Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-02-28


make its own impression on all who read it.
GFor tho Examiner and Chronicle.]
"A South Carolina View of Il.
Mr. Edito,-Much has been said in our re-
ligious papers about Northern and Southern
Baptist cooperation. hope that this letter
win not be considered improper, or uncalled
for. think that my experience and obser-
vation have taught me that cander and plain
| speaking, though not always the most expe-
dent and polite so far as.the speaker is con-
cerned, is yet always the bestso far as the
cause of truth is concerned. Waving expe.
diency and policy, I shall use candor aud
plain speech-yet not conscious Of being un.
der the influence of any improper spirit.
Cooperation seems to beurged principally
by Northern Baptists. Here aud there an in
dividual may be found ST the South who
thinks it desirable, and would be glad to see
it effected. But am urethat express the
feelings of nine-tenths of Southern Baptists,
when say that they do not think IL desirable;
and that they would with skinaness, yet with
Grmness, say to the Baptists of the North, as
Abram said to Lot: Let there be no strife
between us and you; if You will take the left
hand, then wo will 60 to the right; or if you
depart to the right hand, thenwe will 60 to
the left" Under these circumstances, the
question appropriately arises, Why do the
Northern Raptists urge it, or desire ii, cven ?
With regard to the Episcopal and Methodist
Churches, and may add solso the Presbyte-
rian, we can see reasons, from their forms Of
church government, which might make it de-.
sirable that there should be, in each case,
an organic union embracing the whole coun.
try. But our independent form suggests no
such reasons, whilst it has always been al-
legged as one Of its excellencies, that it admits
or rejects union, withoutimpairing efficiency.
Again, the question appropriately arises,
how can Northern B.ptists consistently pro-
pose cooperation? Before the war, we sep
arated upon the question of slaseholdirg. We
woressSssts, Of an enormous Of Northern:
ticular, which, notwithstanding some admit
ted excelencies, vitiated Christian character
and forbade Christian fellowship and co-ope-
ration. But it is known, presume, by North.
ern Baptists, that We have chaiged no opinion
or principle upon that mattcL IF any sup
pose so, let me assure them that VIC still mai !.
tain that slaveholding is mo1uly right. We
deeply regret its sudden abolition not mere.
ly ffom the feelings of loss o(poperty, (though
an atrocious wrong has been done to US in
that respect, but from sympthy with the
poor negro, whom we always soved more than
the so-ealed pbilanthropis:S of the North
and tvhose ruin is tneuitab.. We Just as
much as ever believe and asert that we NAV
rghtfully hold slaves. Audt is not merely
what man docs, bYt what B believes and
asserts he may righLfully dqthat establishes
character. We assert thathe result OF the
war is no more an exprcssio of Gods disap.
probation of slaveholding, TIN the burning
by lightning of mans hose is an express
sion of Gods disapprobatiolof houses, or of
the man who owned the hose. II. is to be
regretted that men do not link and talk
scrip,urally about divine prtidenco.) Now,
if Southcra Baptists do not desire co-opera-
ton, and if consistency shotl lead Northern
Baptists not to desire it, thequestion recars,
with double force, Why do 3 latter urge it,?
May I be permitted, in u connection, to
say word or two, suggesteby the letter of
your correspondent, G. W., in your paper
of December 14th2 Iti remarkable fet
ter on several accounts. ! intensely hates
slavery. If anybody hates with deeper
hatred thar. he; he would @pleasedn to see
tho. u psychological Uondp But yet he
"loce. shareholders" He les "them better
than he erer lored any, poop npon the face
ofth earth!n THE italics 3 mine. 1--WE
Of the North,n be says, "hs always made
clear and sharp distinction etween the sin
aud the sinner" (The lat phrase he does
not use, to avoid hurting fangs, but that is
the idea, Now there is, il certain sense,
ia clear and sharp distinch" between the
sin and the sinner, ard ID Certain other
sense there cannot be. Hay hate the sin,
but not hate the sinner po,lally. In this {
sense thore is " clear andrp distinction" !
But he cannot hate the Sind not hato the i
character of the sinner. y distinction is t
little too "sharp" for ! old-fashioned
book, THE BIBLE, to recogt. III intense /
" hate polygamy, must euscly hate the +
! character and principles of man who prac. @
tees it, or thinks it right practice it. d
can wish no affilia,ion within. may wish .
hin, no harm personally, b cannot consis- /
tently desire any assucia!idf fraternizatioa
with man Of such princip ;, His brother, 8
too, it seems, intensely ii it. yet, from s.
some peculiar circumstanSyas guilty of IL. is
Alas for such morality lie worst thing "
that could desire to say On enemy would h
4 be, that he had, under circumstances md it
jJfo,s tohatevcr reasons, kuosy and deliber. "
aiely done that which he asely hated, and tt
which was contrary to theng and decided Il
convictions of his console b
0nlthe other hand, if thern Baptists, Of
or consistency, ought neaesire co.opera. d.
ton, Southern Baptists, ftnciple, cannot. 6
You will ask .Ohat princiF involved The tt
question deserves an ansR and yor will al. eol
low me to be candid. C.
i H. The Rev. DR.. Btnridgo, in the to
early part Of the war, sal ilbstantially that la
secession must be put dot whatever ex, ST
penditure of the blood ofnen, tcome,, and b,
children of the South! pc sentiment, or bt
the spirit that could actT, ever met With br
!, my rebuke or condemns from Northern A
Baptists, am not awar it. We must, th
on principle, be allowed tand aloof from gr
: the sso-called" Christi that Gun find G
no word of condsmnstiof sentiment so vi
horrid as that. th
). {2} War, under anynmstanccs, and tn
when every effort IL use often IFS asperi- an
] ties and, to mitigate its rs, is yet ter re
rible evil. But when fonducted upon eff
/ the ayowed principle ofnatized robbery ca
: ana arson; when implS of agriculture to
$ arc wahtonly burned, growing crops co
| ruthlessly destroyed, anily supplies for, tn
]. women aud children thaway or, burned M
: up; with the avowed oblat the horrors. B,
8 of starvation at home nb added 10 the ye
e. horrors Of tho battle fvhen aged and th
= Ldefsnceiess men are droffom their houses fis
= tandia the presence OF tftightca wives Bi
ana danghters, safaecA Asnnninioas,s1 ir