Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1866-10-11

Oh, 1chdt u d0r am
While dead in tresspasses | lie,
Thy quick'ning spirit give:
Call me, Thou Son of God, that I
May hear Thy voice and live"
And was called to take charge of a
congregatlon-to work in the vineyard
to save souls; to teach perfect love to
Christ and TO all our fellow-men. And [
prayed; and | ialked-and [ exhorted
and l wore long face and | made folks
think l was good and l knelt by the
dying; and [ gave away in marriage and
| baptized infants and 1 won an infIu-
ence.
And then forsook Christ, and took
up politics. And [ taught people TO hate
each other. And l taught my church to
hate the men of the South to hate other
denominations-to hate, and vilify, and
slander, and abuse, and to insult, and to
quarrel with those who did not agree
with them in politics. And l instilled
sectional hate, discord, envy, anger and
wickedness into the hearts of the simple
ones who were confded to my charge.
| taught people to hate each other. l
preached the negro and abolitionism in
stead of Christ and salvation. And | ne
elected the souls Of sinners. And /
endorsed wars. | preached that it was
worth crown TO save even one poor
soul from hell. And urged men TO 90
to war; to become mad to kill each other
and to go into the presence of God with
an oath on their lips death in their hearts;
their eyes set in rage their hands striking
the steel to the hearts of their brothers.
Politics paid better than religion. Poll
tics were popular. 1 wanted notoriety.
| did net care curse for the cause of
Christ. Private ends and little money
were the things l was after Christ
neve preached hate, envy, discord, malice,
ETC., as l have for years. But this
is American religion. 1t is popular. 1t
is the kind that pays, Christ is out of
mine now. 1t is all niggers and popu-
larity. But amt l pretty man of God
to kneel beside dying man! What
damnabie mockery AS if Christ would
listen to such liar, back-slider, hypo-
crite and vilifer of religion as L ami
My former hopes are fed;
My terror now begins
feel, alas that l am dead
In tresspasses and sins!"
But what of it? I'll 90 on and fool
people. I'll fill hell with sinners if can't
fill Heaven with saints. I'll have a friend
in the devil if not III Christ. I'll damn
poor ignorant souls if cant save them
I'll earn political pay if l can't win the
approval of God-the God | am trying to
fool. I'd like to hear Christ preach a
sermon. | wonder if he'd instilI hate,
sectional discord, envy, oppression, perse-
cution and such ideas into the minds of
His followers. He said:
g Blessed are the peace-makers, for
they shall" &c.
think that is mistake. / don't be-
!ieve Christ ever said it. | think the one
that reported that sermon must have been
drinking the sacramental wine too freely.
That is where Christ and | differ.
American religion is that of hate,
wrong, discord, envy, war. oppression,
persecution and killing of people for a
difference of opinion.
But thou, soul searching God hast known /
The hearts of all that bent the knee;
And hast accepted those alone,
But it makes no difference with me.
There IS no true religion in me. I'd en-
dorse the devil and preach hell if it was
popular and paid I'd forsake Christ any
time for an increase Of pay, and let the
cause of religion die out forever.
What a liar l am!
And what liars all those so-called
christians who profess to have their hearts
filled with Heavenly love, yet, war upon
a people for difference of opinion; who
read from stolen bibles; who kneel by
stolen chairs; who read in stolen books;
who look at themselves in stolen mirrors
who Law their children to sleep on stolen
sofas who themselves slumber on stolen
beds who eat from stolen dishes; who
beautify their dwellings with stolen orna-
ments who GO to church in stolen gar
ments: who partake of the blood of the
Redeemer from stolen silver cups; who
ride to funerals in stolen carriages; who
,ide for pleasure behind stolen horses ;
who have shrouds made from stolen cot
on who are awakened in the night by
he Drawing of stolen mules; who are
,urged with stolen medicines who get
Trunk on stolen liquors who play sacred
,irs on stolen organs and melodeons; who
,lav patriotic airs on stolen pianos; who,
urrounded by thousands of things stolen
rom the South, in the name OF loyalty, /