The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-05
A Notable Career,


this eloquent divine's career. He was born in
1911, near Greensboro, and on the 4th day of Feb
ruary, 1884, married Miss Anna NJ Waldron,
who for fifty years has shared his fortunes and
still lives, well preserved woman. In 1929 the
Bishop graduated from the Athens University,
where he had been fellow student with Robert
Toombs, Alexander H. Stephens. Howell Cobb,
and others since famous in the history of the
Nation and the rebellion. Young Pierce began
the study of law, but soon relinquished it to en-
ter the university, in which he succeeded from
the outset, and at the end of three years he was
appointed to Savannah, where he married In
1889 he was made president of the first female
college of the country, located at Macon Since
that time he has filed various important posi-
tions in the church, and at last was made Bishop.
The Bishop plainly belongs to the old school
Southern Methodsts, and while charitably
disposed toward the Northern church, still
insists that the line of demarkation must be
kept plainly drawn. Speaking of the division,
he says:
Slavery was the occasion but not the cause
of the division of the Methodist church The
real provoking cause was the extra judicial ac-
ton of the dominant majority in the General
Conference of 1874 with regard to Bishop An
drew, on account of his incidental connection
with slavery. Andrew never was stakeholder,
although he had legal connection with it. He
had violated no law of the church. The disci
pline fully protected him in its authority, but to
carry out sectional partisan purpose the ma
jority OVERRIDE the provisions of the discipline
by an arbitrary resolution, and virtually deposed
him without charges and without trial. This
outrage upon his personal legal rights involv-
ing, as it did, all the rest of us, the South re
scented, and demanded separation. There will
never be organic union between the churches
North and South. 1t is neither desirable nor
practicable. We want peace and brotherhood.
We are willing to wend our way alone, having
Christian salute for fellow-workers, but uphold
ing our own colors."
He is equally pronounced in his views con-
corning the status of the colored man, whom he
regards as inferior to the white and not to be in
vited to position on the same plane, nor given
the same educational advantages
"If negroes were educated" said he, ''inter
marriage in time would breed trouble, but of
this | see no tendency now. My conviction IS
that negroes have no right in juries legislatures,
or in public Office. Right involves character and
qualification. The appointment of any colored
man to Office by the government is an insult to
the Southern people, and provokes conflict and
dissatisfaction, when if left they ought to be-
in their natural sphere, there would be quiet
and good order The whites never tamely
and without protest submit to the intrusion of
colored men into places of trust and profit and
responsibility"
With such unqualified prejudice SO frankly
confessed by a marked leader in the church.
there is little wonder that the same prejudice
felt by the wilder elements of Southern society
should take the form of violence and result in
bloodshed, as it frequently does. With the
backing of authority like the expressed hostility
of the Bishop the ruder classes are naturally in
cited 10 intimidation and the race struggle is
perpetuated
Speaking of the crime of polygamy, the Bishop
says;
'Mormonism can never be reached through
legislation. 1t must be reached for the crime
that it is by the strong arm of justice Bigamy
is Just as foul in Utah as it is in Georgia, and a
bigamist should not receive any more consd-
GRAFTON in one place than the other Abolish
the Territory Congress has right to do that.
1t is only when it becomes a State that it can
take its place as a sovereign community. Put a
commission of determined and discreet men in
charge of the Territory Punish sins of impu-
nifty Just as they are punished all over the
Christian world. Arm the commission with
plenary authority. Missionary effort might
very properly aid the secular authorities, but
one thing should not be lost sight Of and that
is that the evil must not be merely talked about,
but eXtrpated'
The Bishops inconsistency is the result of in
bred prejudice toward the negro so long a slave
to those who would still hold his neck in the
yoke of ignorance. 1t is a shame and dead
weight upon the church. that has done so much
of good all over the world, that in the South it
stands as the apologist for those who maltreat
terrify and disfranchise the black citizen because
''he has no right in juries in Legislatures or in
public Offices" and, by parity of reasoning no
right to cast ballot like white man.