Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-12-19

tion. 1t is clearly evident, sir, that in all this
controversy you have been influenced by hostili-
ty to the U. B. Church When your friend, Judge
Watson, shows the Importance Of preparing the
colored race for the important civil rights which
the Legislature will be under the absolute neces-
sity of giving him, you only say he is s'acceptng
the situation" When Mr.. Reagan advises his
friends in Texas to grant the colored man equality
before the law and extending to them the right
Of suffrage, you at once excuse him by saying he
is governed by ''policy and expediency" that he
may get his pardon. But when Glossbrenner ad-
vises the thing, your indignation is stirred,
and you can infer nothing but amalgamation and
You refer with apparent pleasure
and satisfaction to your work Of burning the
Telescope. You say it was an incendary publi-
cation. 1t is strange indeed. that no other mag
it was paper Of that character. The paper that
you caused to burned as an incendiary document,
was given to one of the Circuit Judges in the
Valley, who, after examining it, handed it back
with instruction that it be given out by the Post
Master. You, sir, must have the credit of burn
ing the Telescope and I suppose it affords you
great satisfaction to reflect that of all the magis
trates in the Valley you was the most diigent in
watching the u. B. Church.
That day, sir, is past-the inquisitorial fires
longer consume that papers so true to the rights
of men, Again, would cal your attention to
communication in the Richmond Whig, over the
signiture of Augusta" That article was said to
L H. -
doubt it after reading your article in the sSpec-
tator.' In that article you showed what feeling
you had for myself and the Church of the u B.
in Christ, and although you have admitted in a
recent article, that by my silent and consistent
course, had the sympathy and respect of not
only the members of my own Church, but of those
outside of my own denomination. You, in that
article re presented me, and the whole Church, as
dangerous men. and thus endeavored TO destroy
our influence as people; and this too at a time
of great excitement. But your article in the Whig
failed to have the effect on the community you
desired, and We still live, and l have confidence
to believe that as a Church we VIII live when our
accusers are no more.
1t is still subject of complaint that as minis
ters we failed to pray for the success of the Con-
federacy. To pray is solemn act of worship,
and feel that | am responsible to God alone for
the way and manner in which this duty is per-
formed. With the light had | could not see that
it would be for the glory of God, for the good of
His Church, or for the happiness and prosperity
of the people that the Confederacy should be es-
tablished, and therefore could not pray for its
establishment; yet felt that was ignorant and
short sighted, CO consequently that it was best to
pray that God would defend the right and over
rule all our national troubles for his glory and
the good Of all men in all conditions of society.
And that he would make the wrath of men to
praise him, and the remainder of that wrath re-
'thy will be DONE"
deny, sir, most emphatically that the teach
ings of myself or brethren 'snullifed the acts of
Congress, trampled on the rights of he South,
brought on the war, drove out the Southern
Stat es, murdered million of her people and laid
waste to the country" From the testimony of
of the leading spirits of the South, It is evil
dent that for many years the movement had been
contemplated to form Southern Confederacy.
will give few references. Mr.. Parker says
''It is spasmodic eff ort that has come sudden
ly upon US, it has been gradually eliminating for
long period of thirty years." Mr.. Inglis ssThe
most of US have had this matter Under considera-
ton for the last twenty years." Mr.. Keitt 81
have been engaged in this movement ever since
entered into political life.' Mr.. Rhett s'The
secession of South Carolina is not an event of
day. 1t is not anything produced by Mr.
Lincolns election, or by the non-execution of
the fugitive slave law. 1t las been matter which
has been gathering head for the last thirty years"
If it were true that the tea chings of myself and
brethren was doing all this mischief, it is very
strange that you never disooyered it until recent
ly, although you appear TO have made it your
special duty to watch The U. B. Church with a
jealous eye for the last fifteen years. But after
all, Major, your testimony could hardly be taken
touching the nature and tendency Of our teach
ings, for it would only be hearsay testimony
You say in your last article that You never heard
but one sermon from minister in our Church
and that a number of years ago. Your mind
appears to have been so much prejudlced against
the Church tina, although they have been preach
ing in your vicinity for the last thirty years you
have not heard them. But still you undertake to
tell the public that our teachings had tendency
to bring upon the country all our accumulated
woes and sorrows That the Church has been
anti slavery in its sentiments from the time of its
organization, am not asham ed to express. The
first congregation that William Otterbein had
charge of in the city of Baltimore, which congre-
CATION he served until his death, had incorporated
in its rules the following: 'sAn slavery, in ev-
cry sense of the word, is wholly prohibited, and
shall in no manner be tolerated in our Society,"
So you will perceive, that in endorsing the 7th
rule Of our present dicipline, have not gone SO
far astray from the principles of that great and
good man you might suppose. The fact Of
Otterbein being opposed to slavery did not con-
stitute him 'pestilent fellow" or a s'mover OF
sedition." Neither do 1 admit that it is our
teaching that prevents reconstruction and keeps
out in the cold" But it is the spirit and con-
duct of yourself and Others as exhibited in your
communicate on, that has tendency to s'keep