The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1864-04-06
From the Christisn Witness.
Ecclesiastical RRigandage.


longing and coyetous eyes were beir
cast toward the Church property
the South, and the triumph of Il
Federal arms was desired as the meal
by which its possession was to be rea
lied While the hope of secular plu
der was the secret passion of man
profane minds in the prosecution
the war, the hope of sacred spoils W;
too strong in many PIoUs hearts I
admit of concealment. Indeed man
were so devoid Of all sense of iustic
and honor as apparently not to b
aware of the utter baseness and de
pravity oftheir feelings on this subject
FOR they took no pains to conceal ther
from the world. Feelings, a moment
entertainment of which would fill q
ingenious mind with shame, were cher
ished by these depraved minds, with
out the least signs of a sense of thei
unworthiness. While the secular pow
er has been exerting itself for the re-
covery of civil Jurisdiction in tn,
South, religious ambition and greco
have prompted Churches to enter int
the same bloody struggle with thu
hope of: recovering that spiritual ju
risdiction which their fanaticism had
lost them years ago, and not only re.
covering what they had lost, but gain,
ing possession of whatever results, re-
ligious activity and enterprise in that
region have since achieved.
And now that the fortunes of war
have given the secular power partial
footing In some portions of the South,
these greedy and unscrupulous eccle>
sisstics are eager for their prey. AS
the priests of Mohammed followed his
armies, ready to institute the rites of
his religion among the conquered; SO
theseE ministers of Christ keep close
company with those who WELD the bay
onet in order to impose on the wretch
ed victims of war their spiritual offices
and thrust themselves as pastors up
on'those whose hearts detest and loathe
them. The following extract from a
letter, to one Of the so>called religious
papers of the day will show the cool
anscrupulousness with which men avow
purposes from which every honorable
sentiment of human nature recoils with
disgust: o!4 .> s.. ....
a"Bishop Amcs and DR.. Harris have
been at Baton Rouge and New Orleans,
surveying the land and inquiring into
the, prospects Of recognizing the
Church in these parts. You will wish
tosknow what the prospects are. To
bs frank, let me say they are not very
promising, to begin with. Our object
is to build up a Church, aLoYAL Church,
in this land of treason. We require in
tho members two fold loyalty, to God
and the Government of the United
States. There are but few left in the
Church South now who are really 10y
al---these, are those who have taken
the oath of allegiance to the Govern
ment, who win not now join us. Some
who have passed as loyal find to be
insincere; they took the oath to save
their property and their stomachs, and
in heart are yet rebels. They have
some conscience left, and are not so
ready to repeat their falsity upon the
ltar of the Church---an encouraging
Indication"
What right has the M. E. Church
TO the control of Churches in New Or
leans and Baton Rouge? She has had
nosjurisdiction in that region since
she voluntarily relinquishedit in 1914.
The talk about recognizing the
Church there is mere euphemism for
proceedings which could not be hon
estly charact cterized without the use of
tarms which would fasten upon the
author Of them crime and g sin of
the grossest description. By the terms
IF the "Plan of Separation" the M.
L. Church has no right to form con-
gregations within the acknowledged
] jarisdiction Of the Church South. But
s 10 proceedings of which we are now
3 sakingI are not merely perfdious,
shey'arei open and unblushing robbery.
7 hat right, original or acquired, in
.aw or Justice, has the M. 3, Church |
- the occupancy and control of church.
- anew Orleans? They have been
3 lilt By other hands, they are the law
Iii, i. property Of other owners. No
5alk, about the disloyalty Of the pro.
rretors will avail to justify or excuse
auoh' conduct. For who has made her
3 Judge of civil questions? And who
ass authorized her to disannul propris
9 s.sry rights under the civil law? |
Nor will it be'suaicient to plead that
Va csc Churches have been turned over
to hem by the secular authorities of
she land. For though the Govern
.neat Of the, United States has the
light to subject to temporary confs-
cation the property of persons who
have been guilty of treason, yet who
oges, heard of con6scating Churche S? |
Gysa Henry VIII, reckless as he was,
lid. natdespoil the, Roman Catholics OF |
5hais houses of worship, 'sbut only of |
sh airs mohastic establishments which
held SO much of the property Of thel
aaisn s'inq a.. dead hand" h Besides