The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1865-12-23
CORRUPTION OF THE CHURCH

The Rev. Bishop Edward Thompson,
d. d., LK. d.. Of the Methodist Church
delivered an address before the Educa-
tional Convention, held at Delaware Ohio,
a few months ago. As an illustration of
the decentralization of the reverend clergy,
and rs showing the spirit of worldly Gu
pidity and love of power engendered in
the spiritual leaders of the church by civil
war and party rancor, we take the follow
ing extract from this speech:
"Of the increase OF the public wealth,
which has been very large since the war
began, by reason of the stimulus given
to manufactures and commerce, the in
creased price of agricultural products,
and the opening of new sources Of wealth,
such as oil wells, our Church has had her
full share-pcrhaps more than her share
for no Church has been more loyal than
she, if any as patriotic, active and earnest
in supprcssing the rebellion. Had she
been rs Indifferent to the rebellion as
some sister Churches, the Government
could not have carried the nation through
single year of the war Ofthe 200, 900
men sent to the field of conflict from
Ohio, Mcthodism has had a large share
and, as a consequence, she has had her
proportion of the honors and profits of the
war. Beginning with Grant, the ablest
living general, and, | verify believe, in
many respects the equal Of Napoleon l,
the great military genius of modern ages,
long line of army officers have gone
from OhiosM Methodist families ARd ichen
Grhsy contfSscts hare been drdrded, and
grants 10 z5nrchasc cotton IN rcbettions
States hduc been made, our people hare
not altogether been Indifferent Or ignored
Without unduly or dishonesty seeking to
profit by the war, the attitude which our
Church has borne to the Government has
naturally aud necessarily increased her
reaith."
In this remarkable confession the Rev.
Bishop Thompson disclOses the causes
which produced the intense loyalty that
characterized the great body of Christian
ministers in the North during the late
war. Although their patriotism may
have been Of the unadulterated descrip-
ton at the beginning, Mr.. Thompson
shows that it was stimulated by the mcr-
cenary rewards over which he chuckles
with unctious Satisfaction. He does not
take the trouble to inquire whether the
war was just, pious or Christian war
or whether it promoted the interest ol
the children of God upon earth, or wheth.
er the sea of blood it created advanced re-
ligious truth or brought the unholy nearer
to their Creator he does not deny or dis
cuss the decentralization of society, the re-
striction of civil liberty, the ruin and des
olation, the sin and wretchedness produced
! by the war. It is sufficient for him tc
know that when army contracts have
been awarded, and grants to purchase cot
ton have been made, our people that
i is, the intensely loyal saints in the church
I" have not been Indifferent to the prof.
its" or ignored by the the consider.
ate powers that dispensed the flesh pots
The attitude of intense loyalty and politi
cal ambition which characterized "oul
church has naturally and necessarily in.
creased her wealth ?' 1t is rarely that .
politician is found SO abandoned as to ad
NIT that his patriotism has been rewarded
by fat contracts, cotton stealing permits
and an increase of wealth but here We
fud Bishop in the church boasting Of
these rewards, not as the blessings of Goo
for the zeal of the church in promoting
his cause upon earth, but as the compen
sation of the Government for services
which, if rendered in worthy cause
should have been rendered without ex
pectation of reward, as if in an unholy
cause, should not have been rendered a
all. Among all people the mercenarl
practice of hunting contracts and indulg
ing in speculation during war involving
life and death, has been regarded as the
most odious and execrable of crimes anC
from the time of the Athenian Democrac,
to the present, the war contractors anC
spectators have been loaded with tn,
curses of the people and the scorn of ora
tors. In our late piteous and blood,
strife these crimes were stimulated by tn,
Irecklessness with which the war was con
lducted. the facilities afforded for the es
cape of the selfish and guilty miscreants
and the immense profits upon robbery ant
speculation. The opportunities we're i'm
were fought that spectators might pro
cure cotton hundreds of good men wer
: Inundated to the cotton fever, and thous
ands of widows and orphans trace thei
misery to the Unsuitable thirst of blood in
Ispired by permits to steal cotton. TIL
wealth accumulated by such practices o
dishonor manhood and disgrace even spec
ulation is of the devils own creation.
: is stained with human blood it smells Q
dead mems bones it reeks with the mi
asma of corruption, crime and death;
is the sweat of the poor and the blood
the brave mingled and stamped upo
greenbacks. To boast of such wealth, t
make virtue of such possession, is t
mock the agony of men. insult the power
ty Of the Nasarine, and abuse the benet
! cenre and iusfice of God.