Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-10-09
BIGOTRY.


The Chicago Herald OF the 9th inst has
the following article on the question of
reconciliation between the North and
South. 1t touches upon religious bigotry
in way that is excellent:
One religious newspaper is the authority
for the assertion that another religious news
paper printed two editions of the issue con-
tanning its obituary of General Grant, one
for circulation in the North and the other
for its readers in the South. In that edition
which was intended for the Northern States
there was nothing that could by any posi-.
bility give aid and comfort to Southerner,
but in the one that was sent South there
were references to Lee and jackson and fra
ternal sentiments which were calculated to
please the average person who twenty years
ago and more followed the fortunes of those
commanders.
The motive of the publisher in producing
this double-barrel issue is reasonably plain,
but twill cause great many people to
marvel why such n thing should have been
necessary or even desirable in religious
publication. Secular papers published in
all parts of the country did justice to Cen
eral Grant and to his opponents in one arti-
Gle, and no good reason can be given why a
religious publication should not have done
the same. This particular religious editor
evidently believed that the words of fairness
anu lrutu WHICH ne wrote Tor southern cir
culation exclusively would be resented at
the North, and in that very act he drew up
and presented an indictment which the reli-
gious societies of the North cannot
afford to pass unnoticed. He recognized
the disgraceful fact that, while soldiers
who fought and all the great interests
of business and society which were
temporarily. estranged have fraternized,
the only organized hostility between
the sections which yet remains is that TO be
found in the Christian churches of the two
principal geographical divisions of the
country few of them have united, but
the majority of them are as far apart to-
day as they were before the surrender of
Appomattox.
II will appear to most people that it is
about time for these pious non-combatants
on both sides to lay down their guns. They
have creeds particularly enjoining upon
them the forgiveness of past injuries, but
while politicians who fought each other in
tiercer arenas than those which the CLERGY
occupied, and soldiers who faced each other
with powder and ball have long since thrown
aside their bitterness, and in their rejoicing
over the restoration and magnificent progress
of the Union let bygones be bygones, many
of the parsons are still on their fortified
tions, muskets in hand, ready to take a
crack at head wherever it may appear.
The paelication and uniiication of the
sections after the settlement on the battle
neid OF the only question that ever seriously
divided them was inevitable. IL had to
come, and though the bitterness could not
all be allayed at once under the most favor
able circumstances, it was impossible from
the first for the enduring hate of fanatics or
the irresponsible utterances of demagogues
to resist the mighty social, commercial and
patriotic forces that were at work MS soon as
the roar OF the cannons died away. Since
all this was inevitable and most desirable, il
is singular thing that the religious organ
izations did not lead the way instead of
blocking it, and strange that their recon
ciliation was not so speedy and cordial that
for laymen. Such has not been the case,
however; manyof the brethren on both sides
still glare at each other and nurse the verbal
wounds received by their fathers more thar
a generation ago. 1t is time for them tc
come up out of the trenches and hang theil
guns on the antlers.