The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-09-19

RECOMMENDATION In. tho sesth-whst Il
Really Needed.
There is a great deal Of unnecessary fuss
being made about the reconstruction of the
Southern churches. The issue in regard to
the churches is very simple one. All OF the
Southern clergymen, except those of the Ro-
man Catholic Church, were actively engaged in
the rebellion. Some of them donned shout
der straps, like General Bishop Polk, and
others were satisfied to stay at home and act as
recruiting officers by preaching rebel sermons to
their congregations. In adopting this course,
as we showed few days ago, they committed
treason to the Church as well as to the
United States, and must now be treated
as seceders. They will have to apply for
pardon both to our government and 10
the government of the churches to which they
belong, unless some amnesty act shall be
issued by the government and the churches
forgiving them for their offences and for the
conspicuous part they took in originating, pro-
noting and continuing the war Their case
thus lies in q nutshell, and there is no use of
the present discussion in regard to it.
But, besides this, the reconstruction of the
Southern churches is matter Of no import
ance at this time. What the South urgently
needs is an immediate reconstruction of her
blacksmith shops, mercantile establishments,
wharves, steamers, coasting schooners, cotton
factories, iron foundries, bakeries, machine
shops, carpenter shops, markets, banks. public
buildings and schoolhouses. The churches can
wait The Southern people will get to Heaven
quite as fast without their clergymen as with
them These pastors have shown themselves
incompetent. They have led their flocks into
the horrors of war, and when thousands OF
their lambs were slaughtered they tried to in
duce other thousands to 60 into the field and
encounter the bullet and the sword. Instead OF
obeying the Scriptural injunction, "Feed my
Sheep" they condemned their focks to starva-
ton and devastation. If the Southern people
are sensible they will be in no hurry to again
place themselves under the charge Of such pas
tors as these. On the contrary, they will direct
their undivided attention to the re-establish-
ment of those branches Of industry which the
war has interrupted or destroyed. Let them
betake themselves steadily for six days in the
week to the plough, the loom, the bench, the
counter, the shovel, the anvil, the hammer, the
steam engine and the hoe, and on Sunday let
them rest from their labors, like God-fearing
men, instead of going to church to listen to the
stale platitudes of those ministers who still have
more of the leaven Of secession than OF true
religion. By adopting this policy they will
rise heartier and more refreshed on Monday
morning, and be ready to resume those labors
which ore indispensable to the regeneration Of
the South. They need have no doubts that the
North will assist them, for our people are will.
ing and anxious to help them in every way
But the North, like Heaven and Hercules, helps
those who help themselves, and therefore the
Southern masses must 60 to work. As for the
Southern churches, they can be reconstructed
on genuinely pious principles when everything
els, In settled.