The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-07-21
Democratic Intolerance E.empIifed.

A case of political intolerance has just
come to light in Johnston county which for
high handed bigotry can only be matched
by the prosecutions of the Dark Ages. The
following are the circumstances as told us
by a gentlemen from Johnston county,
Elder Moore Stephenson, minister of the
Primitive Baptist church, voted at the
last Presidential election for Grant and Col
fax. For thus exercising his right as an
American citizen and voting according to
his convictions OF duty, Mr.. Stephenson is
now brought to trial by his church! An
old and faithful minister of the Gospel of
Christ, bowed down beneath the weight of
long years of toll for the good of his fellow
men. is brought to task by the people for
whom he has labored, for giving his vote
according to his honest conviction of right.
1t is not charged that he took any active part
in politics, or that he endeavored to inliu,
ence the minds OF Others, hut he is persecu
ted simply because he voted for party to
which portion of the members of his
church were opposed. Was ever bigotry
and intolerance more shamefully illustrated
than by the action Of this Johnston county
church After this let.all talk about the
religious and political Intolerance of the
Puritans be hushed, for here in North Caro-
lima is an intolerance and bigotry still more
disgracetul. Let the spirit of the bigoted
members of that church be held up to pub
lie scorn. Let the bigots go on. The efforts
of such narrow-minded, poor souled speci-
mems of humanity as they have shown them
selves cannot IN the least injurc good man.
With what feelings OF duty performed they
can now worship their God With what
sense of justice they canssay, g Oh Lord, we
have ill-treated and dcspitefully used one of
thy servants, for doing that which we our
selves have donel' With what feelings of
christian charity they can gaze upon the
frailties of humanity and say to their neigh
bors, II am holier than thou ~ 0, shame on
the men who can steal the livery of heaFea
to thus serve the ,levill Shame on the men
who blasphemously use the church of the
most High God to enable them to crafty
their feelings of revenge! Shame on them,
for they have disgraeed their pious profcs-
sions, and have caused the finger of scorn to
be pointed at the servants of God ! Let
them desist from their unholy work, and re-
pent in sackcloth and Iashes of their wick
ed conduct. Let them undo, so far as lies
in their power, the evilthey have wrought,
and pray to Sod for forgiveness for the re-
proach they have brought upon His wor=
ship. If they fail to do this, let the honest,
| minded people of Johnston hold them
in the contempt they merit, but let no at
tempt at retributionibe made Their pun
ishment will beincted to them beyond the
grave. We will not attempt to make ipo-
Itical capital from such an affair as this
We will not point out to the people the
wlcke,lncss of that party which can resort to
such base means to farce the people to sup
/ port it. We will not comment upon the
radical extremes to which the Democratic
purity is willing to go in ordert crush opposi-
tion toit. No, the matter,i is too serious, too
disgraceful, too iinpious. We do say, how
ever, let the people Of Johnston remember
these men, and enacayprto persuade them OF
the wickedness of such radical course, and
try to cause them to be more liberal in the
future aii H af nj