain this or
bear the brand of Inconsistency and hypocrisy.
But we have already wasted too much space
n