Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-01-22
A Novel, Church War.

Not to be out Of the fashion, Jackson
vile, Illinois, also has church war; A
colony of nearly 1000 Portuguese, exiled
originally from the Island of Madeira by
the Roman Catholics for their Protestant
belief, reside in and around that city.
They are, in general, orderly and indus
trious people; but the hot blood in the
southern zone flows in the veins and flames
in their swarthy cheeks, and their passions
and prejudices, when once awakened, are
not easily quieted. They are Presbyte-
rians in belief, and for some time main
tanned a strong church of their own.
} Then, some three years ago, a bitter feud
sprang up between them owing to the
fact, as is alleged, that the pastor, Rev.
MI. Pires. after having been engaged to
one young lady in the church, deserted her
and married another girl. A correspond
emit of the Chicago E'Tribune'' says:
About one hundred of the congregation
withdrew and set up another church, hold
ing services at the Court House. The
case was taken to the Presbytery at Spring
field; thence to the Synod; thence to the
General Assembly; and so back, through
various formalities, to the Presbyt cry,
which finally decided last month that Mr..
Fires must vacate the passionate, and the
Court House party must return to the pa
rent church, and all must be peace and
brotherly love again.
But 1t was easier for the Presbytery to
order than to enforce. and now comes the
result: The elders, deacons and trustees of
the church publish this morning lengthy
card in the s'Daily Journal,'' in which,
after reviewing the case at length, and
adding that the Presbytery has passed
supplemental act, debarring them from
the. right Of appeal or of asking for redress
OF grievances, they say:
We are a freedom-lovlng people, and will
resist oppression, whether it comes from
the Church of Rome or from the Presby
terry OF Springfield. The action of the
Presbytery gives encouragement to disor-
der, and encourages rebellion in the Church.
1t has established dangerous precedent.
1t says to all our churches, eff there is
disorder and division among you; if the
malcontents withdraw and try to overturn
the church, we will sustain them and set
them up, even if they have vacated their
places for more than three years.
We cannot live under such law in the
house of God, nor can we submit to deci-
s1ons so subversive of peace, truth and
justice. We expect no relief from the
Presbytery. The Trustees submitted a
proposition to the Presbytery for the ap-
polntment of a committee to pay the debts
and divide the church property, but it re-
celved no attention. Subsequently pro-
position was sent through Committee of
the Presbytery to the Court House party
to sell the church, pay the debts, and di-
vide the remainder, to which no reply was
made.
Believing we have done what in honor
and justice could have been expected Of
us, and as there is no spirit of union and
peace manifested by them, OF any other
disposition shown on the part of the Sc
ceders to adjust said trouble, our Church
has come to the conclusion that the short
est way out of said difficulties is to declare
herself Independent. We, by unanimous
vote, renounce the jurisdiction of the Pres
bytery of Springfield. Our future connec-
ton will be determined hereafter.