The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-03-13
An Unproyoked Insult.

An Unproyoked Insult.
The United Brethren Church, from ii,
earliest history, believed with John Yves
ley that the African Slave Trade iva,
the sum of all villianies,;' and that chat
tel slavery as it existed in the United
States, was blot upon our nationa
character. This sentiment was enter
tertained and expressed on all proper oc
casions. but at the same time, as law-abid
ing citizens, they recognized the constitu
tional protection that was given to the
institution. So long as the law recognized
property rights in human beings, the mem.
bership of this church respected the law s
commands, and never were known to in.
terfere in any way in the mere legal phase
of slavery, while earnestly praying that
the sin might be removed in such way
as Providence, in His infinite wisdom,
might ordain. No class of citizens more
| joyously hailed the Emancipation Procla.
nation, for they believed it was the full
filment of the prayers of Christian people
throughout the civilized world. They re-
cognized, too, that the sudden freedom OF
the slaves imposed a serious duty on the
white race, and more especially upon the
christian people of the country. They
were to be trained to the duties of citizen
ship-to moral and civil responsibilities
and enlightened in all the avenues of life.
This church early put in motion influences
among them for religious as well as secll-
lar instruction. They built school houses
and churches for them and gave them all
the aid in their power to alleviate their
condition and bring them up to higher
plane of action and usefulness. This COM
mendable course was pursued from consid-
erations of christian duty and charity,
and not with reference to any theory that
looked to social equality and change in
the social relation of the races.
This brief illusions to the relation of the
United Brethren Church to the question
of slavery and the subsequent status of
the negro, will explain the feeling mani
tested at the Conference of this de-
nOmiti0n in session last week at Lacy
Springs, on reading letter addressed
by State Senator G.. B. Keezel, of
Rockingham, to the Superintendent of
Public Instruction, opposing the appoint
ment of Rev. A. p. Funkhouser to the
position Of Superintendent of Public
Schools for that county. in which it is
! charged that the Church. of which Mr..
Funkhouser is minister in good standing,
held advanced ideas on social equality, .
and charged that Mr.. Funkhouser was a
practical advocate of social equality be-
tween. the races, because he had invited a
colored minister in the church, who was
on an official visit to him, to partake of a
meal in his house, at his table, where no
other member of his family was present,
but Mr.. F. himself.
This we learn, from statement of Mr..
Funkhouser publicly made, is the ground
of the charge against him and the Church,
and for this reason, Mr.. Keezel, as he al
leges. opposed Mr.. F's. confirmation to a
position for the duties of which he is Pc
culiarly qualified.
1t was not surprising, on reading the
letter of Mr.. Keezel, containing these
charges, that prominent divines in the
Conference were earnest in their denun-
citation of the allegations, and that official
action should be taken denying the
charges and condemning the author. Mr..
Keezel's zeal for his party, certainly, in
this instance, overran his Judgment, and
has exposed him to merited rebuke from
all fair-minded men, who love justice and
reverence the church, of whatever denom-
nation 1t is, indeed, a serious offense to
assail religious denomination from
party standpoint, whatever the provoca-
ton, and it is eminently grievance when
the attack is founded on an utter perver-
sion Of the relations and sentiments of
that persuasion. There is no religious
body of men who move more circumspect-
ly among their fellow-men than the United
Brethren. While, from early and consci-
entious conviction, their sympathies would
naturally be with the political influence
that was opposed to slavery and was look
ing to the elevation of the enfranchised
class, it is a known fact that they have as
little to do with the activities of party con-
tests, as any of their sister churches,
The assault Of Mr.. Keezel was therefore,
flagrantly unjust iiable. and exposes him
in allhis future public life to unfriendly
criticism, not only from the membership
of the church assailed, but all others who
recognize the improperly Of attacking
religious denomination to carry political
point.