The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-04-06

satisfactory assurances 10 an Annual or
Quarterly Conference Of their loyalty to the
National Government, aud hearty approval
Of the An~ti-sIayery doctrine Of our Church"
Since ! have been drawn into this discussion,
Il Is needless to disguise the fact, that very
many ofthe leading ministers of the Church
South" went on with the late rebellion, con-
seQuently they forfeited all the rights that
they formerly had under the Constitution
and when peace WAS restored, they were sub
ject to the penalties Of the law, ia such
cases made and provided
Politically speaking, | am no radical, but
Am eonJerpahre in my views, and am truly
glad that our Government has exercised SO
much clemency toward our "erring brethren,
aRd trust that hereafter they will he wiser
and better men.
Many of the leading ministers have con-
fessed that they we're rebels, but now they ARE
as loyal as any one, But how have they
evinced their |loynlty2 BY going before Il
proper officer, and subscribing to the fol-
lowing " Amnesty OATH 81 do solemnly
swear, Oh | will hcncctorth faithfully sup
port and defend the Constitution Of the Uni
ted States, and the UWion of the States there
under, and that | will in like manner abide
by, and faithfully support all laws and pro-
CARNATIONS which have been made during
the existing rebellion, with reference to
slaves, so hep me God. 4" Is the Chu,ch of
God n less sacred Institution than the Gov
ernmeht2 It the Government win not per.
init any one 10 be Il citizen, and enjoy nh
its privileges and immnnitics, without ac-
knowledgiug allegiance to it, would it be
right for the Church To receive into its folds,
any one who ~tramptes all law under his feet.
aud bids defiance to the Government that
protects him2 When II minister makes ap.
p~lieation to become II member OF our church,
all he aas TO do is to show that he is re-
LgiOasiy qualified, and that he is now n loyal
man. Can any Christian Minister object to
this NEW test" as it is hIppnnlly called 2
In regard to the auti-sluyery clause
would remark, that nil with whom [ have
conversed, acknowledge, that Z" they believe,
that the time has come in the Providence OF
God, when slavery should be abolished -
Why then, objec, to ills, when every one of
you have sworn before High Heaven, that
you will abide By and jatltaLy support all l1rs
ETC., piM reference 10 The emancipation Of shares.
But Brother Dickey asks, "ls the ntw
shade introduced into those Conferences u
part of the "Uld Church ~ will uCkuOwl.
edge, before attempting to answer this ques-
ton, that when | sent "a Gle Of phpers' to
Brother Neal, that ! expected the Editor or
some one Of "rank" would quote more extern
lively from them, than Brother Dickey has
done-but he has quoted enough to elicit an
explanation. Since | have been in the south
| have frequently heard | it said by tue enc
mics of our Church, that we are 10 favor of
" negro equality" Now, | wish to say to
Brother Dickey, and to every minister, aud
member of the Church South, " anG the rest
Of mankind" that there 10 not Il word Of
truth in the assettiOn-neither is there an
approximation thereuntp To use a common
expression" the shoe is on the other foot r.
| chnrge tupon the "Church SOUTH that
if There Is such II thing as negro equality
and the mingling o. the two races together
that they are exceedingly more in favor Of it
than the Old Methodist Church and it
was II necessity for them to do so, consider
ing the peculiar institution under which
they have always been laboring. believe
that the Church South, has accomplished
much good for the colnred people, aud would
have accomplished more good, if they had
not been tr mmtled by the laws Of the cOuu-
try. But whilst they have been accomplish
ing some good, the "Old Methodist Church
has far exceeded them in this matter, MS
they have had more facilities for dong So
What our Church has been doing, und is
still aiming to do, is to ChristianiEe and ed
ucNte them. In the language Of one OF our
Church organs, "the policy in extending the
work ofChristHmong the blacks is TO help them
to help themselves. Il Is enough for us to
put this ball in motion let il roll on BY its
wi momentum until its shadows shall reach
even TO " Aries sunny fountains. Yes. we
are receiving educate negroes into our Bon
f%erences, for the purpose Of having them tn
preach the Gospel TO their own race, aud to
prepare them to enter the "COlored Confer
ences, " which nre separate and distinct Con.
f%erences, so as to avoid the mingling Of the
two races together. No unprpjudiced Chris.
tian MINISTER can raise a reasonable objec-
ton to this. Our Church u truly following
Ia the footsteps Of Bishop Ashbury, McKrn-
drie, and others in this. Our Church has
made aud is still making a discrimination be-
tween the two races. as the following "edito-
rial " will show, which Is taken from the n.
W. Christian Advocate q Nor have we any
reason to doubt that the discrimination be-
tween the whites, and colored, nude in the
disbursement OF missionary funds for the
South, are wise and eXpedient in view of the
great good Of the coloFed people. | know
that there aie Jtndties 10 the North as well as
fre-eaters IN the South, who have accomplish
ed much evil to our country and Church.
We want, by the help Of God, to put down
the evil influence which these men have r1-
erted, and then we VIII have q permanent
peace basrd npou the principles Of the Bible.
Why Brother Dickey, you publish our doe
trine in II very few words, when you sly.
" the negro has u right to mental anl moral
improvement. Let him have his schools, bis
Conferences, bis Churches and bis sacrcmsnts
to himself" This is the principle We IRE
praclicing, and | Nm truly glad 10 learn that
all you need 10 make you m 20 4 Metho-
dist 10 to put your Theory into praetict.-
As fast as possible we are binding the freed
mel Churches, and school houses, and en-
plOying men Of their own color to preach
and educate them. But you nre pursuing
the same course with t"em. that was carried
out 6fy years ago, 10 making your culored
local preachers, and eEhorters members Of
your Quarterly Conferences, etc, 80 that you
continue to have "Affict In your doorsr
Dr.. l.. Pierce, whom you say was sent rs
F%raternal Messenger to our Conference. was
" not spurned' bnt when you wanted our