Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1865-07-01
BISHOP ANDREW TO THE METH,

oDIsTs OF THE SoUTH.-The follow
ing is the text of the pastoral adj
dress, just issued by Bishop JAS. o.
Andrew, the most eminent ecclesi-
astic Of the Methodistic Episcopal
Church South:
Dear Brethren The events of the
last few months have placed both the
Church and the country in greatly
altered circumstances, and hence il
becomes necessary to adapt ourselves
to our altered relations. Our hope
Of obtaining distinct nationality as
people has been frustrated, and the
providence of God seems to have or
dained that we shall again be united
in civil compact with our former as
sociates of the North. The Stars
and Stripes again wave over us as
in the former days, and it is now our
national flag and should be re-
spected accordingly. We have with
our very inadequate means fought
through bloody war, but have at
length been overwhelmed by supe-
rior numbers, and have been COM
PEELED to yield. Our armies have
fought bravely, and we have lost no
! honor in the conflict, and now that
the struggle is over let us at once,
and resolutely, apply ourselves to
the peaceful avocations of lite. Let
the young men OF the country now
return to their much loved homes,
seek to engage the earliest moment
possible in some honest business,
and by all means avoid all tempta-
tions to idleness.
Let all our paroled soldiers care
fully avoid all concern in bush
whacking or guerrilla warfare these
are wrong III principle and practice,
and whatever seeming apology there
might have been for the practice
during the war, there can certainly
be none now. 1t becomes us all now
to seek by practical means, to pro-
mote the return of peace and good
neighborhood among the various sec
tions of the United States. Let us
strive, as far as practicable, to forget
the wrongs which we have suffered,
and earnestly address ourselves to
the task of reconstructing the gov
ernment and promoting its peace and
unity. The brooding lover our al
tered fortunes, and making them
the theme Of conversation will tend
greatly to increase our bitterness of
feeling, and drive from our hearts
that peace Of God, without which
our religion is mere rinkling Gym
bal There are among us, at varl-
Gus points, Federal soldiers, who, so
far as | have learned, deport them
selves in a very orderly manner; let
us not by any action of ours inHu-
ence them to different course of
conduct, but let us extend to them
all the courtesies of life; invite them
to your churches, that they may
mingle with you in the services Of
religion, for, doubtless, many OF
them, before they left their homes,
were members of the church and
consistent Christians.
Let such feel al home with you in
the house of God. And finally, if
you wish to live quiet and peaceable
lives, in all goodness and honesty
before God, it is your duty to pray
earnestly and constantly to God that
He may give to our rulers wisdom
and integrity that they may be able
to bear rule in the fear of God. And
now, dear brethren, may God pour
out upon US in abundance the
fear of His holy name, and the
influence of His spirit to guide us
Alright in all things
Affectlonately,
JAS o. ANDREW,
Bishop NJ. b. Church South.
NobiIs Iune 18th 1865.