Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-21

A reverend gentleman koH llH.
nois, or somewhere up North, who
isa member Of the Cumberland Pres.
byterian general assembly, and the
guest of some Of the good people Of
this city, has taken it upon himself to
circulate broadcast a tract or circular
instructing Protestants as to their
duties in regard to their Catholic
neighbors. He calls upon Protestants
to draw a social, business and political
line around themselves la Richelieu,
and allow no Catholic to cross it.
We feel quite sure that the Protest
tants as body heartily resent such
intermeddling as calculated to stir up
strife among neighbors and friends
with whom they are at peace, and at
least on pleasant social terms. This
monomaniac, or lunatic, or whatever
he is, is not only engaged in small
piece Of business, but he has gone
outside Of his duty as Protestant
minister, and has violated the pro,
prieties of life and the hospitality
of the city which he enjoys.
This is a free country, and its
institutions rest upon free ballot,
free speech and the right of every man
to worship God according to the die
tates of his own conscience. The
policy of non-intercourse with any
class would not only deprive them Of
their rights as citizens but keep them
out of all official positions, and make
them the natural enemies Of the gov
ernment. The world has advanced
peg or two since the days
Of Luther, Melancthon, Zuingle
and John Knox, and we boast
Of country which tolerates all
creeds and sects that conform to the
ideas Of civilization. Perhaps there
is no city in the world Of its size
where there is more liberation or for
bearance, or a better understanding
between man and man than in Mem
phis We have many churches here,
and some synagogues, all of which are
well attended, without interfering or
clashing with each other. No man
dictates to his neighbor whether he
shall sing psalms, cross himself,
stand up like the orthodox Jews
with his hat on and apart from the
ladies, or indeed go to any place of
worship. He can stay at Rome if he
prefers it, and read Bob Ingersolps S
in6del lectures. The reverend gen.
tleman proposes, by virtually disfran-
chising and degrading the Catholics,
to do the very thing which be charges
they would do if they had the power.
He would make religion, or the imita-
tion oft, test in all social, business
and political affairs, and would
fence out all who are not Of his way
of thinking Church and state are and
will remain separate and distinct in
this country. We have no State
church or religion. All are equal
before the civil law, and every system
or denomination must stand upon its
own merits. There is room for all to
work for the elevation of mankind
and for the cause of the great Master
above. AS Mr.. Talmage said, the
other day, there is room in God
great fields for us all to work
without knocking hoe handles The
gentleman from Illinois is not only in
the hoe handle business himself, but
wants everybody else to engage in it.
He will not be able to stir up a belli-
gerent feeling down this way. Our
ministers appeal to the hearts and
judgments of their hearers rather
than make war on any other church.
Whatever war they make is against
our common enemy Satan and sin.