The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-09

Some Of the Ministers Who Took
Leading Part I'm the Southern Con-
federacy.

The preiudice in the Soutb-ctrtainiy
in Virginia-against the participation on
preachers In party politics was OF ancient
standing. In the Revolutionary war many
OF the parsons" Of tbe Church OF England
In the South gave great offence by tbelr out
spoken "loyaIty" to the King, ana SIX or
eight Of them were deprived OF their pa
r,shes in Virginia alone. To circumscribe
their ambition in that direction, they were
probibited under tie first Constitution oil
Vire,uia from sitting In the Legislature or
holding any political office. This prohibit
tion was repeated by the State Convention
Of 1881, against the bitter protest OF John
Randolph, who drew a graphic picture
such as he only could draw--0f the drag
cling OF the chaste robes OF Cbrist's servants
through the unclean political pool.
But il the southern mind was set against
political preaching, there was no such pre-
/ udice against The display OF heroism which
so many ministers made on the actual bat
tIe.fieId. Hundreds OF these went out as
cbapIains and shared every danger and pri-
walton OF the men. The first figures which
fascinated the youthful eyes OF the writer
at Centreville, In 1861. were those OF Ed.
mund Ruffin and the Rev. S. Il. Graves, OF
Tennessee, author OF the "Great Iron
Wheel" and the redoubtable adversary OF
the redoubtable Brownlow. MANY "lttle
women" besides those OF Miss Alcott were
left in lonely bones by brave husbands,
sons, aud fathers, who bore the gospel to
the front OF fire. Many Of tbese-I specify
Rev. DR.. j. c. Granbery, now OF Van
derbit UDiversity-rcceived grievous
wounds. Some OF them entered the mill
tary service and acquitted themselves with
famous gallaatry in the ranks or In high
command. 1T becometh not divine"
said Lord Coke, "to be OF a fiery and sala-
nandrine spirit" But perhaps the most
salamandrine spirits are the zealots who be-
set the pulpit-drum-ecclesiaslic and who
serve as trumpeters to call Others to the
fray, but who never go there themselves.
From recentlv-pnblished biographical
sketch, by Rev. j. j. Lafierly, OF the men,
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Conference
Of Virginia, 1t appears that hfty oil the
one hundred and sixty members OF
that body were chapains or missionaries,
or before becoming ministers bore arms IN
the Confederate service. one oithese was Or.
Iaferty himself, who, while contemplating
the resignation OF bis post as chaplain ION
account OF lll.hesltb) was appointed by the
Secretary OF War, at the request OF General
Lee. on special service with he army III the
Valley OF Virginia With the rank OF major
OF cavalry, and in this position remained
{ III the surrender. Rev. III. G. Bowes laid
aside his ministerial robes and enlisted as
private and fought bravely through the war.
Other illustrious names occur by the score
Rev. DIR. Pendleton, Episcopal, who was
General Lees chief Of artillery, and who,
when the war ended, returned to the
charge OF bis church at Lexington,
which he still serves; Rev. A. 7. Bledsoe,
who became Assistant Secretary OF War (be
had been educated at West POINT; Rev.
DIR. r. NJ. Dabney, who was Jackson's
chief OF staff, with the rank OF colonel, and
who wrote bis biography Rev. Or. j. Will
liam Jones, bographer OF General Lee, and
known as the Fighting Parson y; Major
Frank Boggs, OF the artillery, pastor OF a
Methodist Episcopal church at Petersburg,
and many others. These and scores OF
others like them were actuated by the high
spirit OF Muhlenburg, or that of David
Walker, Of Londonderry, OF glorious me-
mory.
BISHOP AND GENERAL POLK.
But the greatest among these names Is
that of the Right Rev. LeOnidas Polk, OF
Louisiana, acknowledgement in the army OF
the Confederate States. Brief, brilliant, aud
wonderful, indeed. is the stery OF his pa
triotic service. AS the course OF Bishop
Polk has been made the subject OF much
ap,madyersion, and as 1t was regarded with
disfavor by many even OF his own ChurcD
communion, The circumstances which IN
duced him TO enter the army may properly
be here recited. He was graduate, as Is
known, Of the United States Military
Academy at West Point, though be did
not long remain in the service be-
fore he entered the ministry OF the Pro-
testant Episcopal Church. He was made,
"a lohn Ggst
Southwestern Territory aud then Bishop OF
Louisiana. The duties OF bis post he dis
charged for many years with signal bless
inps. In June, 1861. he went to Richmond,
Va, TO visit the Louisiana soldiers 10 his
episcopal capacity. Governor Harris, oil
Tennessee, had requested him to call while
In Richmond on President Davis (wbom the
Bishop knew intimately well), and to urge
prompt measures for the defence OF the
Mississippi Valley. To his great surprise,
President Davis urged Bishop Polk to
accept the post OF command. After
long reluctance Bishop Polk consented,
on the express condition that he should
be suffered to resign aud return to his
episcopal duties as soon as General Al
bert Sidney Johnston should arrive from
the West. In November, 1861, Bishop lnow
Major General) Polk submitted bis resgna.
ton, which he was induced by the Govern
mept to Withdraw on account Of the critical
military situation In that quarter. Greatly
as the mar and minister was admired and
beloved he had occasion to defend his course
In accepting military command from the
severe censuTe of bis friends. Thus be
wrote 10 Bishop Meade, vindicating bis ac-
ton, and he never resigned his episcopacy.
He said, in regard to his military position
"I feel ike a man who has dropped his
business when his house Is on fire TO put 1t
out, for as soon as the war is over will re-
turn TO my sacred calling" This privilege,
under the providence OF God, was not re-
served for Tim. lie was killed by shell
aimed at him, June IA, 1864, near Marietta,
Ga, while be was accommodating the enc
my's position.
"THE BEST C0NFEDERATEs."
General Jubsl A. Early, the "Old Nor
talily' OF the Confederate cause, says to
this day that the best Confe6erates were the
preachers and the ladies. A story has long
been current that Geoeral Early once met q
chaplain hurrying out Of battle aud abused
bin roundly as bypocrite who +" bad been
PRAYING TO go 10 Heaven for twenty years
and now ran away from the first good chance
to get there" General Early denies that
anything Of the kind ever occurred to
him, aud adds that be never knew OF
any chaplain who shrsnk from any
discharge Of his duties. An ardent
Confederate under General Eariy's COM
mand was the Romsn Catholic chap
lain OF the Seventh Louisiana, one of Harry
Hayes regiments. This gentleman was