The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-07-02
From eAs cinsinsaa rrssey,sr
An interesting speech.

0NN-~
Mr.. A has done a good work in Tel
nessee, and his speech shews what
e needed. Mr.. A. said
}, There is something very sad to m
a mind, sir, in knowing that I am th
only representative from portion {
our country once so well, nobly, an
; ably represented on the floor of thi
: Assembly. / stand alone to-day, wher
once stood the eloquent sons of th
: South; men reyered and trusted b
Z the whole church. Tis q dreadful
reality that these men, once SO love-
and respected here, are now arraYed il
deadly hostility, not only against ia,
Government, but against the church o
their fathers; and the country the,
represented, so lately prosperous and
happy, now desolated and PROSTATE
But / trust, sir, the day is not far dis
tant when the South shall again be
represented on the floor of the Assem-
oily, and by men who shall stand here
with a frmer foot, and heads more
erect, because they shall represent q
free South, as you today represent a
free North
The South to-day presents one of the
grandest missionary fields the Christian
mind was ever called TO contemplate,
and the occupation of this field one of
the most important works the church
ever entered upon. In the South we
have one of the most beautiful lands
the sun ever shone upon Though des-
olated by war, and prostrated by frisht-
ful internal trouble, it is lovely still !;
like young bride too early bereaVed,
beautiful even in her desolation.
The spiritual condition of the South
is perhaps more sad than her physical /;
her spiritual desolation more complete.
and more difficult TO recover from.
The rich soil, the salubrious climate,
| together with the genial sunshine and
rsins of that region, will soon restore
the country TO its former beauty and
fruitfulness but, oh twill need more
than sunshine and rain TO restore its
spiritual prosperity. Oar eongrega-
tions are scattered, our beautiful tenn
Piles laid waste or ruined. The desert.
ed sanctuary and neglected school,
houses meet the eye in almost every di-
rection. In many of ourtowns, where
once fourishiug congregations wor-
shipped, the voice of Presbyterian
minister has not been heard for months,
no not for years 'Tis sad to pass these
deserted churches and school houses.
There they stand; their great gaping
windows and doors staring at you, Ike
the very eyes of despair, while the
blsckness within seems the badge Of
mourning hung up in memory of those
brighter days when they were vocal
with the praises of God, and bright
with the Joyous faces ofhappy children.
These sad,sights mAy well lead us to re-
alize what the Psalmist felt when he
said ''By the streams of Babylon there
We sat down. yea we wept when we re-
membered Zion"
But sad as the condition OF things is
in the South, with the blessing of God !
this part of our Hoin can be restored to |
spiritual fruitfulness and beauty. We
must occupy the field, and do ii at once. |
We must have prudent, pious and de |
voted men for this field. And we want |
loyal men-men loyal to God and loyal |
to the church, and loyal TO the country.
There are three classes of persons |
with whom you will come in contact |
in the South.
First, the out-and-out disloyalists-
unadulterated rebels Men and women |
who hate the Government, and hate |
every one who does not hate it as they |
do. They have hated the government |
for years, and the late complete success |
of the Federal forces has intensified |
their feelings. This class we can never |
reclaim. They are beyond our reach
know there are brethren here, who !
hope, by compromise and concession, to |
win these erring people back. They are
keeping the fatted cali" ready to kill |
and make merry in the joyful hour /
of their return. But,I tell you. Mr.. Mod |
orator, aud / tell them, if they keep |
that calf until these brethren return, |
he will grow to a good zed bullock
long before that time, and I fear die of |
old age after all
Another class is the true loyalists, OF |
Union men. There are men and |
women in the South who have been,
and are now true to their God. their
church and their country. Their 10y |
atty is Of that stamp which shrinks not
in the hour of trial They remained |
alike unmoved by the threats of enc
mics, OF the proffered rewards of
friends. The lower the rebels sunk /
the American flag, the closer they |
bound it to their hearts; the farther |
they were driven from the church, the |
more confidently and firmly they sang, |
IF | forget thee oh Jerusalem let my !
right hand forget her skill. You
have long had the prayers and sympa- |
thy of this class of our people, and you
will have their hearty cooperation the
moment your missionary enters their
bounds.
A third class Is that portion Of our
people who, unable to resist the mighty
influences brought 10 bear upon them
yielded to the force Of circumstances, |
and became disloyal. This class de-
serves your commiseration more than
your blame. You, who live in this quiet
region, know nothing of the force OF
that mighty current which swept
through our Southern land. Every
thing wss Welding to it. Reputation,
property, life itself; yea, sir, every in |
terest held dear, were crowded into !
the issue of an hour. The crisis was |
upon us. as unexpected as it was
fearful. Men had not time to |
think ss the overwhelming current |
swept along. The community seemed |
to be passing through one of those fits |
of delirium. which sometimes ohsFsc-
teriEes the course of nations, and mani |
tested the strength Of madness. Was
/ il strange, sir, that thousands yielded
under the weight of such q pressureY
Welded too, while their conscience and
their judgment disapproved their
course2 believe this class can be won
back, beth to fhe church and the State.
They have never been really alienated
from Us Already the church members
of this class manifest an entire willing
/ ness 10 receive loyal ministers. 2
Nov, to occupy this field, We need
men, not only of piety and degotion,
but wise and prudent men-men OF
/ good common sense-mep VINO can ep-
preoiate the condition Of our people,
and the circumstances which led them
| into the secession moyement-not TO
taunt them with our trlumphs, or their
7 misfortunes- -men, who, moved by the
Spirit of cur divine Master, and full
/ Of his gracious gospel, viii seek TO win
them BY the earnest preaching OF
that gospel Such men, under God,
can do q great work IN the
| South. At present it is q destitute but
/ important field, and which promises
/ -, H.. -.-,.fs. A. many uointz I
could mention, we had fiourishing, self
sustaining congregations, before the
gar. The people are there still, and
ready TO receive the gospel Send Us
pious, faithful, loyal men-men who
can win back the people, and in few
months they can accomplish a work, TO
do which would take them years n the
new fields ef the west
And now, Nr. Moderator, suffer me
to say, that aside from the destitutiOns