The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-05-27
any part Of the religion of the


| progressive mind is in fact the life of any
religion, while the dead, inert letter Kill
leth 7 The Bible of the Southern people
we of the North want nothing to do with,
We have our own views aud sentiments,
which with us are the Creators views and
desires as to us, and being the stronger,
we announce cur claim, by Gods laws, to
all those men and things which come in
our way. We, therefore, claim to own in
the simple, every person and thing in all
the conquered South in anywise appertain-
| ing to the Southern people, whether white
OF black. The blacks belong to Us just as
well as the whites; and if it were orr re-
ligion to buy. sell and work them asslaves,
then it would be done, unless stronger
religion should interfere to prevent us.
"We therefore hold that the Southern
people (not only Methodists, but alb have
| no religion, and ought not to be allowed tc
assemble either in former churches or else
where, and we have no doubt the time is
not far distant when such prohibition will
be fully carried out, and that too by our
religion growing up among you.
The period is very brief when any man,
much less an editor, can be permitted to
assert that Northern Methodists steal pro-
perty, etc. that belongs to Southern
Methodists.' The fact is, the Southern
people have fallen so far behind the pro-
gress of the age in everything -not only in
religion-that they are really Ignorant Of
the pIaincst truths as well as in the re-
| ligion Of the present age, as in the discov-
cries in science and their daily application
to the various arts of life. Religion being
the essential clement of all political pro-
gress, it must 81. necessity nartake of all
| the notifications which the progressive
aud educated minds discover to be in ae-
cordance with the clearests fthe present
/ age Orthodox aud Heteredox are no
longer arrayed against each other. Ortho
dox does not, at the present day, among
the truly educated, presume to denounce
as heretical or heterodox, those who differ
| from the former ON religion or politics.
Three persons in one God, is no more nor
| less than a figure of illustration; so, a
never-ending hell taught for hundreds
of years by all Protestants, is not for mo-
ment believed by the educated Of the
present day 1t is true many ignorant peo-
pie of the Methodists as well as some other
religious, really do believe in endless tor
ment for the soul after death, but it is the
work of every well thinking mind to be
employed in removing such horrible no.
| lions.
] Doubtless, the old English TRANSACTIONS Of
4 the Bible had much to do with creating
this horrid, sad and dreadful notion. But
even the Roman Catholics hayealways dis
carded it and substituted temporary pun
|ishment "a purgatory) from which alibefal
payment of money will release the victim,
But the whole masses of the South are
stepped in the grossest and darkest igno.
rance and worse than heathen superstition
j The whole religion of the Southern people
may be classed as one and the same, and
/ that of the worst possible tendencies. MOI
is there much sign for hope in the future
Better, indeed, if every house and school
house in all the Southern States were
i burned to the ground, and every native
born there forever prohibited from teach.
ing or preaching as you call it. In this
feyent teachers from the North would alone
give bent to the rising generation there
and in less than halfa century there would
be q religion worth the name.
j Returning to Bishop Simpson, we who
. know him are of the opinion that his only
4 fault in dealing with you people South has
been in recognising any of you at alias de
serving to be classed as a religious body
So far from considering Southern Metho
dist and then Northern Methodist as ex
j listing in The Sonth, the proper way woulc
be to disregard all classes there alike (be
cause all are alike any way at hearty
sThe only difference being the price W.
have to pay for a very poor effort on thu
part of some to appear Northern in senti
ment--even VINO Brownlow, who, of latt
years, (since 1861 has professed to b.
Northern in religion, yet we who knew hin
best while he 1stumped the Western States
in 1862 and SO, are at no loss to measure
his reliability.
"Now, have spoken plainly and candid
|ly, Just what all Northern Methodists fee
and believe, but very few Of them have th
) courage to come out and speak their tru
sentiments. Likewise the other minor de
nominations of the North have the sam
opinions of the South. The religion Of th
) North is bound to rule this continent, ant
those who stand in the way Gas you all d
in the Soutl} must get out Of the way
Religion to be such is progressive, It's n
longer dull, hunl-drnm, dry reading
the Bible, and that after peculiar int,
probation of past centuries. Modern science
and better enlightenment of the huma
| mind have discovered new sources of ligh
and far wider field for the application
{ Biblical truths. The Bible, like constitl
!, buttons, must be subjected to the testof e.
pertinent, and if found inapplicable it mus
be so studied as toreYeal the meaning an
4 Interpretations more in harmony wit
mans progress We have only lately begu
todiscover thetrue powers and appilcatio
|, Of the Federal Constitution. So, likewis'
are NE just beginning to see and conpr
4 bend that the Bible is in fact the best col
i lstitution any State or nation cen hay
Z when applied to every day life among me