The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1868-04-18
CnIcAGo. ILL.,. November II. 1SG

CnIcAGo, Ill. November II. 1867.
4" tie E'5e4: Yf Mr k"orcM E;rr Prs:
II hayc noticed lately several editorial nj
usio!.; il your paper to What appears to be Il
matter of feeling arnong the people Of East
Tennessee in regard to Metl"list Church pro-
pcrty, and in ySErs # the 5th Instant. under
the lead Of LOYAL Church. iii article signed
Lover of Peace. "n the same subject From
all have seen anil heard on this subject IN the
last three years. I conclude that I'LL the sup
posed trouble i'll church property a,nony Fast
Tcnncs<ccans has grown out o! the action oi'
Bishop Simpson in church matters il that
state; and surprising am right in this. | bee
leave to say 4 few words in defense Of Bishop
Simpson, Ua the basis of general principle 1t
is evident. to my nnd. that the gulf which
Separates tic Sout1,cr!ii' Methodist from thc
Northern Methodist. is much deeper and wider
thai, many suppose. So great indeed that =
were foil, to attempt TO bridge it. OF for the two
classes ever to meet: / of course. belong to
the Norlhcrn methodist class and feel and
speak in their behalf n,rl, Ill doing SO. 1 shall
exercise tlht frankncss and cairdor of express
sion OF the Methodist affairs that Wendell
Ihlips"fs IS Won't to do on political affairs"
"1n the first place the Ncthodists. both
North and South, need Watering very much
to bring tliclh zip to the true standard of cor-
age and honesty, necessary to assert plainly
their true characters. Religion and politics
are, in fact, one and the same thing, and must
be so considcrda. Yin all popular governments
especially, III fact. religion and politics have
always been considered one and the same in all
nations. Ours was the first, and only expert
mciit We kn6w of to treat the two ms distinct
clci'icnts liz emil government, and we arc fully
justified iii asserting that the experiment has
been failure; or at least the experiment has
had the same conflict that has always before
resulted from opposing ideas
All government is based on the religious
character OF those who form il and carry it on;
and when there becomes conflict of views in
its administration it arises of necessity from
religious differences. 1t is the religious mind
which makes and executes the laws, and shapes
in every feature the legislation Of n govern
mcnt. This is n fact which needs no arg,l-
mcnts to prove it hccausc tho opposite of the
assertion cannot be fouiid to exist in any ma
ton on earth The United States forms Mo
exception though in our system we attempted
it for eighty years Still the religious power
Of tho human mind would ut last prevail over
all the other elements Of The government.
Now, the stronger prevailed and took possession
of all the property and appliances appcrtaining
to the organization Of the weaker. The word
Methodist, it is true is applied to the two
classes Of people North and South, yet their
religious is no more alike than either dnc is
like that of tho 1lii,doo Bishop Simpson re-
presented the Northcri. masses in taking pos
session OF property, fairly won by conquest, in
support and defense of Northcr,l religion, MS
opposed to Southern relgion,i,i tho United
States, and in which Northern religion nearly
all other small denominations in tho North
agree and sympatlizc, aud have an interest
therefore in the property acquired. ,'r
gt"'l "'' 'dfii a! ~ ~ 0-