The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-12-23
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people, we shall not as
sume the province of determining,
but from duty TO which no thoughtful
mind can object, we cordially solicit
you TO insert this reply III your col
umns, thus obliging a pcacable and
friendly people. It is not true that
under law of prescription made up
among our leaders, we refuse to act
according to the dictates of our own
very large portion of
our lay members are concicutiously
opposed to voting, or in any way
meddling with political matters. A
few and but a few OF our members
think it not wrong to vote, and did so
according to the dictates of their own
conscience. The present legislative
power was unsought for, favor
granted during the Revolution, and
the war of 1912, n constitutional right.
Neither Alexander Mack, nor the Sc
cedcrs from the Presbyterian or Lu-
theran Church were the founders of
our church Jesns Christ through
the agency of his apostles laid the
Foundation OF our church, more than
eighteen hundred years ago, whilst
our baptism has been legally admin
istorcd up to the present, as proof of
which we would offer the fact that
there is not n single branch of the
Christian Church that re baptizes one
of our members, on receiving them
into their branch, thus proving be-
lyond cayil that our Baptism is ac-
knowle lgcd rs valid 10y the enlighten-
ed world. Our ministers preach the
lplain and simple teachings of Christ
and his Apostles, instead OF the ut
ter damnation of all other Christian
societies. 1t is utterly false that we
withdraw "further and further from
the requirements ofthe Government. !"
VIII the drafted man name q single
Requirement which the Government
has made OF us that we have not
chcerfullv met? There is meta more
Iiovai people than the *German Bap-
fists residing within the limits of this
, Government; for proof of which, we
refer YOU to the martyrdom Of sever
al of our elders in the seeded states,
because they refused to support the
lSouthern ConteAeracy. And further
be it understood, that we have always
kent our hands unstained with the
Acknowledged cause Of the present
national difllculty-slaverv. If all
the branches of the Christian churcl
' had doue the same, could the epiesen
= difficulty have existed?
Christ saws: II came not to judge
the world" while our drafted fricnC
has assumed even greater authorit.
a than this, aud has volunteered hi
' services to Judge the people OF God
a condemning them as INSCRIPTIONS
, swearers, judging their conscience
: II(pcrhaps by his own) aHd seems t.
doubt their vcracity under oath h
o saws: 'giyiug the unscrupulous
chance to swear, &c" We woul'
Il respectfully inform our friend that il
obedience to the command of Christ
> ,ce susqr not af alive affirm. VIII
.tInot our Government he greatly ell
heightened bv this mastery display @
t wisdom Behold! "A greater tina
Solomon is here" Should he not q
once be appointed over Church an
state: Could he not bring about
v millennium speedily? ? We helicy
d that the Government of the Unite
States is the best Government in eS
Iistence; to this end we would giv
the decision passed 10y the last sessio
i Of our Conference, given at liager'
town, Ind, May 2S, 1864 SpeaSin
a of the Governmet, they say;
- 1--WE hereby declare that it has OF
,.svmpathies and prayers, and that
~ shall have our aid in any way whic
D. does not conflict with the Gospel Z
c Christ; but since, IN our Christia
is profession; we regard these Gosp
principles as superior or paramom
:" TO i'll others, and consistency require
- that we so regard them in our pra
es itices."
n. We do not claim that we might
= well take the sword as to vote, for
" the former we unfelIowship, while
ne the latter we reprove. Be it nnde
od stood it is no law of prescription, b
II simply an advice by our Conferenc
- that our members should absta
:, from voting, and inasmuch as we ha
ll'no account of Christ or his Apostl
dealing with holitical matters, b
,w to the contrary and rs We do II
mo hold Office nor ever did, and are &C
- scientiously spposed to bearing arm
~ or shedding blood, the writer, witt
ed majority Of our members consider
ev inconsistent for us, or any simil
tn branch of the Christian Church
vote. We rs Christians, desire
overcome evil with good--to retu
re, good for evil-to do good to our {
nd emics, and to comply with the pl'
ne. teachings of Christ and his Apostl
Space and time bid us forbear, fartl
>, than to say that the kindest Christi
" feelings are telt toward our frie
who has misrepresented us; and
though we may not understand
-oo things alike, yet we desire to rem
in personal friendship, ''proving
things--holding fast to that which
good, letting God be true but ev'
,,4 man a liar"
'S A CoNsCl ENTIoUs MAN