The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1872-04-10
Religious Persecution,

Religious Persecution,
In looking over tho last number of
Harper's Weekly, we 6nd ali account
of an outrage ut Centralia, penusyl
vania, which is so atrocIous and cold
blooded as to make onu almost doubt
whether or not ours is civilized cout-
try. When, as will be shown below,
the diabolical att was prompted by
Roman Catholic fanaticism, the
friends Of Protestanism in this SEQ.
tion of the globe may we'll take into
serious consideration the gradual
though steady growth and encroaoh-
mcnts Of tho Romish Church.
The circumstances Of thu outrage
referred to are, in brief, as follows
A gentleman, j.. G. Greene by name,
is at the head Of one Of the public
schools at Oentralia, and happened
in course of private. conversation 20
reply vigorously to a Romlsh acquains
tance who argued against Protestant.
ism, and had treated it with little re,
spcct. The conversation reached the
ears of tho priest, who forbid the
Rothish childron to attend the school,
and efforts wcre made to remove
Greene frotii his position, wbioh prov
ing unavailing, a plot was formed by
the Roman Catholics.to murder him,
and it was soon put intU execution.
Several days since, Mr.. Greene etiter:
cd his school room one morning and
found there only one scholar, and
three mon whom ho did not know:
They all entered into conversat ION;
and while Mr.. G. was bending down
to open the door Of the sto1e, he re-
oeived eevere blow with slung-
shot, and was INN ediately set upon
by all three of the strangers, who beat
him until they thought lie was dead,
and then cut o0ons of his ears. The
assassins fled, and have not yet been
captured. Meanwhile their vietim
lies in dying condition. i,
We know of ho language strong
enough with which to aenounce this
act, and it's vile perpetrators and in
stigators, aud although far away from
the scene Of it's occurrence, we feel
tho Same Indignation over it that
should fill the hearts ofall upholdors
OF the Protestant Religion. We have
always been the advocate of perfect
freedom of religious opinion, but our
liberality doesn't extend so far as to
permit foreign sect to introduce its
dosmas by force and violence, and
when the law Of the land fails to pro-
tect communities from tho persecu-
tions Of blind fanatics, we acknowl.
edge the right of those communities
to take the law 'irto their own hands,
and protect themselves. The intol-
erance and prejudice Of tho Church
of Romo must be met s1uarely by
every Protestant in the land, and If
1t becomes necessary, let Congress
enact such Legislation as will success
fully put down tho spirit of persecu.
tion that Seems so active how among
its adhercnts. Protest stantism must at
least be guarded from the violence Of
Its malicious opponents. Il is she
prevailing religion of our country.
and, in cur opinion, in view of The
bitter enoroachmcnts of Roman Cath,
olicism, ought to be firmly established
by law Says the Weekly: "The
condition Of our foreign Romis ish popw-
lation, In fact, is become SO danger:
Gus to opublic order aud good morals as
to require immediate legislative do
tion.' The poor vanity, tho diseased
intellect, of an Italian Pope has
aroused his spiritual subjects to new
violence, to unc$ampled fanaticisn,."
This Is certainly a truthful view of
tho matter, and unless a -refaedy for
tho evil is soon devised, religious
strife and bloodshed may result. i
ssss-~.-.-.z.e..sea et-.-.--.s----.s--.s-.I