Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-01-01
EAST TENNESSEE.
The Social Condition ImPrOvIng-Re-
IIgIOus BigOtry and Church Politics
the Chief Remaining Obstruction
RadicaIism Covering.

The Social Condition lmprOVing-He-
IfRIOus BigOtry and Church Politics
the Chief Remaining Obstruction
RadicaIism Covering.
Correspondence of the Union and Dispatch.
BRISTOL, Tenn, Dec 18th, 1867.-Not-
withstanding the advice and urgent app
peals of the Jonesboro Flag and Knoxville
Whig, the defiant spirit of Radicalism Is
almost ono more in this portion of East
Tennessee. The dupes of this peTiured
organization are daily fleeing the wrath to
come" and seeking protection under the
strong arm Of Democracy and Conserva-
tism. Through the agency of some broken
down political preachers and imported
Yankee Radicals there exists still perse-
cutting element. Even this infamous and
sacreligious conduct towards our Southern
ministry would cease to live-would re-
ceive no encouragement at the hands Of the
native citizen, were it not that these apos-
tates and thieves and adventures, who
claim TO be the "called servants" of the
Most High, to proclaim the living gospel'
are constantly urging such course Of ac-
ton as the only method by which the
church" car possibly be preserved. But
murder will out'-their iniquities will
be revealed, even to those whom they
have deceived for the past two years; and
we predict that in less than twelve months
more, these scape-goats-church-robbers-
blasphemous defamers; these piHk8 of 10y
atty who, instead of preaching the gospel,
harraHgue negro societies and loyal
leagues" as to the virtues of Radicalism,
whose fort" and ambition seems to have
been, and is, TO keep alive the animosity
enEendered by the late war-to stir up
and awaken the spirit of dissension,
though it should be at the sacrifice of So
cial peace-these fomenters of tliscord, we
say, will be ignored, scorned by even their
few followers Of to-day. b" Loyal leagues"
NAV threaten and notify our South
ern ministry that they cannot oc-
cupv their old Gland marks that they
must give up to apostate political preachers
their pulpits, made sacred by the prayers
and invocations of more than half cen~
ury-immortalized by tongues, eloquent
lips now mute in death-but they have
been shorn of their strength. With the
desth-the extinction of church difficulties,
religious prosecutions in East Tennessee
dies the last element of political animosity
and hate.
Az Eeyidence illustrative of the above,
we have only to cite an incident or two of
recent occurrence. Some few weeks since
the minister who was appointed to the
charge of the Methodist Church at Flat
Creek, a few miles above Knoxville, &C
cording to previous notice went there to
hold service. However, previous TO his
arrival, the publication Of appointment
aroused some Of the leagureIs of that COM
munity, who, after consulting together, put
in circulation the declaration that the
Reverend gentleman could not oficiate in
the church indicated. This did not deter
the minister from his duty. Atthe appointed
hour he was at the church to minister
INTO his brethren" The door was nailed
,tp and some half dozen lousy filthy looking
leaqlers we're standing by, who, by signii-
cant mods, intimated that bloody work
would follow in case the door should be
broken open. Two young men accompa-
MED the gentlemanly minister, who told
the cowardly .backguards that if they
1.-THE Radicals did not open the door that
they would do it for them. The RAIDS stood
silenta and the doors were opened The loyal
defenders" of the occasion skuled away.
Since that time its minister in question
has not been in the least troubled-not
even BY threats A second instance oc-
Cured in what is known as Rocky Valley,
some five miles south Of New Market, in
Jefferson county. The same minister, a
few days since, went 70 a church in the
above section Of country 10 "fll an appoint
ment." He was accompanied by some
three or four personal friends from the
railroad. He had learned before starting
for the church. that Notwithstanding the
bitterness Of the Radical element in that
portion Of the country he would not be mo-
Tested il his ministerial capacity. But
upon his arrival at the church he found
some forty "loyaI leagusys" standing at the
door, who told him that be could not enter
the house. Finding that he could not gain
access TO the building without difficulty,
he catechised its motley crew for an hour
or more as to their conduct, its tendency