Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-08-23
The Southern Clergy and the Governor of
.-e 'A Virginia.

Il y
us, would have appeared in our paper Of
Saturday but for its accidental OMISSION
The publication, as will be observed, is
signed by number of the leading, most
highly respected and influential clergymen
of this city and State, embracing all the Or
thodox denominations, and will be sure to
attract attention. and receive the highest con-
sideration: 4a
TO THE PUBLIC, NORTH AND SOUTH
In circular recently published at the
North, and copied into our city papers, APP
pealing for pecuniary aid to erecta Northern
Methodist church in the city of. Richmond,
is a paragraph Of endorsation written by {.
Ell. Peirpoint, Governor of the State of Viz
ginia, in these words: .''
''There is great need of the church build
ing just referred to. The spirit Of the
Southern pulpit is thoroughly disloyal; &C.
tive in the propagandisn Of rebel sentiments,
and in cherishing, the hope that the sLost
Cause" may be regained by the destruction
Of republican government in the country"
/ It is the unanimous option Of the under
signed, ministers Of the Gospel, speaking in
hehalf Of ourselves, and representing, as we
believe, the sentiment of our Southern pull
pit, that the. relation which we sustain to the
allegations Of Governor Peirpoint, our fdel-
'ity to the cause Of God, and our sincere de-,
sire for the peace of the country, require
that we should promptly and firmly assert
our actual position in the premises and for
the following special reasons: 't'.
These allegations are made, not by a prl-
vate individual, but by the highest officer in.
the State, and carry with. them, to those
abroad, the influence Of his official. station
They are reported, not as the utterances of
an incidental conversation, but as the delib-5
crate and mature convictions Of a resident
amongst us, whose position is presumed to
entitle him to credit they inculpatc thous-
ands Of pulpits and hundreds of thousands of
Christians, many OF whom are the constitu-
ents of the Governor Besides, ,inasmuch.
as. Governor Peirpoint, transcending the
proprieties of his Office, has represented the
pulpit Of the South as peculiarly antagonistlc
to the paciication Of the country, it is our
solemn duty to vindicate our sacred vcca-
ton from SO nnwarranted an aspersion, and.
to repel so unjustiiablee an attempt to throw
the responsib ility Of the existing political
disquiatade, upon our iImpracticablfty as;
ministers Of the Gospel, ~ 49, , ass
AS t. the pr prop It Of the erection of
churches in the South by, Christian denomi-
nations in the North, we have here simply
to say that the country is open and the peo-
pie are free to sustain religious institutions
of their own choice. But we do object to
and protest against the manner in which he
has arraigned the Southern pulpit before the
Northern public.
In the charge quoted above, are three dis
tinct specifications:
First-That 'stle spirit Of tie southern
pulpit Is thoroughly disloyal;"
Cecond THAT it is "actiue IN the propa-
gaadisns Of rebel sentiments; !"
Third-That it is active 'in cherishing
hope hat the lost cause mag be regainrd by
the destruction Of a republican government
IN this con,try.'' s
These are grave allegations, and were ev-
identity designed SO to be. If they were
true. we should be implicated, not only in
the crime of positive and outright disloyalty
to the Government of the United States, but
in the far greater sin of prostituting our
calling to political purposes. We do not
propose at present to argue the injustice OF
these allegations. The burden Of proof OBJ
viously does not fall on US. asH
In the meantime, we take the Christian
liberty Of saying, that to each and to all OF
these allegations we offer a unanimous and
an unequiyocal denial. Further, we affirm
that scores Of unimpeachable witnesses are
ready to testify that they are totally without
foundation in fact-yiz that since the resto-
ration of the Government of the United
States over the Southern States, we have in
no instance exhibited disloyalty in our pull
pits, or used them as political agencies
against said Government; that we have in
no instance propagated from them what are
termed "rehel sentiments :" that least of all,
have we, in the discharge Of our ministerial
duties, expressed directly or indirectly a
hope of the establishment OF any ether than
republican form Of government IN this
country. In word, we assert that the
pulpit OF the South, so far as we know, is
not liable to the charge Of either disloyalty
or sedition against the Government of the
United States.
On the contrary, we are conscious of hav-
ing adhered strictly and constantly to our
ecclesiastical functions, and have studiously
avoided all complication Of our pulpits with
the political issues Of the day.
This is our testimony and our record, and
we calmly submit the declaration thereof to
the world
(Signed,)
George Woodbridge, rector of the Monu-
mental Church sG
Nelson Head, pastor Of Centenary Methodist
Church;
J. L. Burrows, pastor First Baptist Church;
C. Il. Read, pastor United Presbyterian
Church
E. NJ. Peterson, pastor Clay STREET Metho-
dist Church
William Brown, editor Central Pres6ye-
RAM;
E. T. Baird, secretary Of Presbyterian Pub
LEGATION h.!a ep
D. S. Doggett, one of the Bishops Mc.ho-
dist E Episcopal Church, South 90
7. " Moore, pastor First Presbyterian
Church
Z. NJ. Baker, rector of Grace Church:
u III D,,+horcorJ v-oc+or First ID achvtarioY,