, 1865-07-31
Qhtfuao Urtbnne.


4Ao1o II fiS@~oAoS VI cuHAk} IN 8kl p4fA
Of The South. The war has not closed the
mouths Of the ministers Of grace and
mcrcy." Is the occupants Of Southern pulplts
are peculiarly fond Of being called. In town
churches Of doubtful architecture, built maln
" by money thai WAS whipped ont of backs
Of negroes working without pay, or by
money coined IN the sale Of little children torn
nom the arms Of shrieliug mothers; in tum-
ble.doWn county meeting houses On eross
foadsi In the school houses, where such arc
fcunds i and IN the spreading groves. men and
women meet weekly to call on the
name Of the Lord Of Laye and Mercy
and Justice to ask for the forgiveness Of
their sins, and to listen to the consultations
and cneonragements Of the Gospel
We have been curious to know what effect
tbs cbastisements Of the great conflict have
had On tho doctrtnal theology Of the sDuth. 50
far as that theology touehed the barbaEism
that the Church LATELY arowcd and defeuded
snd wesr such thing within tbs range Of
journalistic possibility, VIC would, on some
givea Sunday, send reporter to each 60
csllcd religious society in sill rebeldom, to
catch the gtst and spirit of the words there
uttered, that We and our readers might learn
how true ChriftianitJ is advancing, and what
are the prospects Of sincere and enduring
peace. But, as the execution OF such an en-
tctprife IL ont OF the question, We must con.
tent urselves with such items Of Intelligence
in rslatlon to the coveted fac:e as coma to
us through this o: :dlnasy channels Of editorial
Information. and make up an opinion from
them in regard 10 what we desire to learn.
The readers OF the TRIBUNE are In fault II
they do not know what the Southern Church
used to be before the rebellion. It was a
conc,ete and dapgerous form Of blasptemy
md Atheism, bottontd, In relation 10 purely
white men, on the meaEre philosophy that
honcsty u ths hest policy and, In Its 1ela-
ticns To ell other men, on principles thst de-
CENT paRantsm and ido1atrous hea:hen1sm
indignantly disowu. It Is q sweeplnE tudg-
nlent but it seems to Us true that, With here
and there an exception, the divlnc spirit Of
the founder Of the Christian faith, neTsr
touchtd the Southern church. 1t had code
Of white mems morals which 30 member
might transgrsss to the detrlment Of any
other white man and thus 1t held certain
restraint upon the natural aarageness Of
mnn's nature. It kept fast-daya and feast.
days with to1erab1e@ rigldity. II induleed
lisc1y hope Of scme better life hereafter. But
within the scope Of is thought, and sphere
Ct its endeayor It h&d none Of that pure be.
neyolence and profound care for humauityss
such, that marked every uttetance Of the
Savior Of Men. Its Bible mas right; it's
c1recs were right, each according to iss de-
unmiDation2l source but the Atheism that
p-sxcssed 1t made the Book and ull
exceeds the sources and Instruments
of = vill1any vaete1 in lis propor-
tioue and mora shocking In Its details,
than s0y thing slse known among mankind.
Trua 1t prayed for some men, bn:at the same
Hme Il cu.sed others With hetceaess and
practical efficiency that had no .ni:igations.
It sent missionaries to foreign lands, but It
defended and pIopogated the heashenism at
lta own doors. 1t preached againgt robbery,
on Sunday, but 1t was standing justification
Of robbery on avery othc, day Of the week.
It rAlaed Its voice tor justice, but both hands
were STEADILY employed in doing injustice.
Il asserted ths brotherhood Of all men, and
tt4 comment on the theorem was selling fel.
Low Ch1istians as slayes. It taught the
fatherhood Of Gcd, but it was in reality
step-1sthcrhood. that made the black child
ren the menialk and personal chattels Of the
white. And 80 We might contrast all lis ths-
aries. with III practices, its dcgnas With it,
ussges, and Tins prove that it was, as We
have characterized 1t, only concrete form |
Of b.asphemy and Atheism By which man
vas w1enged and Heaven insulted. 1t was
the powerful agent Of vieked rebellion, and
1t lts door must bo laid large share Of the
responsibility for The butcheries, the burn
igs and the untold uiseEies Of which the
war Of it, making was the cause,
We have been careful and industrious N
our search for Indications Of the drift Of
Southern Theology ut the present ttms; but
We cannot encourage our readers By au
expression -oi hope, even, that 1t Is toward
better practices as the result Of pu1et be
Neis. The old spirit which cold men, whip
ped women, justified 'cencubina1e and ap-
proved or Winked at forced prostitution, Is as
t1e<ce and a. vindictiye as ever and II needs
but tha promise Of success to enter up11
new crusade against the light and knowledge
ofthe c1a in which we live. It accepts from
mailed band conditions that 1t Is power1ess
to refuse; but the muttered maledictons
and anathemss which arise from the temples
devoted to the Atheism ahat The Church has
p<achced, tell Us too plainly that e1zora and
abuses connected will and sancttied
by theological mot reltgious) beliefs,
are the most ineradlcable Of any with
which true Chris ianity contends, aud that
the place in which the regeneration Of the
south must be begun, is at the altars which
Atheism polluted with its inapious mockery
of Christian FORMS and nsaees. Here Is an
opening prospect for missionary labor, wide
enough 10 satisfy any zeal and dangerous
eoough to allure all who nay be ambitious
Of rna1tyts' croTn.