The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-01-05
LETTER FROM A LAYMAN.
METHODIST SENTIMENT.
Charles Nordoff Takes Tilt at the
Third Term Bishop.
HOT FOR HAVEN.

A CUTTING Criticism ON BIS aoP HAVEN
EpoN A METHODIST POINT OF vIEw-MANY
MEASUREMENTS POINTED OUf-THE SITUA-
TON AT THE SOUTH.
MIR. Charles Nordof. who has recently
travelled through the South. takes up his
pen as a Methods layman, and ably answers
Bishop Haven. Following is his letter, as
rublished in the New York Herald: Bishop
Ravens latest notion seems to be thai God
ia himself third termer, and that He slew
the vice president because poor Mr.. Wilsol
did not agree with Bishop Haven. As the
Methodist people-ot whom L am one-do
not believe in human iGfsll10ilityi they Will
probably be little affected by Mr.. Haven's
assertions of this kind. There is no reason
TO believe that he knows any more about
Gods wishes and purposes than the most o.
scure laymsn. But what biShop says Is
not naturally supposed by the public to
represent, more or less accurately, the gen.
eral opinion of the sect of which he Is
spiritual head. Some of his recent utter
ances would, were they really approved by
the body OF Metoodists, make these justly
odious; and, IS they are not so approved,
it seems only right to explain why what he
saws and does can not fairly be charged upon
the denomination OF CHRISTIANS be in such
cases misrepreseDts. in the first place, the
Methodist bishops are-not, In general, poll
ticians or persons who concern themselves
without excep, ion, shocked at Bishop Ha
VEINS third term utteIauces, though DOUBT
if any of them were surprised. de Is
known a man OF great zeal snd energy
and of respectable ability, extremely lack
ing in Judgment and lover OF notor1ety,
and it is probably not unfair to him TO say
that his most cherished possessions are bis
prejudicss. He is so
ENTIRELY WANTING IN MODERATION
and faith in quiet and peaceful ways,
which 1 believe a man in bis position ought
to possess, and so greatly lacking in the
spirit of love toward al human creatures,
which certainly a Christian clergyman ought
to have, that he imagines laws and brute
force back OF them can remedy all evils and
exterpate all wrongs. Among the objects
of his bigoted detestatiOn and tear the more
prominent, suppose, are the Roman Catbo-
lie Church and the Southern white people.
His desire to Ienomipate General Grant is
no new thing. More than year ago, and
after his return from Mexico, about which
country he was then issuing what proved to
be in the general opinion very
offensive book, be surprised me with
the declaration that I'VE must have
that country" holding map of Mexico be-
fore me, and when replied that it could not
be got without war, be said, 1--WE must
have it; il belongs to us; our people want
ii: what do you think OF G. rant and Mexico
q
that would sweep the ceuptryT"
was little shocked that
any clergyman, even Bishop Haven
should dehbeI ately propose scheme of
public robbery, but he exclaimed, you'll
see that am right; you aFe all wrong about
this matter. You are opposed to third
term, hear; you don't like General Grant /;
you don'G know anything about 1t; you're
as wrong as you can be-" That such man
could have much influence among the
Iaif
very little sense. In act he has none, ex-
cspt where he appeals 10 their humanity by
MISUNDERSTANDING THE CONDITION OF THE
SOUTH.
Bishop Haven lives in Atlanta. He was
sent to the South some years ago with the
object of reviving there the Northern
Methodist church, and with the hope, cher
ished by most Northern Methodists, that
the church South, which parted from the
northern branch MANY years ago, by reaso
OF differences on the slavery question, could,
now that slavery was extiDguished, be per-
suaded to reunite with the church North.
TIC this end many of the wisest members OF
tho Northern church have labored, believing
that they could thus, by CELEBRATING an OLD
division in a numerous sect, help TO
strengthen the bond OF brotherhood between
the sections, or a. IL asC remove what seems
to be source of irritation. Bishop
mitted the task of reconciliation, has in fact,
as L found when I was,in tbe.South last sum-
mer, done a great Ceal TO widen the breach.
He is detested all over the South for public
expIe=siors in favor of an amalgsmation of
the negro and white Iace', and L became
satisfied he has done good deal to keep up
and even embitter wherever ne labored,
not only race prejudic's 8. but the feelings
naturally remaining from the war. When
he comes to the North be industricusly
A., Eel Of hn Afcfn p Of kha
Southern whites and of the rongs suffered
by the "poOr negroes" AID of the danger OF
their future. La fact, he talks of the south
precisely like the averaee political carpet
Dagger, and the FINAL clause OF his argument,
like that OF the
POLITICAL CARPET-BAGGER
Is always, 1--WE must rec ect Gen. Grant to
keep down the rebels and protect the
negroes" These appeals he makes in the
face of the facs, as well known to him as it
is to me, that in Georgia, in which ate he
lives, and which has been, sipes 1871, in the
hands OF the democrats, the negroes own
and pay taxes to-day on more farming real
estate, more city and town property, and
more personal property than In
any other of the cotton states,
all of whichs have btea under
republican rule, so called. They paid taxes
this year on over 81 600 600 OF property, aud
their own republican organ at Atlanta has
repeatedly scco sed them OF being the most
wsstefUl and thriitless, and of rinkipg and
smoking away more OF their earnings than
would educal all their children. do not
mean to cay that Georgia Is az Eden--there
are some fools, and some rough, violent
men in that stste-but have the word OF
United States ofhcers, strong republicans,
that there Is no political crime In
that state; have the word of Northern
missionaries la0oring entirely among the
hat ~ a ~ vii 10
past, and thai public opinion, even In the
backwoods counties, ID now against it. and
where in any talks with colored people /
found discomfort it was almost always be-
cause they do not in Georgia, as In Mis-
slssippi under the Ames rule, anu in Lou.
a. Ill hE,ld h.. a