The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-10-22
Iron THE WESTERN pEMocRAT.1
To the Presbyterian Congregations of Meek
lenburg County, N. c.

Inere are eHOrtS MADE among you to induce the
cotored membership to leave your organizations and
form independent ones of their own, within the same
ecclesiastical communities. The colored member is
advised to leave your organization not your
These efforts made in community by the
Revs. s. C. Alexander and Willis L. Miller-the
former native of Pennsylvania and formerly
Pastor of of the largest Presbyterian Churches
in the county, who married a most worthy christian
lady of one of our most worthy Presbyterian families
the latter formerly a very reputable Minister
of Orange Presbytery in North Carolina, and the
husband OF that christian woman well known to
the readers of the N. C. Presbyterian by the
Poetry she used to write for that paper over the
signature of "Luoa." These men, with another
Minister from Concord Presbytery, REV s. S. Murk-
land of Iredel county,, constitute what is getting to
be known among us as the 'Presbytery of Catawba'
The Presbyteries to which these Ministers belonged
originally, opposed the formation of this new Presby-
terry of Catawba. But these Ministers felt bound by
their cOnsciences to form it, and did form it, in OPP
position to the wishes and counsels of their brethren
in the Lord. For the rectude of their course, these
men appeal to the Great Head of the Church. Their
Presbytery is formed and is reported the roll of
the Northern Presbyterian Church. The object of
these is the spiritual and social improvement of
the colOred people. They claim to be sort of Ms
sionary Isestytesy among the blacks. They hold that
the blacks will leave their old Churches and in order
to them to the Presbyterian communion, these
men offer their services. Their plan is to visit our
congregations and propose to the blacks to preach
them At some of their houses in the old Church
and after preaching they suggest the proprety
of their forming an organization of their elect
their Elders and Deacons, and 60 TO work to get
piece of land upon which to build house of worship
Being supported by the benefaetion of the Northern
Church, these brethren propose to furnish money
build house of worship and to school their children
and to educate and license their Ministers They
state to them the Importance of their right to
for their own Church officers, and the impossbility
land hope) the uapractca6sLty of their exercising
this right at present in the Southern Presbyterian
Church. AS a matter of course-not to be wondered
at-the blacks taken with the idea, and adopt
once, without consulting their Pastors and Sessions,
the propositions suggested. An organization is
formed at the first meeting, and they select their
locality for Church and apply to the of the
land for a title. He may be an Elder, Deacon,
old established member of the old Presbyterian
munity and very naturally feels but little inclined to
stake off a portion of his lands for the purpose of
having another Church built upon of the faith
and order with his own, within mile so, or it
may be in sight of the old meeting house And for
this very natural feeling he receives the dspleasure
of the blacks, perhaps Of his immediate servants
and laborers, together with all the unpleasant
sequences of such displeasure which can only be
fully appreciated by the Southern Farmer. And,
not from personal feeling towards the proprietor of
these Ministers join the blacks in their dspleasure.
Such is the true history of these efforts have
tried honestly to state facts for your information and
| satisfaction, not for strife and controversy and
giving notorety to any man party.
And now what shall we do? rather, how should
the Presbyterian communities treat this enterprise
and these brethren? We ought to meet it as Chris
tians of course in esprit of meekness, considering
ourselves lest we also be tempted" Railing and
abuse do good and always unbccoming in
Christian. Some entertain fears of their Churches
being violently entered and their pulpits
pied by some hayward black man, instgated by
these Ministers. There need be apprehensions
this score. These brethren would not endorse
suggest such measures. True, they may be, and
often, imposed on by the blacks, and ignorant and
wicked disturbers may think they authorized to
oicate where they ought not. But by the proper
| care and watchfuness on the part of Pastors and
Sessions, the membership need not be disturbed 1t
is exceedingly difficult for Sessions to know how to
act-specialy towards the colOred meInbers-and
thus embarrassment is increased by the undecided
action of our General Assembly relative to Freedmen
But all this is a solemn call to renewed devotion to
covenanted vows and prayer to the Master for grace
and light. Oh! how unpleasant is it to have our
pastorates invaded and certain classes of the flock
land they the weakest, most helpless weaned off to
other pastures without the consent of their Shepherds
But we are to expect unpleasant things here. The
Lord reigns and is the good Shepherd-may none OF
Us wander from his good fold! 1t does seem to the
unworthy writer that before he could be induced to
invade the flock of a brother Minister and disturb
its peace, he would suffer the removal of right arm
From heart we do dplore this state of things and
do most ardently wish these Ministers would not
labor to organize Churches in the bounds Of our old
congregations But these brethren plead conscience,
| and it amounts to this with them: Il sin against
God if do not carry out my plans Then, of course,
they must and shall not deride them, but hope
and pray the Lord to bring peace and salvation out
| OF all our difficulties.
Then Christians Brethren, "seek the things that
make fos peaceS' give the best advice youfrthfstids
judgment afford to the black people-openly and
candidly-giving occasion of offence to any one.
Our difficulties, social and civil, and embarrass-
ments ecclesiastical, not to be wondered at by
| any They are just what anticipated after
civil war. Then "think it not strange concerning
the fiery trial. which is to try you, though some
strange thing happened unto you 5" but "do justly
/ love me nd before and
| He viii make all our crooked ways straight This