The Orangeburg democrat. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, October 15, 1880, Image 1
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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having withdrawn from their Synodi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. '
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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