The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1865-12-06
P~OLITTCAL PRIESTS.

oil Rome became so great and glarlng,
that LUTHER, CALVIN, and others, at the
hazard of their lives, some of them from
the bosom Of that Church, were compell-'
ed from conscience, to cry out against
her political assumptions, as well as her
hypocracies and co~rruptions. The object
Of the reformation was to separate the
clergy from the State to c%onfne them to
their legitimate duties of preaching the
Gospel of the New Testament ; and to
clear the Church of many absurd ceremo
MES and supersttions. Those reforms
met the appreciation Of some Of the wisest
and best monarchs of the earth and bro't
about great changes in the political status
of the people. To some extent, liberty
of conscience, liberty of speech, the press
and the pen were secured, and the chain
of priestly oppression was broken or great
ly weakened.
1t was fondly hoped that by education,
a free press, freedom Of worship, and the
admission of the Bible among the laity,
there would be no more danger in all
time to come, Of that or any other Church
attempting to grasp political power, to
dictate laws TO govern the State, or con.
troll the action of the people, so as to for.
ward mainly her temporal interests. But
this fond dream has been dissipated.-
New Churches, grown great by liberation,
and nlethoric Of wealth, are not content
with exercising the rights lcgitimately
belonging to them. Ambition to rule,
begins to crop out in all their doings.-
They have an itching for authority. Like
the proud Miss MoBBtDE, they disdaiD
small beginnings, and forget their origin
At the recent Conference Of the NJ. l..
Church, for North Ohio, the following
resolution was unanimously adopted:
"Resolued, That we are in favor of al
lowing the Freedmen the elective franch-
Use, believing that all governments derive
their just powers from the consent of the
governed"
More than twenty years ago the Meth
odist Church Of the United States sepa.
rated on the question of slavery The
Northern portion insisted on the right to
interfere with and restrict that institu-
ton wherever it could reach it among its
membership, and to denounce it IS a great
crime and the sum Of all v~illainies. The
Southern part Of the Church denied the
right Of their Northern brethren 10 inter.
-fere in the matter one way or the other,
and contended that the Constitution and.
laws OF the land guaranteed their right to
the services of the slave, and upon this
issue the Church spill, on MASON and
DIxoN's line.
The Church North scon became in.
tCnsely Abolition, and welded every
means within its power to indOctrinate its
membership, and to encourage the fer
cest assaults on the Southern Church,
~denouncing the clergy, v;llifying its mem.
bers, and wrapping itself up, in holy hor-
ror, was willing to carry fire and sword
among the Southern people, that slavery
might be destroyed. This was the enter.
ing wedge 10 the great war that has Jes.
plated the fairest portions Of our country.
Ever since then, the Union has existed
only in name, because the people were
widely estranged. Fairly, ~legitimately,
this Church is responsible for the over.
throw Of fifteen States, for the pauper
condition..of five millions of negroes, the
impovcrishmcn Mt o eiSht millions of white
people, the manning and gripping for
life Of more than q million Of brave and
lion-hearted soldiers, for the two millions
left cold aud stark, to gil untimcly graves,
for the tears of ten millions of people
North and South, who mourn their loss,
the waste of property, the downfall Of
free government, as well as to toll to pay
q debt of four billions in money !!
Throughout tho entire North the pull.
pits of that, aud all other Churches, her.
aided the cry to arms to arms !!-put
down slavery though every white man
periALes. These fellows pushed the
South to the wall on slavery and compel
ed them to either resent it or be robbed
without redress. They resented /! Blood,
oceans Of blood must be shed to wipe out
slavery. Bafled at all points, sanguinary
revenge must have full scopc-Oonstitu.
lions, laws, States must be trampled out
Of existence that slavery may fall. This
Church aud AbolitiOnism gOaded the
South for years (; it was Indignantly re-
sented by that section the prOpagandists
of ths pulpit soon raised the cry, "lct us
make her a barren waste, and free the ne
gro" Well, he is freedl The blood