New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-10-14
CHRISTIAN COMMON SENSE.

We are informed that there are i'll this
city and vicinity, ten churches of the
Methodist Episcopal denomination. These
have four presiding elders and nine pas
tors, not one of whom is identified with
the so-called "Christian Association"
These preachers are all earnest, pious,
God-fearing men. They are Republicans,
of course, from principle, but they be-
ieve that there is safety in a reliance upon
the grand party that has piloted the ship
of State through the storms of the rebel
lion and the subsequent conflicts. They
are too grateful for the good already ac-
complished to distrust the men who pro-
noted it. This is Christian common
sense in its most exalted aspect To the
Republican party the Methodist Epis-
copal church, and all other Chris
tan denominations in this State,
are indebted for the perfect freedom they
enjoy. Before that great political party
purged this land as with fire, their preach
ers would not dare to preach the gospel
as they interpret it. They would not be
permitted to say word against the great
sin of slavery. They could not even
preach the word of God to the poor slave
without special permission from some
petty ruler, styled Mayor, police jury
man in the country parishes. If five or
more colored people had assembled to-
gether in one of their own churches on
the Sabbath without at least one white
man among them, they would have con-
stituted an unlawful assemblage" and
incurred the severe penalties of the tyran-
meal ''black code" Anything said to the
colored people on the subject of their rights
as men, would have been ''incendiary Ian
guage," punishable under the law by i'm
prisonment, and under the practice of
the constitution-loving chivalry with
hanging to the first tree.
A lustre has hardly elapsed since the
Republican party has removed the barriers
that shut the colored man from the free
dom to worship God and the danger of
relapse has not yet fully passed away.
The Methodist denominations feel that
there is safety in the perpetuation of the
Republican party, while its defeat and
disruption might be followed by return
to the s'good old times" that rebels every
day sigh for, when a negro was merely
chattel, and had no lights. When it was the
practice to buffet them around in the
streets, atpublic places at the churches and
in their own cabins, merely for the amuse-
ment Of the young scapegraces who owed
every dollar they had in the world, and
every stitch Of clothes they wore to the
unpaid labor of the patient, helpless
slave. A generation must pass away and
a new race spring up, Injured to work for
themselves, before the last hope for a
return to something like the peculiar in
stitution will depart from all the people. |
A defeat of our party at the next election
would revive the hope now nearly extinct,
and possibly put finishing blow to it.
Christ and earnest teachers of His sub |
lime truths, ask for no greater privileges
than the right to preach to all mankind
without being prosecuted by the I'M
righteous. They have confidence in
the ability of the Republican party
to perpetuate this liberty, and while re-
framing from anything like dictation con-
corning questions of party policy, they
will vote solid for the ticket at the cleo
ton. This conduct is in striking contrast |
with that of a certain set of religio-politi-
cal fellows who have recently abandoned
their focks and betaken themselves to the
club rooms. 1t may become necessary for
the several congregations of these faith
less shepherds to choose new pastors
men who have pious zeal enough to keep
them employed without going into politi-
cal squabbles.
THE NORTHERN ELECTIONS.