Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-08-28
PresumptuCus Arrogance and Eceles1-
astical Tyranny.

astical Tyranny.
1t will be remembered that, in his speech
at the Coalition meeting which nominated
Capt. E.. A. Fulcher and Mr.. John Ed.
Hamilton as candidates for the House of
Delegates, Rev. J. H. Riddick, colored,
said that what he would do with negro
that would vote the Democratic ticket
would be, ''To hang him to the highest
tree in the ecclesiastical forest, and to bury
him so deep in immensely that the hand of
resurrection could never reach him." or,
rs reported by another, he ''would bury
him so deep in the immensely of space that
a ray of light could not reach him in
thousand years"
This colored minister has exhibited an
amount of presumption and arrogance
which has few parallels in the records of
human insolence. "Upon what meat doth
this colored Caesar feed that he is grown so
great ?'' Where does he get the right to
excommunicate the members of his church
for exercising their rights as freemen ?
What right has he to interfere with the po-
litical rights and liberties of the members
of his church? Who has made him the
political master and overseer of his breth-
rem?
Who is it that thus dares to threaten
every colored man, who may venture to
differ from him and vote as a freeman, that
TVr II
TREE IN THE ECCLESIASTICAL FOREST, AND
BURY HIM so DEEP IN IMMENSELY THAT
THE HAND OF RESURRECTION COULD NEVER
REACH HpI?" Who gave this presump-
tuous mortal the right to usurp the attri-
butes of the Great Judge of the Universe
If such monstrous pretensions be submit
ted to, how long will it be before he may
claim the right to hang personally, as well
as enthusiastically, all who may rebel
against his authority on the sturdiest oak
in the natural forest
We could not be otherwise than shocked
to hear that any man should have uttered
a sentiment which all right-thinkipg per-
sons must regard as quite as brutal as it is
blasphemous When we consider that it
proceeded from the lips of one protesting
to be a minister of that holy gospel which
inculcates among its cardinal doctrines
humility" "peace on earth and goodwill
towards men, and 'tbat charity which
thinketh no evil,'' we are lost in amaze
ment
10 - rI,% hos 70 tafn
whom men, quite as good as himself, shall
vote? What is the right to vote worth, if
it can be exercised only in obedience to the
command of dictator? What right has
minister of the gospel to control the poll
tics of his congregation? He must have
high opinion of his own powers, and low
estimate of his colored brethren, if he
thinks they are going to submit tamely to
his domination.
We venture to affirm that if any one of
our white ministers were to dare to pro-
claim such doctrine, he would be swept
from his pulpit by storm of righteous in
dignation!
What right has minister to threaten
his people with ecclesiastical censure for
differing from him in a matter purely secu-
lar
Do We live in free country where every
man is at liberty to vote as he deems best
for the interests of his country or are we
bound to render blind obedience to the Or
ders of a self-constituted master? Every
pretence of the kind should be frowned
upon and resisted at the outset.
The appropriate function of a minister is
to preach the gospel, to visit the sick, to
comfort the af1icted-not to play the par
tisan, or intermeddle with politics. If he
be allowed to do so, how long will it be be-
fore his priestly robes will be soiled with
the fifth of partisan contests.
Rumor says it is one of the devices of
modern political tricksters to buy up as
many of the colored preachers as may be
found to be marketable. We cannot affirm
whether this charge is true or not. Be
that as it may, one thing is certain, when
ever preachers so far forget what is due to
their sacred calling as to lend themselves
to the selfish purposes of knavish dema-
gogues, people will begin to suspect that
there is some foundation for the charge!