The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-07-15

wickedness into the hearts Of the
simple ones who were confided to my
charge.
I taught people to hate each other.
1 preached the negro and abolition-
ism, instead of Christ and salvation.
And neglected the souls of sinners.
And I endorsed wars. I preached
that it was worth to save even one
poor soul from hell And I urged
men-to go to war-to become mad
to kill each other and to go into the
presence of God with an oath ON
their ips-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.
Politics were popular. wanted no.
toriety. I did not care curse for
the cause of Christ. Private ends
and little money were the things I
was after. Christ never preached
hate, envy, discord, malice, ETC., as I
have for years. But this is American
religion. 1t is popular. It is the
kind that pays. Christ is out of mind
now. It is all niggers and popularity.
But amt pretty man OF God, to
kneel beside dying man! What
damnable mockery! AS if Christ
would listen to such q liar, back
slider, hypocrite and villifier of rei-
gion as I am!
''My former hopes are fed:
My terror now begins;
feel, alas! that am dead
In trespasses and sins"
Bat what of it. I'll go on and fool
people. I'll fill hell with sinners, if
[ can't Fill Heaven with saints. I'll
have friend in the devil if not in
Christ. I'll damn poor ignorant souls
if can't save them. I'll earn politi-
cal pay if I can't the approval of
God-the God I am trying to fool.
I'd like to hear Christ preach q SER
mon. I wonder if he'd instil hate,
sectional discord. envy, oppression,
persecution and such ideas into the
minds of his followers. He said:
"Blessed are the peace makers, for
they SHALL" &c.
l think that is mistake I don't
believe Christ ever said it. L think
the one who reported that sermon
must have been drinking the sacra-
mental wine too freely. That is
where Christ and I differ.
American religion is that of hate,
wrong, discord, envy, war, oppres-
sion, persecution and killing of peo-
pie for a difference of opinion.
''But thou, soul-searching God! hast
known
The hearts Of all that bent the k.ee:
And hast accepted those alone,
Who in the spirit worshipped thee"
But it makes no difference with me.
There is no true religion in me. I'd
endorse 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 I d7n'
And what liars all those so-called
Christians are who profess to have
their hearts filled with Heavenly love,
yet war upon q 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
lay their children to sleep on stolen
sofas-who themselves slumber on
stolen ;'eds-who cat from stolen
dishes who beautify their dwellings
with ;tolen ornaments-who go to
church in stolen garments-who par
take of the blood of the Redeemer
from stolen silver cups-who ride to
funerals in stolen carriages rice
for pleasure behind stolen horses
who have shrouds made from stolen
cotton-who are awakened in the
night by the braying of stolen mules
who are purged with stolen medi-
cines-who get drunk on stolen
Equors-who play sacred airs on
stolen organs and melodeons-who
play patriotic airs on stolen pianos
who, surrounded by thousands oi
things stolen from the South, in the
name Of loyalty, by the men who are
the brothers of their victims the
Christians of the North whose preach
er and Heavenly guide board I ami
Won't / catch it when I die? If
there is hot place in hell-a lake
where the molten birthstone is deep
est-a locality where the eternal
worm is bigger than the serpent of
the rebellion-I'll have it, if there is
just God who Furnishes those who
enlist for him and work for the devil
-tO fiji hal1 18th victims ,.o%J,o. ~.