Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-04-19

I
| an not prepared to Esy.
10 the ease of hs BApe churches this eourss iz es
Dsially unpdncip ed; uEng thst WoFa the sense If
be based principle for each Baptist cougre
cation s separate organisation wholly disconnected IN
is government from any other The Bapist Associs-
tons, OF which mention ct times In The papers
voluntary meetings for consultation and concerted
missionary efforts 'bup the churches which send dele
Rates 70 them srs not subjset their government hef
collectively individually. Yet the Baptist churches
long since taken by ns military suthor les and put
| in lAe hands Of Northern preachers.
These denominations having ritual their minis, erS
have prescribed form Of prayer, bat their own
discretion in determining what TO pray for what TO
preach pToTided always that they are In conformity
with their professions If faith Lave heard the
accusation mgde that these or any other Protestant
ministers Of religion In this Sfy had In their public
functions since the installation OF Fsdersl authority
here either preached prayed for the OF the
Confederate arms or foE It's success In the struggle in
| an7 way.
that they did not either preach pray politics.
the crime OF indifference Gen. Banks wonld call t. Yet
before this war broke out 1t Almos. universally
deemed high 0fsnae in any clergyman 70 brosch the
subjects Of civil strife In his pulpit 70 urge 70
come to blows with the hope thus settle their deu
ties- On the contrary u was e1pected Of them that
they should 10 public least, avoid all Ahuaion to any
topics which might interfere in the least with their
especial mission that Of the cure OF souls-Eay,
than this that he should he the especial advocates Of
peace and dssuadr all men everywhere from war.
Tbs Cass of IL; Episcopal Charehss.
The position Of the Protestant Episcopal church
was somewhat different It's services are ia pre-.
scrIbed form and except Sermon there no de-
Walton TO Be had from it. There IL discretion
SLOWED to order omission Of parts Of It, but IN
tereolstiors utterly nadmiasbe. In the Ordinal
Of this service stood before secession thsrs was
prayer for the President Of the United States bat
this was changed by the convention Of this dloe
and by general convention Of the Southern dOeeseH
/ 70 prayer for "ths President Of the Coufederste
SBteB.' Thus stood their ritual when the Federal
| hsst captured New Orleans The standing committee
Of the diocese acting In pacs OF hs bishop thsreupon
directed thar this prayer Should be omitted In the f.
anFs until
| BY competent eel esissttcai anthority.
You viii perceive that the clergy OF this city, bad
they used this prayer at all would have prayed for he
President OF ths Confedsrae States and AL In authority
under hin =" their prayerbOok having been tered
by Superior authority as TO require this. Awaiting them
selves Of the permission given thsm by the standing
comnittea they avoided all real ground Of ofsnss BY
emitting 30 the prayer AT the ucst, theirs
act Of omission aad Of commission, and If the Con
5utioR be any authority noEGdsys, not trsssoa-
able.
Il was for the omission Of the prayer for the Prssi
dent the UnItsd States that Butler took the Episcopal
churches OF this ely from their ineunbeas, aud drove
three Of their principal eergy iato exile, from which
they Ia vain have sought to return Gen. Banks,
taking comrand here suspended the exs0UtiOn Of But
e order seQu0sterng the churches, but kept posseH
sion Of the principal one. Christ Church, on Canal
street Of which tEs Venerable Dr.. Leaeoek now in
lie WAS the rector With the election Of the registered
niles two elsrgymsn sent into exile, Dr.
Hedges, Of S.. Lukss, snd Mr Mccoy, OF 81. Peters
The church 1f ths former WIS converted into negro
school.
have aIrsAdy apprised you that sbous the tine that
iBQult pl7eeE came H6rd 10 take pos
session q th uhern MetEo -i chUr ches In the
Of Sec.esEry StsaiOn, the UsTdens Of the Episcopal
ehurcass remaining in The hands Of the clergy Of the
diocese Isl. Psurs and TriEityO 70 show cause why
they omitted the prayer tor the Peaent Of the United
SLales piled hat il because they allow ed By
Ba5ksto contaue their worship as heretofore Sub
wiling change their eeurts 6ers permitted swo
weeks nQEe Of rssPisi but with next Suasoy, thsy
and their hocks viii be wholly eIclu sd feom al parE
epstIoz the service OF tasir ehurch- At least Is
tn practical eject Of IT,
The clergy commended that they were cBnou;eslY
uoder obgators TO use such forms Of prayer were
given them BY ths bishop and their coDvsntOu
that whether the had coGld secsde this did
necessarily affect the feet that their diocese
enger part c tbe Protestant Episcopal church Of the
Uni ed Ss es and that 10 any event heso eeclas
Asiesl questions Tor eeces ase hibuzas aloEe to de-
Cen Banks, however, decided that, not only was
martial law the fundamental law Of The State" but Of
the church also and yicegerent Of the President Of
hs United States ordered them 10 prEY for that person
sge and those under him here and It this hlch
they declined 70 do have heard many persons blame
the clergy for this determination the ground that
anthures here stand Rueh in need Of prayer.
The eject Of these rAids uPou the churches Is most
evident Not single person is Ton ever from hostility
feeling latent or slumberng, It Is awakened into
intsnss activity, and the bosom In which the soothing
iHfusucss Of religion had esnsed Il to flicker and die
away q ct once ht up with al the fires ef rem0rseiezs
hss and esger desire for vengeance while the utter ab
these Oongrs cations while their sttsntIon solely d.
rsctad 10 mstess not Of earth. bat Of Heaven, had
served 70 win them o6 from he Yisisnes Of anssgouzn
toward the Unlon which wss apt 70 possess hsir minds
II il be he expectation Of suy that the members Of
these congregations viii coanne frequent the sane
church sdi6eez under thsneW military dispe penSatssn Of
religion, AID is'ea to the teachings Of men 0f whom
they know nothing Il Is perhaps well that they should
early learn that this q hsllucnatioa. Perhaps Il will
Be essayed 70 compel the people OF this city 20 attend
thsir cburches Ths would not be strange after he
declaration that people must sustain the Of
| the G0vsrnmsnt bY the ballot box II Il be add
tionA measure" Of the GoVernnent notwithstanding
EF LncOlns prOfssssd ssonlshmsht about tt, 't1
tbs churches the next SteP will necessarily bs to
quirs the peoDs 70 attend upon the ministrstons Of
tbs Federal, or rather ths "Goyernnent gospel The
end desired will sSsuredly not De ssisned by msrsy
opening the churches lean cations Of sojourn
| eTs and eontrsbsnds.
/ From the enormous strides which power had lately
taken in attempting control the walk and conduct Of
men In their Individual affairs, and 20 usurpts au hor
ty Of the Almighty over their conseisnces II will not
be at ali strange such freak this may be at
! tempted. Il would be somewhat amnslng 20 see the
police and provost guard hunting mp and driving the
indiersnt' into the churches snd compelling them 10
out on deYout and fervent dsmeanor." II is By no
means . scandal to say some Of those pastors Who
have followed ths drum have given good reason TO be
sTe that thess were in their view the principal objects
II the war aad that they aided them BY example not
| b. preeept" Il woHd not be Surprising d with eur
advancing civilization By the war, they should sdd
precept TO example. Do you think thss the Union
would gain much by prayers which gstiOa thuE
organized and mlnlstered 70 would muely send up to
Heaven from knees bent By torcs or fear In temple
Tbe reasening By which the abolition Of slavery BY
the war power in the Southern States Is Justified viii
spply equally TO The overthrow Of the institutions Of re-
lizon among them. 1t Is said thAt slavery must be
abolished not because il IL wroRg-nOt because il is
violation Of the public law bat because it Is calculated
the rebelion but beeauss it tends TO keep up
spirit OF separation between the North and the SOUTH
because Is peculiar Institution. For the same rea'
this aeoon Of the authority OF ths Southern stn
odst Conferences t1eir churehe this appointing
Of lay bishops Episcopal doceess this reforming OF
ltugies and prescribing subjects for prayer snd texts
for preaching s slsO defended upon the pretsnss that
II the people ct taugst loyal from the pulpit
the gyyeTnment Of their churches not ssEen from the
hAnGB Of Southern and deposited In hose OF North
ern they will continue to foster and maintain re
glous and social Independence aaa that tbs viii nsEi-
| ably ieai 70 PolihesL
SiSts soysieignty is already dethFOaed In almost
every member OF TIE Union, and State rights ana
State ins utioBs they stand in the way Of eonsoii-
dating sbe UDiou and srmiag The executive bead Eilh
absolute power, Whenever be may deem that 'h9 ~
tsIestE o te county requires IT, are slso iet ASIDE
Il bat aa0ther step he saEls dirsstsn to declare
that she religious crseas and church soVsrnineots
EkE give away the AolOeb Of military necessity
During the present military administra lon In thii
city the public schools have been organized 10 hncA
thorough ha mony with the Governmsnt that for tyo
weeks LreVi the Inauguration of Mr. Hahn there
noting heard In ths school houses but thi
singing Of patriotic sonss and even since that oHten
tatlO1s perform llttls has been attempted
within theu A. al theAiEcsl and musical entertain
ents, and all Others where music Il used IS an seeo
paplment il Is required by general orders that PatSi
ote airs shall begin and cunclude the performance.
II II BY No means az ezirREsgast s9pp0eilon tAA'
that hechurchss hsye been placed under the super
vision Of the of3ers who have brought the school
aad IL aires iaio Uniso1 with the Gevernmenb sn
inside them play the and sing the same sogi
. tue ssme Improvement viii be introduced into tk
houses Of worship, 60 that Hail Columbia and "YA1
kss Doodle Ehsn replace ''Old Hundred" and Near
With the hsthodist and Baptist, and the hopeful an