The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-05-12
From the baltimore Episcopal Methodist


| We lay before our readers probably
the most extraordinary letter ever writ
ten. We take it from the Southern
Christian Adrocate, where We find it at
tributed to s. F. Waldro, of Chicago,
who is said to have addressed it to the
editor of the Tennessee Free Press, No.
vember 12, 1867:
From all l have seen and heard on
this subject in the last three years,
con clude that all the supposed trouble
in church property among East Tennes.
seeans has grown out OF the action OF
Bishop Simpson in church matters in
that State; asd supposing am right in
this, beg leave to say few words in
defence of Bishop Simpson, on the basis
of general principle. 1t is evident, to
my mind, that the gulf which separates
the Southern Methodist from the North.
ern Methodist, is much deeper and wider
than many suppose. SO great indeed
that it were folly to attempt to bridge
it, or for the two classes ever to meet
|, of course, belong to the Northern
Methodist class, and feel and speak in
their behalf, and, in doing so, shall ex.
eIcise that frankness aud candor of ex.
preston on the Methodist affairs that
Wendell! Phillips is wont to do on polit'
ical affairs.
at is the religious mind which
makes and executes the laws, and
shapes in every feature the legislation
of a government. Now, the
ronger prevailed and took possession
of all the property and appliances ap-
pertaining to the organization of the
weaker. The word, Methodist, it is
true, is applied to the two classes of the
people North and South, yet their re-
ligi0ns are no more alike than either
ono is like that of tho Hindoo. Bishop
Simpson, represented the Northern mas
ses III taking possession of property, fair
ly won by conquest, in support and de-
fence of Northern religion, as opposed
to Southern religion, in the United
States, and in which Northern religion
nearly all other small denominations in
the North agree and sympathize, and
have an interest, therefore, in the
property acquired,
.'The Methodists Of the North consti-
tute the great directing power of relig-
ion in America. All the other denom-
nations called Protestants, though diff
fering in form, in ritual and other miuor
points, yet follow in substance the relig-
ious course marked out by the great ru-
ling power, the Northern Methodists.
You may as well say that an army has
no right to the arms and supplies which
il wins on the hard fought field of bat
tie, as to say that the Northern Method
ist Church has no right to every church,
school house, and every acre of land
formerly held by the Southern Method
lists. Not only so, but it is just as wrong
and pernicious for Northern Methodists
co permit Southern Methodists to meet
and worship at all, as it would be to
permit Lee or Johnston to call together
and drill their disbanded men under
arms.
."Metnodism in the South was con-
qnored and subjugated, and henceforth
has 10 claims on anything used or be-
longing to its former self. Even theiI
Bibles, books and printing establish.
mcuts became the property Of the vic
tors, aud ought to be used. Did Spain
allow Mexico to continue its religious
exercises after Cortez conquered it'll
Certainly not. Neither did any nation
or people ever concede such privilege
to the one they had to subjugate. No
more then ousht the North conoede such
to the South. But you may say that
the Southern MethOdists and the North
crn Methodists are one and the same in
religion, The Bible of the South
ern people we of the North want nothing
to do with. we have our own views
and sentiments, which with us, are the
Creators views and desires as to us. and
being the stronger we announce our
claims, by Gods laws, to all those men,
and things which come in our way.
We, therefore, claim to orn in fee simple,
erery person and thing in all the conquered
South in aRylriSe Gpportdining TO the SOuth-
ern people, lphether rhite or black. The
Blacks belong to as just as ,Cell as the
Whites; and ifH ,cere our religion 10 buy,
sell and ,cOrk them as Slares, then IL wOHld
be done unless stronger religion should in
tsrfere to prerem as.
eve, therefore, hold that the South
ern peOple mot only Methodists, but
all) have no religion, and ought not to
be allowed to assemble either in former
churches or elsewhere, 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 grow
ing up among yeu.
"The period is very brief when any
man, much less an editor, can he pei
lnitted to assert that Northern Metho-
dists steal property, etc. that belongs
to Southern Methodists.' The fact is,
all the Southern people have fallen SO
far behind the progress of the age in
everything-not only in religiOn-that
they are really ignorant of the plainest
truths as well in the religion of the
present age, as in the discoveries III
science, and their daily application to
the various arts of life. The
whole religion of tho Southern people
may be classed as one and the same, and
that of the worst possible tendencies
Nor is there much sign for hope in the
future. Better, indeed, if every house
and schOol-house in all the South.
crn States were burned to the ground,
and every native born there forever
prohibited from teaching or preaching
as YOU call it. In this event teachers
from the North would alone give bent
to the rising generation there, and in
less than half century there would be
a religion worth the name.
Returning to Bishop Simpson, we
who know him are of the opinion that
his only fault in dealing with you peo-
pie, South, has been recognizing any of
You at all as deserving to be classed as
= religious body. So Far from consider
ing Southern Methodist and then a
Northern Methodist as existing ia the
South, the proper way would be to dis
regard all classes there alike (because
all are alike any way at heart)-the on
ly difference being the price We have to
pay, for very poor effort on the part OF
some to appear Northern in sentiment.
Even VIM. G. Brownlow, Of late years
(since 1861 has prefessed to be North
ern in religion, yet'we who know him
best while he stumped the Western
States in 1862 and '63, are at no less to
measure his reliability.
"Now, / have spoken plainly and can
didly, Just chat all Northern Metkodists
feel and beliere, but very few Of them
have the courage to come ont and
speak their true sentiments. Likewise