Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-02
A RADICAL CHURCH RUMPUS
The Question of AmaIgamafIOn In
Washington Chureh--The House
Chaplain Opposed 90 ft-GeneraI
Howard DIftO-An Interesting Fam
IIy SquabbIe.
n correspondence Cincinnati I'll
zette. January 3lst.


IIy Squabble.
Washington Correspondence Cincinnati Ga
zette. January 3lst.
Gen. Howard has, within the past year,
raised large sum of money to erect a
Congregational Church in Washington, and
his efforts, combined with effective ones in
-oiher directions, have 30 far succeeded that
the building is nearly completed-and a
magnificent structure it is, and fitting
monument TO Northern generosity.
The Chaplain of the House. DIR. Boyn-
ton, is its pastor; man esteemed here
to be somewhat tinctured with Radicalisrn,
having grown gray as an Abolitionist be-
fore the war began, and having moved on
in Republican directions as the struggle
opened, progressed as it is still pro-
crossing.
But little company-of men, be it said
to the credit of women--are far more
radical than their minister. And, lest the
church itself should be disgraced at the
North, and those who there gave so freely
Of their money TO build it should feel that
they had been swindled, let il also be said
that this minority numbers less than a
dozen. But they have been enough to Sc.
cure the attention of several Conservative
journals in this section, and the eyes Of
Washington are being turned toward the
splendid structure which Northern men are
building, to see whether it will, in fact,
become church, where there shall be no
distinction of race whatever, but where
such distinctions shall be wholly ignored !;
not only at the public meeting of the church
where all agree that they should be laid
aside-but in social parties, in family in
tercourse, and even to intermarriages. For
all these things this little party is lighting.
The attempt is being made here to fix
the responsibility for this thing upon Gen.
Howard, and Democrats are pointing to it
as an evidence that all Freedmens Bureau
efforts lead directly to amalgamation. JUS
tice to Gen. Howard requires that the
country should know he is no disciple OF
this doctrine, and is not administering the
affairs of the Bureau in manner TO en-
courage it, His name has been connected
with il because the little clique, or most
composing it, conducting the battle for
amalgamation, happen to be employed in
the Bureau. The General has been greatly
tried by their operations, but as yet his
goodness of heart has prevented him from
shaking them of, employment being scarce
in Washington, and those requiring his
constant assistance numerous enough al
ready.
The battle began to assume interesting
proportions. At length it took definite
shape. Two colored men we're put forward
for membership, and although il was dis
covered that one of them was in league
with the amalgamationists, and that the
game was to get these in, and then folloF
their admission by continual applications
from others, until the church was formed
in great part of colored people, still no OPP
position was made to receiving them. Yet
il was difficult question to settle in its
general aspects. No one in the church de-
sired to exclude a man because he was
black. 1t was the knowledge obtained ol
the plan 80 carefully hidden that perpleIed
the church authorities. At this stage the
pastor preached sermon, in which he took
the ground that the greatest advantages
would be derived by the blacks in organi-
cations of their own, rather than in bodies
where they could not control. Upon this
point DR.. Boynton spoke as follows:
",This subiectpresents two qdestio us that
are entlreiy ulstlnct anu musa not be con-
founded. One is, if black man seeks sd-
mission to the church of white men, should
he be reiected9 Certainly not. Let him
enjoy the same rights and privileges in this
respect az other persons hare. Christian
ity in this regard knows no distinction of
color. Another and very different qnes-
ton is in view of their own best interests
and highest happiness, should we induce
or advise them TO come? Where they
have no church organizations Of their
own that they can enter, l should do so,
but in community where suitable churches
and schools Of their own people abound, l
cannot conscientiously, as friend Of the
blaoks, advise them TO avoid these organi-
cations Of their own, and bury themselves
in living grave, an unheeded little CON-
pany in the larger masses of the whites.
| Every one taken thus from the number ol
/ the blacks diminishes TO thai extent their
strength and their power of progreas and
elevation. We can afford 10 receive the
eolored people, but their own race cannot
| afford 70 lose them"
The sermon settled the matter, and while
| ne effort whatever was madeto shut out the