The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-02-26
FROM THE CAPITAL.
Rev. Mr.. StringfellOW's Political
Preaching Temperate Legisla.
ture-Fatal Case of HydrOphObia.


Editors Journal
Believing that prolonged .contro.
versy upon matters pertaining to a
religious denomination or upon the
record of a clergyman will not possess
much interest for the general reader
your correspondent will content him
self with brief notice of the very
able and fatteringly courteous com
munication which appeared in your
issue of the 21st inst, over the sigma
ture of the Rector of st. Paul's, Ev-
ansville.
There has been no intention on the
part of your correspondent to do in
justice to the Rev. Mr.. STRINGFEL-
LOW, to his immediate congregation,
or to the church with which he is con-
nected.
IF the reverend gentleman is, and
has been during the war, a loyal
man." it has been his misfortune to
be strangely misunderstood and
shamefully misrepresented.
1t is hard to conceive how any man
in any part of the country, with suf-
ficient intellect to comprehend the
issues of the times, could pass through
the events of those heroic years"
without having his position so clearly
defined and so generally understood,
as to remove all doubt as to his 10y
atty.
The Reverend gentleman in ques-
ton lived and moved as prominent
man in this refined, intelligent, and
eminently loyal community. He was
regarded by the public generally as a
sympathizer with the rebels, nor has
the lapse of years removed that i'm
preston. In the most intelligent and
best informed circles, including many
communicates of his own denomina-
ton, lheis still spoken of as a man of
anti Union proclivities.
A journalist is supposed to give cur
rency to what is generally believed,
and is not required to sift rumors,
through juries or Church Commit
tees. He is to gauge men by the es-
timation in which they are held by
those who have witnessed their daily
life and their public acts. If he does
this with a proper degree of cour-
tesy, and due regard to the amenities
Of social life, nothing extenuating,
nor setting down aught in malice" he
simply discharges the legitimate
duties of his profession.
AS to the general subject of politi-
cal preaching, and the policy of the
Protestant Episcopal Church in keep
ing herself aloof from all political
issues your correspondent is not
disposed to provoke further contro-
versy, although he felt during the
war, and still feels that ge.trality ,oas
IUIIDOSStOtS W nC4 Lie lSSuCS dG stake
involved the life of the nation.
The mission of the pulpit, or at
least very material part of its mis-
sion, is to rebuke crime; and regard
ing the holders rebellion as the
greatest crime of the age, it is diff
fcult to understand how the pulpit
could withhold its denunciation with
out being clearly derelict in the per-
Torrance of plain and imperative duty.
9 Whatever may be the action of this
General Assembly on the subject of
prohibitory legislation, the members
have done the good cause an eminent
service In setting an example of prac-
teal temperance. Let it be remem-
bered to their credit that, with sim
gle exception, no member of either
House has thus far presented the
common but no less disgraceful spec
tacle OF public drunkenness.
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