The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1868-01-16
Random Editorial Thoughts.

Random Editorial Thoughts.
There are members of different
churches who go up and pGtake Of the
sacrament. on every appointed occa-
sion. Whether they believe in tran
subtantiation or not, they break the
cracker and take sup Of wine. We
have seen this ceremony in Winchester,
time and again.
swell, what of itY" Well, listen |!
These same persons will denounce as
infdels all who differ with them in a
construction of the words of the Bible
as handed down to US through centu-
ries of years, and through a medium
that is human invention. They are
ready to condemn all as infdels who
do not tally with them in their ideas of
religion, or their construction of Gods
Word. But, we heard Rev. Mr.. Green of
the Baptist Church, say that one action
was worth a thousand professions-a
thousand theories, and we tacitly gave
our assent to the assertion. Look at
the action. Words are cheap, and so
are theories. Here is a man, or wo-
man, who goes up to the "Lord's Ia
ble''-so- called-and the sinners keep
their seats. They are not tgood enough,
indeed they are not permitted, or ask
ed, to 60 up and partake of the sacra-
Yment, all of which is right. But this
leads us to inquire: If actions speak
louder than words" what shall be said
of the man, or woman, who goes up
with long face and engages in the
ceremony, who, in the everyday affairs
of life is known to "driye the hardest
bargains" to sickle over all affairs
that do not pay him or her one hun
dred per cent, and avails himself or her
self of every chance to make a "spec"
even if those more deserving must suf'
fer to starvation in the matter? And
look at the charity of those church men,
bers. We find examples among the
Radicals and among the Conservatives.
We leave out Of argument the scores of
wars and the crimes which have result
ted from the fanaticism of religious
bigots, and confine ourself to what ev
ery reader of the Home Journal sees
"day by day" Look atyour ncighbor.
Ishe member of some church? You
would not have known it by his action,
indeed you wouldn't He lies, he con-
niyes, he indulges in all the crimes of
sinners. Yet he takes sacrament.
Well, we are not saying that religion
is wrong because the churches have
been imposed upon by bad persons
We would say, however, that the
church might take the hint and be more
sincere and pointed, and not allow such
members to remain in its pale as an
incubus. AS the thing is now working
We can see no difference, save occasion
ally, between churchmen and the veriest
sinners.
Now, we are writing our independ'
ent thought, albeit we have heard ii
said there was no such thing in the
world now US "independent thought
and it is almost true. But unless the
church boldly and fearlessly endeavors
to relieve itself of that carelessness
which admits and retains mean white
men and hypocritical women within its
pale, to receive the trade and protection
which the churches in republican
government can afford and will extend
the church must suffer, and soon be ab
sorbed into the world to such an ex
tent that the people will cease to rev
erence and respect it. These are plair
words, but we mean all we say. W.
are tired of seeing hypocrites and back
biters and sticklers for small things
when dollars and cents are at stake, in
dulqe in schemes and policies which are
revolving to the persons who are looked
upon as sinners and unworthy of eulo
gums if they were to be put into th'
earth for the Judgment Day. In brief
the church is becoming common, ant
we leave it to the ministers to say i
we are not "half right" We have ii
our minds eye now person VINO mas
been "a good member OF the church
for 10 these many years. Ihls per
son wishes call the yankees were dead,
indiscriminatcly; denounces all who
have anything to do with the yankees
and yet has attempted to prove hi'
"loyalty" lin order to obtain aOou
too hundred dollars lost during the wal
while he stayed al home, and would no
have gone INTO battle for all he was
worth. Yet, afraid as he is Of bullets
and good member of the church as III
may be, he exacts the last cent OF in
terest from the poor soldier who LET
his poor wife and children anu wen