The Texas Christian Advocate (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 1, Ed. 1, Monday, December 12, 1864 Page: 2 of 4
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AUSTIN HONDAYJBdEaiJBBnjJBfi i".
To tlio Preachers
Tho next number of the Advocuie
"will bo issued as booh after tlio close
of the Convention as circumstances
will justify. We hope before that
time every traveling preacher in Tex-
as will soncl in his list of subscribers.
Lot it bo a long one; got tho cash
'from every ono. Wo have seceded
from tlio credit system. We must
"pay as wo go." Wo can't "go"
without subscribers. Wo want no sub-
scribers without cash. When wc get
a name we will take it for granted
that you have collected the subscrip
tion and will look to you for it. If
you cunnot remit with safoty send the
names stating where the money is
and await instructions about sending
it. All subscriptions sent to tho Con-
vention you will please direct to llev.
It. Alexander Chairman of Publishing
Committee Houston.
Tlio Convention.
Wo trust there will bo a full attend
anco at tho approaching Convention of
Delegates from tho three Texas Con-
ferences to be held at Ilouston be-
ginning the 21st of December next.
Tho business will bo important espe-
cially in view of our publishing inter-
ests. Cut off from the other side of
the river wc muBt rely upon our own
efforts to supply our wants. Unity of
interest demands unity of action. The
Advocate is tho property of all ; its
suocess an equal benefit ; its failure
an equal loss to each member of the
Methodist family in Texas. With uni-
ted effort our success cannot bo a ques-
tion. Lot tho Delegates each bring
' with them a largo subscription.
Preachers can Bend by them tho names
and funda tlvciy havo secured. We
wish to begin with a subscription list
which will leave no doubt as to the
support of the paper.
Send tlio Soldiers the Paper.
In an hour like this when all that
tho heart holds dear is imperiled ev-
ery enterprise public and private
should tako into its calculations the
country and its danger tho army and
its wants'. Tho merchant in his
schemes should not only look to the
profits which will appear on his bal-
ance sheet; but feeling his interest
in this struggle while the soldier
spends his blood should invest his cap-
ital in that direction which will ease
tho burden of thoso who risk their lives
or of their families who mourn their
absence. Tho farmer when he pitch-
es his crop has no right to look to his
own crib or smoke-houso alone. His
servants his fields his crops aro his
country's and the voice of that coun
try heard amid the roar of battle
heard from tho camp and hospital
heard from tho graves where slaught-
ered patriots aro buried demands the
consecration of his abundance to the
common cause. And Christianity
with its affinity for all that is heroic
and good its sympathy for tho sor-
rowing and oppressed cannot lose
sight of this obligation as long aa the
genuine spirit animates its efforts.
The desiro to pray and labor for tho
soldier is not a more patriotic im-
pulse : it is ono of tho instincts of the
truly Christian heart Our army mis-
sion is an expression of this spirit ;
and in starting tho Advocate ono lead
ing argument in favor of tho move-
ment was our obligation to Bupply the
armywith u sound and acoeptablo ro-
ligio'ua literature. That tho nowspa-
per is one of tho most potent agencies
of modern times to control the public
mind and move the heart is no longer
an open question. In tho stir and ex-
citement of field and camp grave lco-
turcs will often bo unheeded though
coming from eloquent pens and pious
hearts while a religious newspaper
will be worn to shreds by its eager
readers among the unconverted sol-
diors. We will not stop to explain the
reason. Wc simply state tho fact.
We wish as a part of the Church of
Christ to remember tho soldier's
claims and meet his spiritual wants.
Wo want to find the best way to
reach his ear and touch his heart. lie
is fighting for us and before he dies
in a cause as much ours as his we
want him to get ready for that hour
ready to leave his rude pallet in the
hospital or his gory bed of earth on
the battle field for that heaven of
which his mother told him in other and
in peaceful days.
There are fifty regiments of Texinns
west of the Mississippi. Two numbers
of tho Advocate for every eoinpany
will make a thousand numbers. Ten
men in each company will gladly read
each paper and this will give U3 a
congregation of ten thousand soldiers
to preach to every week. We will not
only send them many an item of intel-
ligence which will come warm from
their own firesides but wo wish to tell
thorn tho story of the cross. A news-
paper in the camp is always welcome;
soldiers have told us this ; but when
it is sent by the hand of love it is
doubly welcome. It will lighten the
gloom of many a camp and we tiust
bo a mosscnger of life to many a de-
sponding heart.
Let agents and preachers remember
the soldiers. Get subscribers for them
stating the regiment company chap-
lain or soldier to whom it is to be sent.
WficrcsocvQr Hie Carcass is &c
Wo learn from good authority that
one of tho bishops of the Northern
Methodist Church has gone to New
Orleans and clothed with power from
the Federal Government has taken
possession of our church property in
that place for the use and benefit of
his own. For the honor of Christian-
ity wo might hope that this statement
may not bo confirmed ; yet tho act is
so characteristic of that type of hu
manity now found in the Northern
States that wo cannot be surprised at
its truth. The ministry in the North
must sharo largely in the responsibili
ty of this war. Their harangues from
tho pulpit and platform have been
among the loading agencies in bring-
ing about that state of public mind
which forced tho South to its final de-
cision. And their appeals are still
fanning that spirit which revels iu
those scenes of slaughter that redden
our sunny plains Wheu tho righteous
God shall make inquisition for blood
a. fearful record will bo found against
them. It is sad however to see that
iu addition to the spirit of fauaticiBm
thoy add a Bpirit of grasping selfish-
ness both disgraceful to them and
significant to us.
Fanaticism may bo sincere though
cruel ; cupidity is dishonest and mean.
How to hannoni.o this act of seizing
upon tho church property of another
denomination with God's comniaud
( Thou shalt not steal'' is a task we
shall not attempt. Thoso who com-
mit the criino may seek its palliation.
Tho hint however it affords the Moth-
odiat Episcopal Churoh South is plain
and significant. Our resistance to
churoh interference wiih the affairs of
Stato denying tho right of any ec
clesiastical body to disturb institu-
tions established by law and which tho
law-making power alone can regulate
resulted in our separation. That act
and the name we bear our history as
a church our position upon the groat
questions involved leaves no doubt as
to our truo relations in the present
contest. Above all we havepropcity.
God has blessed our efforts. Institu-
tions of learning houses dedicated to
tho worship of God our extensive
publishing interest have been built
up ; and tho Northern Church in the
true spirit of Northern rapacity is al
ready hastening to grasp the prize.
What does this indicate ? The answer
is clear. The Methodist Episcopal
Church South as sin ecclesiastical or
ganization cannot survive the con
quest of the South. Her ministers
will be expelled from her pulpits
and their places filled with a northern
importation ; our institutions of learn-
ing bo manned by professors of their
own selection ; our membership be ab
sorbed in the Northern Church or dri-
ven to other denominations. The
work has already begun. The " ea-
gles are gathering over the carcass.''
As a minister and citizen we are pre-
pared for the issue. When Northern
fanaticism sought to wrench the
church of Christ from its true vocation
and make it a mere tool in political
strife we believed that the Southern
church did right in resisting that ef-
fort even to the point of separation.
And interwoven as our destiny is with
the cause of the Southern Confederacy
which her sons have made immortal
we are ready to share her fate in this
contest with her foes. Our fields may
be wasted our sons may be slaughter-
ed our churches desecrated and our
ministers placed in bonds; but. we will
both survive the storm. God's bless-
ing has be.enupon our church since
the act of separation. Master and
Blave have been converted and the
work is still going on. We cannot
believe that God will abandon us and
that the fruit of our labor and prayers
will be utterly wasted by the hand of
the spoiler. " Clouds and darkness
are round about him; righteousness
and judgment are the habitation of his
throne."
DO TOU SEE ANY LIGHT!
This question was addressed to a
friend by one who yielding to that
spirit of deep despondency which con-
tinued reverses will sometimes awa-
ken could see nothing but clouds of
disaster around. It was a dark hour
in our history one of those hours
when the patriot as well as the Chris-
tian must " walk by faith and not by
sight;" faith in the great principles for
which wo are contending; faith iu a
superintending Providence. "Do you
seo any light?" "Yes' was the re-
ply. " God in answer to prayer is
reviving his work in the army and at
home. God is with us and all must
go right." The desponding friend
found no consolation in this. lie
would havo preforred light breaking
through the folds of smoke hanging
over battle fields indicating that the
disasters of tho campaign in one quar-
ter were at least balunced by victories
in another or from across the ocean
announcing that Franco was our
friend or that IDnglaud had changed
her polioy. In these indications he
oould trust; without them he must de-
spair. And wo all in somo measure
sharo tho same Bpirit. Wo admit in
general terms that God has somo kind
of supervision over the affairs of earth.
We would bo gratified to know that
he favored ua in the contest; yet after
all wo havo more faith in foreign in-
tervention than in God's wisdom. A
smile from Louis Napoleon or an en-
couraging shako from the British lion's
inane would go much farther towards
establishing confidence in our ultimate
success than any assurance that God
is with us showering spiritual bless-
ings on tho land. Yet after all is
there not the best of consolation in the
answer given? When God bestows j
ins costliest gifts upon a people he observed in its stead that " on that
surely has not abandoned them tojday ai pubijc workshops be closed
their foes. It is difficult during tho I pubHc labor sn8pcndcd and as far as
tempest to realize that this commotion j piacticablo all military duties cease
among the elements the rushing wind Thc t.oops nro commended to assem-
tho lightning the dashing rain is no- be at U)(ir rcspectivo pi.1Ces of wor-
cessary to accomplish a result that I ship aIld the citjzon8 of the depart-
holds a blessing in its grasp. Itj mout invitcil to unite in the religious
sweeps the rose from the stem covers ( obscrva)1C0 Of'lho day Wo received
the garden walk with tho wreck of th(J pi.ocnnmliou f prcRidCht Davia
fimts and fiowe.s twists the limbs from .lt too lat(J au bom. lo insert it entirC)
the oak or shatters tho frail produc J ag .equested but cannot forbear giv
tlOllS of human toil and WO Stand COIl-' - f.linnlll(1;ruv nnrnn-mnh. inrl
fused and alarmed amid the commo-
lion until the sun breaks through the!
clouds and the reviving verdure and
purer atmosphere with their attendant
blessings teach us there was kindness
in the blast
Even now though the
Btorm still sweeps over our land brush as a day to be specially devoted to the wor-
many a rose from its parent stem and slll of Almighty God ; and I do invite and
. ii r it i ' inveke all the people ot these Confederate
co-iering the walks of life with the states to assemble on tho day aforesaid in
wreck of our material wealth our pco-1 their respective places of public worship
.On . .. .: i r i thero to unite in prayer to our Heavenly Fn-
ple are piajing and God is answering thcr thfttHe bestow His favor upon us;' that
pr.iyer. . The camp dreaded more by He extend over as the protection of His Al-
parents for their boys than thc day of mity arm ; that He sanctify Ms chastise-
' . J n .' meat to our improvement so that we may
battle is transformed into an altar j turn away from evil paths and walk right-
where penitents plead and sinners are eously in His sight j and that He may restore
. c peace to our beloved countrv healing its
converted. Are not these tokens of a bleeding wounds and securing' to us the con-
pnrer moral atmosphere and a holier ' t'nued enjoyment of our own right of self-
.- . . . r i government and independence ; and that Ho
spin tual trrowth in tuc hearts of the ( wm graciously koarkca to us while we as-
people? Trut national prosperity does "-ibo to Him the power.and glory of our in-
not rest on its material wealth but on dePenlcn:c-"
tho character of the people. Events PEACE PROSPECTS
cv .. . j j. i The "Washington correspondents of scvei.il
such as aro now transpiring must leave! . . .
. . . i kewiork papers concur in the assertion that
"' "l"oo uii we uiJiuiiiuur ui eacu
individual and the nation
VXIHI KJ i db
work. Do is minsrlinjr in these events
Not in wrath the wiug of the Angel
of Mercy is visible. lie is directing
the influences that move the heart
deepening the impressions for good
each thx'illiii ir scene nr acfinn nmlms.
.!.; ii i l t
seeking to mould eacli character and
nli.mn nodi UC. ;!(. i i .1 I 'resnauowea me policy or tlie aaministra-
biiapo each lile aright; and when the : .- i i i . -
. . ' ' fion which is clearly to offer such terms as
storm is over we may learn that the win certainly be rejected and then to make
reverses which often try us were all that rejection an excuse for a more ligorous
needed as agencies to qualify us for! resumption of hostilities to be prosecuted un-
that position ho designs for us amoii"-! liI if thoy succeed n3 tuy wish the race of
the nations of thn nnrt.h Onrt is witi! ' iebels sha11 no lonBcr be known on this con-
us. Surely there is light.
THE NEWS.
Yesterday's mail brought Ifoustoii
papers of the 9th inst. but we find no-
thin"- in them of mnrh infm-i Pv
iiiuie m mem 01 much intoiest ej -
cept in relation to Sherman's raid in
Georgia
Thus far ho seems to have
met with but little opposition and that
little from the state militia ; but Gen.
Deauiegard promises the people of
Georgia that he will shortly be with
them and assures them that if they
destroy the roads in Sherman's flank
and rear ho must soon starve in their
midst. Milledgeville and some other
places had fallen into Sherman's hands
aud he had burneu Home but at Inst
accounts all 'fears for the safety of
Macon had been tjllayed.
As the regular publication of the
Advocate will not be commenced for
some weeks at least wo have not
thought it important that the present
number should )ave much of the cha-
racter of a neios paper; but subscribers
may rest assured that when we do
get fairly underway the news depart-
ment shall have olose attention so as
to render it unnecessary for them to
take another piper merely for tho pur-
pose of keeping posted in tho affairs
of the country and tho world.
Day for Public Worship
On the 25th of October last Presi-
dent Davis issued a proclamation set-
ting apart the 16th of November as a
" day to be specially devoted to the
worship of Almighty God" through-
out the Southern Confederacy. This
proclamation however having failed
to reach this department in time to
secure a general observance of that
day General Smith has directed that
iVWoy the IGlh day of December be
...g v..- j 0-.-r
urging our readers as far as possible
t compy w5th tho iuvUatioU) on thc
day appoinced by General Smith :
" Now therefore I Jefferson Davis Presi-
dent of the Confederate States of America
o issuotniB my prociamauon sotting apart
fnpmq nf noor. . oWn. i. m.i .
i ... au . viMiviiv.wjvi't-WUTniinWaB-WJSIttUBmii
nnr crnvm nmnnt nnra.n aaJrir-xtva"ifri-ji
had already been appointed for that purpose.
It may be so and peace may eventually re-
sult from such a movement now initiated ;
but we have no hope that such a proposition
will at present be made by the North as the
South could honorably accept. Gen. Butler
i in ni3 (lte speech at New York probably
. J
tineiit. Read the concluding paragraph of
the speech and see what hopo the people of
thc South can havo in tho tender mercies of
Mr. Butler and his northern friends :
"No longer can they live in the land of
' America- Mexico the "West India Islands
or sorao plnce thltt l cnro not to nam0) b(j
cause I know no land hard onough to be
l u ? WT e'r prosence shall be their
uweimig pmce. xuey snau never como uero
again."
The Cuhrenoy. Our readers in the
country are interested now that busi-
ness is almost entirety done upon tho
specie basis in knowing tho value of
the paper which has for a long time
constituted almost our only currency.
We therefore give tho quotations for
Ilouston as we find them in the last
Telegraph: Confederate Old Issue 45
to 48 for 1 of specie; New Issue 18 to
19; Texas Treasury Warrants 5 for 1.
In Austin Old Issue is very scarce
and rates at about 40 fori; New Issue
! 20 for 1; and State Treasury Warrants
! 5 for 1.
Tho yellow fever having again made
its nppearance at Ilouston Judge- Hill
has adjourned the meeting of the Con-
federate Court for tho Eastern District
of Texas till Monday the 2d day of
January noxt
Congress has extended the time for
exchanging Old Issue for New till Ju-
ly 1865.
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The Texas Christian Advocate (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 1, Ed. 1, Monday, December 12, 1864, newspaper, December 12, 1864; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth78387/m1/2/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.