Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-12-25
From the MsryviIIe Republican
The Two Churches.

In the remarks we have to make we wish 70 bt
practical and pointed and reader, if you can find
time, please 60 with us through this article which
we promise shall be as short as possible
No two organizations so distinctly defined their
sympsthies during the conflict the Government had
with traitors, as did the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and the Methodist Episcopal Church South
The one its indicates layed out all its en-
ergies TO forward the of the Southern rebel
lion. The other, true to the cause Of religion and
christian progress, bent the powerful influence OF
the press and the pulpit to aid the nation in its ef
fort for self-preservstion. The one was national,
the other was sectional. The one was for preach
ing the Word of God to all men the other was for
preaching to all tohite The one believed that
Gods word was directed to the humble the lowly
and the poor, as we'll as to the rich the other true
to its instincts sought only the rich to save or al
ways pandered to that class These are some of the
marks OF difference that we're and are plain 20 be
seen by the most careless observer.
But what are the claims of these Churches on the
community in which We liver for we mean to be
practical and personal if you please First the one
Is national; the other sectional Now, to cur mind,
this difference n the two of ITSELF would be abun-
dant cause why we should keep aloof from such an
organization; even if we had been traitors surely
the least we could do would be to cut loose from
sectional organization. Second, the one called
" Southern pretends TO be white mans Church
Now, If that is so, then It is not Church of God
for Gods command is to go and preach to every
creature. Again, Preach my Gospel to all men y
Then if it is a white mans Church. it is not of God
but IS what we have often charged il with being a
political and sectional partisan organization, and
that only But, third the county of Blount sent
some men into the rebel army mainly at the insti-
cation Of the white mans Church, called Southern
Methodist. But this county sent some soldiers
to the field TO crush this hydra headed monster and
the Southern Confederacyi and now the one has
been driven to the wall, and Of right all the COM
ponent parts OF this terrible crime should 90 down
together. Ought they or no The answer comes
swelling up from the soul of every honest patriot
Yes, down with them down with theml and for
ever let this Government be what its founders de-
signed, in the language of Washington, free from
sectional organizations Now new Conference
year has began. The handmade of treason, called
the Southern NJ. E. Church, is promising their
friends to reOccupy the ground that the national
soldiers drove their hackers from. They even claim
the Churches erected Tor Gods worship 10 their USE
that they, under the guise Of religion may rebuild
the caste-called the Southern Co5lfedsracH or if
not that party who may by the force of its num-
oers and their religious pretense, make treason re-
spectacle. They promise TO send men 20 our neigh
borhood who shall be unexceptionable. We sup
pose they mean a man who won't steal our blankets
or one that was not accused Of stealing coffee or
one who did not would not break open houses
Now can they do this For TO a christian people
u
grounds for objection Add to this, that they claim
to preach TO only class" select few" and TO
that the ever shameful fact that they are building
their hopes of heaven on the cornerstone of human
SEdrery and we say christian people will find ex-
ceptions, and they of such character, too that the
unexceptonable' will not be tolerated. = .
The Churches from which the Christian Meshodisss
were driven in lSii, will be closed against these
outlaws who have from that day to this prescribed
lashed, and even tarred and feathered many wor-
thy ministers OF the Christian Church who would
not Join them in their iChite mans GoSDeL-rather
devilish sehisn. But say the Churches erected
Tor Gods worship must not be polluted by their
wicked forms OF hiasphomias and we warn Mr.
Stewart the representative taIs Organization In
our county, that be, with whcmsoever he mAy throw
amongst us, will be held personally responsible for
the forclble entry Of Churches in the future for
to the loyal men and women these Churches belong
and they cannot nor will not suffer these Church
buildings prestituted to the missrably wicked work
of making treason respectable.
few more words and we close. We are per-
fecy conscious that traitors have souls 10 save as
well as the good and law-abiding citizens. Indeed,
If anything, they need it than any other class
Of persons. We desire them 70 humbly seek Gods |
pardon and live better life; nay, beg all good
men and women white and colored, TO pray for /
heir conversion 10 Christianity and that God will
10 open their eyes that they seeing tho errors of
heir ways, will repent and sin no more But for /
nan TO appear in the sacred desk and profess 10 |
each Gods word, when his whole course has been /
me Of wicked rebellion against that very word, we
must be pardoned if We refuse more especially if
lis whole energies have been bent to the work Of /
Irving fathers husbands and sons from their |
Iuiet homes to fight for las they would have i'll |
White mans Gospel Again, this Southern concern /
an only open up afresh the wounds we would 80
lady heal When we see one Of your preachers
y It only reminds US Of what your Conference did
n the nations dark hour. Let Us take a look at
ONE Of your Conference work. Old man Cum
nings whose whole life has been given to God, was
roscribed by your body with the rebel soldiers at
our back-his mind now almost a perfect wreck
3 the result Old man Duggan, whom your SOL
iers dashed with wythes is prematurely sent TO the
elpless list Old man Fleming, too, is Frustrated
y your proseTiptive body His son, forced from
ONE by your soldiery dies where father, mother
or brother could not console bis last moments.
lat why multiply You cannot look about you in
ny direction, without seeing the evidence Of the
lckedness of the cause in which your are engaged.
he women in black, tho poorly clad children, the
lnken eyes and wrinkled brow OF the aged, give {
ken that those weeds are for loved ones ioet |
hose poor apparel speak OF the need and suffer-
x Of the bereaved children, whose sunken ewes
I'd wrinkled brow speak Of tender cord broken
i over our once happy land the cry is heard for
teacher who viii cry aloud, spare not, and show
e house u Jacob their transgressions'