University of South Carolina Libraries
^^^^^^ ^^^^tes^^^^ ^^^^ ^^j^ _ __ . ? t_;_ ( ? ? Vol. II. ORANGEBURG, S. C, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 188G. _>To. 42. Tho Virginia Synod and Rev. J. B. Haskell. Editor's Vindicator: Magna est veritas et prevedebit ! To all -whom it may concern, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, greeting; Inasmuch as the Evangelical Luth eran Synod of Virginia, in regular session, has seen fit to issue against rne, and publish* sentence oi deposi tion, it behooves me, for the sake of my work and my reputation as a min ister of Jesus Christ, to give to the church at large my statement and de fence agaiust the cruc'ty and gross injustice involved in this illegal at tempt \o ruin my Hock and myself. In the first place,* I deny that the Vir ginia Synod has had an}' authority or jurisdiction over me since the connec tion formerly existing between the Central Evangelical Lutheran Church, of Stauuton, Va., with its pastor and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod ol Virginia was legally and rcgulaijy dissolved on the Gth and 7th of June, 1880. Conscious of the justice of my cause and the irresistible power of tho truth, I am ready, by the grace of my Master, to defend my (lock nnd myself from the attacks made upon us. Wilh full appeeciation of the con sequences (which are not of my mak ing) and a clear view of my responsi bility before God, I soleicnly charge j the Virginia Synod with un-Lutheran ism, with a violation of its own Con stitution and of the teachings of Holy Scripture and of justice under the common law. I *am of the opinion that I have been hardly dealt with Iii order to shield one who has.been proved guilty of a violation of the Constitution and ! Liturgy of the church : of usurpation I of ministerial authority ami of con-1 duct" unbecoming a clergyman or a Christian. (See "a Review of the Testimony' and Decisions in the cases of Revs. J. Ii. Haskell and J. I. Miller at the special called session of the Kv. Luth. Synod of Va." Address the editor, Ww. I). Cooke, Esq., Stauuton, Va.) No dispassionate man can rcatl the "Review" referred to, without being impressed wilh the conviction that the Synod, whether consciously 01 not, were in fact, biased by partiality for him who has been the cause of all ray troubles, and by blind prejudice against myself, who was one of the youngest of their body ; and that my congregation ami I not having tamely submitted to the wrong done us, but having withdrawn from their Synodi cal association, they have, at their recent session, undertaken, as far as they can, to crush mo ; and, as I am informed, to relievo the Rev. Miller from even the mild censure pronunucd by them in April last, for the wrongs done by him to me and my flock. This "brother beloved" for whom they made ''all allowances for tem perament and disposition" (see decis ions in Review) has long been one of their number. I was, except* to my flock and this Community, yet "a stranger in a strange laud," and per haps they thought: ?'He's poor, and that's suspicious?he's unknown. And thatts defenceless; true, we have no proot Of guilt?Out what Imth ho of innocence." In the spirit ot my Master, I would havo bowed to any just requirement' of Synod while under the authority. I would havo met them as '?brothreu j beloved," sat at their feet nnd listen-! ed to their counsel, their instruction; and their reproof. For peace and duty's sake, I would have yielded myself a willing sacrifice in all that touched not truth and1 principle, my flock or the precious jewel of my ministerial reputation: but, in the spirit of that same Master, I shall forever resist every attack upon the Holy things I have vowed before God to defend. To the tribunal of Lutheranism at large, and to tho Spirit of Truth in Christ's Church universal, 1 appeal; and, more than nil, 1 look for justice and relief from that High Court in which shall sit n BiOBTEOUa Judge to whom tho hearts of all men are open. Conscious of personal defect and insulllciency, but, with humble and full rclianco upon the grace of Juaus Chirjst and in the strength of the truth : I hereby challenge the Presi dent of the Virginia Synod, Rev. J. ' F. Campbell, 1). I)., to defend or jus tify bis course : (?) In unlawfully ill stalling an illegally elected church con: oil within the Central Evangeli cal Lutheran Church, of Staunton, Vtt.', at a time when that church bad a council which hud been duly and le gally elected : (0) In attempting to "suspend" me without charge, trial or hearing, upon no other ground than that I respect fully asked of him a formal dismis sion from a body with which, in jus tice to my own character, I thought I could no longar afllliate and from which, in my letter of request, I sig nilied my withdrawal. I challenge the members of the Virginia Synod to defend its notion by Scripture, Lstbcrnnisui and Com mon Law : (a) In the "Decisions" rendered at the Called Special Con vention held in Staun toil, April 21st. 29th, 1880: (b) In publishing and circulating an unofficial pamphlet calculated to I injure my ministerial reputation and defame iny character ; (e) In attempting, illegally, at its regular session, at Mt. Jackson, Va., June 17th?24lh, 1880, to "depose" me from the Gospel Ministry ; And more, I challenge any mem ber of the Virginia Synod to point out one olllcial act of mine, which lean not defend by Scripture, Lulhcranism and Common Law. ??"Tis strange how many uuiimtgiucd charges (.'an swarm upon a man. when once the l!d of the Pandora box of contumely Is opouM e'er his head." 1 ask only a fair and equal bearing in the columns of my church paper and that they give me time to answer them one by one. Horatii and C'ur atii let it be. The Synod by its action, marked as we think, by injustice, partiality and a weak spirit of compromise, lost a congregation ; and then, wrongfully attributed to me this result of their I own action, in a seeming spirit of re venge, pours upon my devoted head avoid sentence of "deposition." "What is my offence? Where is the evidence that doth accuse me? What lawful 'quest have given this verdict up unto the frowning judge?" I am charged with "treasonable and I rebellious conduct"?with conduct, which, in order to protect their Pres ident from charge of violating the law of the church, in undertaking to sus pend me, and their own action in "do posing" me for not acquiescing in the Prcshl' nts's illegal order of suspen sion, the President and the Synod arc constrained to torture into con duct equivalent in atrocity and enor mity to "lewdness, drundenness and the circulating of fundamental ctrors in doctrine :" Ami what was thu conduct in ine which these guardians ol rght and snge cxpoundcis of ecclesiastical law, have put upon the level of "atrocious crime?'* It was, that I followed my beloved and devoted flock, exercis ing our unquestionably legal right, in withdrawing from the Synod of Vit" ginia. We had strong reasons for our action; reasons arising out of what wj deemed the cruel and ruin ous injustice,resulting to us from the hasty and illconsidcred action of the Synod. But this was a caso where sve were not bound to give reasons : or to be held amenable to any one for the soundness of those reasons. Il was a caso in which the maxim fully applies: "Volanlas st"t pro ra tione." The law calls upon no man to give hia reasons for asserting a le gal right ; and it was the assertion and exercise of the right to withdraw i from the Virginia Synod which that , bod}' has been compelled to exalt to . the rank of "atrocious crime" in or dor to justify:?(a) Their President in issuing his pretended order of sus pension ; und (6) themselves,-in con demning me, even to the sentence of deposition, because I did not submit to a sentence, which in the judgment of all the world except tho Virginia Synod, was a nulity. Nay, more, if the Report of their proceedings on tho 22th of this month (August) found in the Baltimore Sun, be cor rect, they have solemnly affirmed the arbitrary papal doctrine "that the right to suspend a minis'or during the interim of Synod is lodged in the President." I appeal to the judgment of Luthe rans to determine whether such acts and claims can be tolerated : '?Men make resolves, and pass into de orecs, The motions of the mind; with how much ease, In such resolves, doth passion make a Haw, And bring to nothing what was raised to law." I am charged with an attitude so ??defiant" that '?further forbearance" with me would be useless and "at-1 tempts to win" me "from the error of my way would bo nnavailng." As to this, I say that never once did the President (though so instruct ed by the Constitution he claims to uphold) come to me in the spirit of | brotherly kindness and fatherly conn- j sei, before hastily and unlawfully sus pending me. Had he done so instead of taking counsel of the enemies of > my church and myself, he would have found a younger brothsr, who would have met him in humble hope and in the spirit of Christ, ready to pray with him for pence upon the founda tion Of Christian priuciple. Had he done so in the spirit of peace and love, the blessing permitted to the peacemaker might now have been his, and a great evil avoided. And again I say that if he had left me and my congregation "to pursue the even tenor of our way, without attempting to '?unchurch or prosciibe" us for doing what we thought at the time! anil still think we hat! the churchly right to do, the gentle inllucnces of patient forbearance and the manifes talion on the part of Synod of a w ill ingness to withdraw the sting left linking in their decision, might have led to the healing of a breach now irreparable. "If my ofl'ence be of Eucli mortal hind. That neither service past, nor present sorrows. Nor purpos'cd merit in futurity, Can ransom me into hi-* love again. But tojknow so much be my benefit; So shall I clothe me in u( forced commit, And shut myself up in sonic other course To lortuuo'8 alms." "Defiant" I have not been : riglitc I Oltsly indignant I have felt since the i "decisions" of the special session of I the Virginia Synod shocked my soul | and roused within my heart: "Tho courage never to submit" to wdiat I deemed, A cruel wrong. The Synod of Virginia has placed me in good company, though Jt am not worthy the association. Luther suffered for conscience sake. Paul was beset for his boldness in the Gis pel. The Apostles were martyred for the sake of their faith and work ; and, above all, as the infinite heart of God is above our beclouded souls, Jesus Christ, the Master whom we both claim to serve, sacrificed His lifo for a principle and for the good of those He loved. In humble imitation of these, acknowledging my frailties and infirmities, but avowing the sincerity ol my convictions of duty in the course 1 have felt constrained to pursue I am prepared to adhere to principle and to stand by my flockt whatever world ly loss or danger may beset me. "I would seek unto Cod, and unto God would I sonunil my cause.'* (Job. ?.S.) Respectfully, J. Bacumiin ETaskkm., Pastor of the Central K.v. Lu'n (Munch Stauuton, Va. It is (piccr that a man's creditors will arrange themselves on tho shady side of a street when he goes from dinner and make him walk down in the sun. It's mean to use God's sun light to help collect a bill. Ab Fred Douglass Sees It. Fred Douglass was then introduced J by the marshal, who termed hira the representative man of the colored race. lie appeared to be affected by what be heard the Governor say so carnstly and so sincerely. He began haying that ho was glad to be at the rair and surprised as well as pleased, not only at what his eyes bad seen ns to the condition of bis race, but^what be had heard to day. It was worth cpmihg all the way from "Washington, nay, from a much greater distance North, to see what be had seen to-day to witness the presence in North Car olina of the Chief Executive of your great State coming here and meeting with you, men of the colored race, and holding forth to you in words of truth and soberness ; encouraging and and uplifting you from the dust, giv ing yon a glorious send off in the di rection of knowledge and virtue and excellence. There was no eloquence equal to that which he bad just listen- j ed to from the lips of the noble Gov ernor. He should go borne and in the North and West would tell what he has seen and heard to day. He would speak it from the platform, spread it from the press, lie could not tell how much he had been affec ted by his experieuco here to-day. lie never expected to hear what he bad heard or see what he bad seen. Abroad it was supposed that there is a stale of warfare between the racas,! aggression on the one hand, oppres ion on the other. What he saw and i heard contradicted the idea plainly, unless be did not possess the ability i to sec, hear or comprehend aright, j lie said the Governor had taken the j words out of his mouth. Ho again referred to the visible good feeling i and kindly relations between U12 j while and colored people, and Iiis remarks were greeted by much ",ap plausc by both white ami colored hearers. The speech fiom which the above is taken was made at the colored In- j dustrial fair at Raleigh, North Caroli- j na last week. It is the truth from a partisan source. Douglass though a partisan, is an intelligent man, and is regarded as ail honest man. The colored men all over the country rccogn ze him as Ihcir leader cxecpt on election day, when they blindly follow white demagogues and renegades to the ballot box. It is j i'tne they were asserting some self-: respect and indcpcdncnce by rcpudia-l ing their political masters. It is a most degrading bondnge. What are we coming to? Woman wants not only the ballot but the re- ; volver. A Judge in New York actu-j ally complimented a lady because she knew how to use this weapon. "I am always prepared to defend my-1 self," said she neGantly. "You were tight," said Justice Smith, "and should not be nseamcd of it. I ad mire a woman who curries a pistol and knows bow to handle it. It is an evidence of pluck and good judge ment. You need not explain bow you came to carry if, as every woman has a right to protect herself by pro viding for emergencies." A Cincinnati hank president having predicted that United States Govern ment bonds would fall to t>0 cents on the dollar incase Gen. Hancock is elected, Mr. Theodore Cook, to whom the now famous "rebel claims" letter was addressed, offcied to buy $1,000, 000 four per cent. Government bonds held by the bank at par, to be delivered as soon as iL is definitely ascertained that Hancock is electod. 1 The bank president did not take the offer up, nt:d his failure to do so proves that his original assertion was mere ctnyt.y talk. And thus anothci Republican bubble is pricked ! The Philadelphia Jlerahl says that the women of that city arc busily en gaged in getting up political clubs. They are about two feet long, and only appear to parade when the bus bands of the women come home late at night. Suicide by Starvation. A sud cnso of suicide by starvation corncs from near McDonougb, Ga. Tuck Jackson, a man thirty-five years of age, conceived the idea that he had committed an unpardonable sin, uud one morning at breakfast an nounced to his wife and bis father's family that ho would never eat anoth er meal. They took but little notice of his rash remark until he continued to refuse food of any character,, although persistently (persuaded by tho family and all others of his old friends who visited him. Tho fact of hi3 fasting was reported to all the neighbors, and they came to see him in largo numbers every day. At times he would manifest a great dis like to all the persons who camo into his room, and at other times he would show a fondness for somo one who might be a stranger, and would abso lutely require them to remain with him one or two days at a time, lie repulsed all efforts to force food down him. Gradually he dwindled away and became more demented In mind, until finally his body was completely emaciated, and on the seventeenth duy he died. He said :%11 the time during the fast that he had commit ted a great and unpardonable sin, and that he was trying to atone for it. A Sad Scene. A sad scene occurred in the court house on "Wednesday evening last. James Robinson, indicted for murder, was brought before the Court to be arraigned. He was accompanied by his wife and four children, one of them, the youngest, in a dying condi tion. Just about the time the ar raignment was to take place, the lit- i tie babe, ten months old, sank away ( and it was thought to be dead. The] weeping ol llie parents caused the! postponement of tne araignmeht to the following day. The child died that night in jail, and the trial of the I lY.thei proceeded on the following day. I The court adjourned two hours at midday in order to give the father the| privilege of attending the burial'.? j Zancastt r Ledger. ' _'__ 1 - j We will say it over again?the Re'., publican party loses by every false t issue raised to mislead the people. ! The first attack brought out the Sher man correspondence, which a good many Republican papers, the New York Tribune among them, have not even dared to give their readers. The next brought his letter on Southern claims. A third might bring about the letter to the American people known as an inaugural. General j Hancock's letter on the rebel claims! is by all odds his sharpest and most! striking utterance ns yet and one J which will commend him greatly to the country.?Springfield Republican. Dying With. His Charge^ The engineer of a train nearj Mon treal, Canada, saw a large dog on the track, barking furiously. The engin eer whistled but the dog paid no at tention to the noise, and refused to stir. The dog was mn over and kil led and the engineer observed that the animal crouched close to the ground as he was struck by the cow catcher. A minute later the fireman saw a bit of white muslin fluttering on the locomo tive, and he stopped the engine. On going back to where the dog was killed it was discovered that not only the dog but a little child had boon killed. 11] was then seen that the dog had been standing guard over the child, and had barked to attract the attention of the engineer. Tho faith- j ful animal had sacrificed his life rather than desert his charge. The child had wandered away from a neighboring house, followed by the dog, and it is supposed that the child laid down and wont to sleep on the :track. Hayes will go round the world next year. Foreigners will soon be gin to think that these tours of Presi dents constitute the worst featu re of a Republican government. "The Black Man's Hop?." The New York Times% which repre sents the most intelligent and sagaci ous phases *of Stalwart Republicanism tells the colored' people frankly that they have"honeI to look to, for protection, justice drift peace'; but the local governments of tile States where they live. These governments are Democratic, and the advice of the Times really is that the colored peo ple cling no longer to Republicanism but make the best terms they can with the Democrats. Tho Times says: "Nor is the negro to be blamed if he take advantage of this opportunity of self defence. The National Gov ernment may and should, by a. proper exercise of its authority, secure to him tbe right to vote at national elec tions and to have hia vole fairly counted. It can punish those who interfere with this right and violate the sanctity of national elections. But it cannot secure .to him his fair share in the administration of local affairs ; it cannot make State laws and their execution uniformaly just to him ; it cannot protect him from the thousand forms of petty persecution which make his life miserable. Hint which most nearly affects him is about his daily walks, and not in his rela tion to the national. authority. For the security and protection for which he feels the sorest need ho is depen cnl on the community in which he lives. The laws of his State and their administration affects him more nearly than those of the Nation pos sibly can. If the National party to which he owes so much, and to which he would gladly give his vote, cannot exercise control over these local af fairs, and another appear? with bis help can do* so, bis help will not be withheld. His vote is a power whicli will prove his defence wheu the inevitable division comes, and ho will not fail to use it with effect. Words About Women. A woman without beauty only sees the half of life. Young women ore severe; they don't feel the stress ol action as men d<>. j" A true love for a good woman is a great thing.. It shapes many a rough fellow. A woman should early learn how to be old, and that is not a small tal ent. When a woman is not con'radlcted she has no obstinacy in her absurdi ties. Beauty is tho first present nature gives to woman and the flrot it takes away. A woman, let her be as good as she may, bus got to put up with the life her husband makes for her. Plain women are to be regarded as other severe facta of life, to be faced with philosophy and investigated by science. A fine lady is a squirrel-headed thing, with small airs and small no Lioiis, about as applicable to the bus! neos of life as a pair of tweezers to the clearing of a forest. To think of tbe part one little wo man can play In the life of a man, so that to renounce her may be a very good imitation of heroism, and to win her may be a discipline.. Tbe society of dull prosy women is about as relaxing as going from one's work to teach the second form, in stead of reclining in a paradise. New York. ~~ The reconciliation between the two wings of the Democracy in the State of Now York has been rendered com plete so for as State ami national issu es are concerned ; and the full vote of this great State \y'}\\ ip the coming election be cast for one set of Presi dential' Electors und for n single can didate for Congress in every District. This }s a charming statement to make and the Empire .State may be put down, almost byond a doubt, with its ' thirty-five Electoral Voles, for the man who penned order' No. 40. / ;?-< ? )?? -\ "U\ ol oiudnt