"Negro suffrage" after Civil War; "Christian" testimony

     It never ceases to amaze me how Walther was so well read in all kinds of publications of his time. I suspect that Missourian pastors from across the United States sent articles to him for his consideration for news items in his Der Lutheraner and Lehre und Wehre publications. In the following blurb he references articles from four different publications and gives us a view into the thinking of these parties just after the American Civil War. These cover the intersection of religion and politics in the matter of "Negro suffrage". Along the way, Walther comments only on the matter of religion. "Negro suffrage" in the United States was a matter of politics. From Lehre und Wehre, vol. 11 (Dec. 1865), pp. 375-376:

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Negro suffrage and the Church. The Independent, the Puritan organ of the well-known politician Henry Ward Beecher, writes:

“Nearly every large religious body that has met since last spring has declared itself by an overwhelming majority in favor of Negro suffrage. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, representing every Northern State, has done so unanimously. The Congregationalists, the Methodists and Baptists, and other church denominations, representing baptizing pulpits and hundreds of thousands of church members, are steadfastly on the side of Negro suffrage. The Republican party cannot possibly ignore this Christian (!) testimony! It has owed all its successes hitherto only to the support given it by the moral and religious convictions of a free people, and if it conflicts with these convictions, its defeat and ruin are certain.” 

Just as the northern newspapers extolled the fervor of the northern churches in abolitionist and socialist politics, they, on the other hand, portray the spirit of the southern churches as an opposition, although equally political, spirit in the blackest colors. The Louisville correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette, in his report of Oct. 18, exclaims:

“It is a mysterious enigma, which only eternity can solve, whence it comes that the church is the last refuge of secessionism and proslavery. Whence is it that, while the rebel-soldiers, rebel-statesmen, and rebel-infidels of the former rebel States are abandoning the doctrines and institutions which have been subjected to decision by arms, the church of the various evangelical denominations of the South still cling with desperate tenacity to the causes of all our recent calamities?” 

Further, a correspondence from St. Louis to the Chicago Tribune states: 

“The greatest band of traitors that has been assembled in this State since the surrender of Jeff Thompson's army, is the Old School Presbyterian Synod, now assembled in this city.” 

As to the judgment of the Northern press on the sentiments and conduct of the Southern churches, one may confidently subtract a good part, for the Northern abolitionist, socialist zealotry does not agree with it, is testimony enough to the abolitionist fanatics for highly treacherous reaction, and these heroes of liberty are now naturally becoming all the more ungenerous, the more clearly they realize that the golden age is drawing to a close, when in this land of freedom only those were allowed to speak their mind who hold with them. [as documented also of the recent Democratic presidency of Joe Biden] Of course, the Roman Church is rubbing its hands with glee at the current state of the so-called Protestant communities in this country. The Friend of Truth [Wahrheitsfreund; Catholic newspaper] of the 25th writes: 

“While the Catholic Church knows no North and South, no East and West and embraces all its children with equal love, and is thus the true religion of the Union, there is the greatest disunity and discord among the various [Protestant] sects.” 

Here, of course, Römling conceals the fact that in recent years there has also been the greatest political strife in his church [as with Catholic Vice President J.D. Vance and radical Catholics] in this country and that his Friend of Truth itself, as a representative of radicalism, was so badly attacked by his own co-religionists that he declared it beneath his dignity to communicate and refute such crude attacks to his readers. [As with today’s liberal radicals.] It is true, however, that the Roman Church has this advantage over all other religious communities, that despite all the “disunity and discord” that prevails within it, it always finally comes together again in the confession: “We all believe in – One Pope.” W.

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      Walther identifies Beecher as a politician, while the Wikipedia article calls him a "Congregationalist clergyman". His newspaper considers itself a voice for "Christian testimony" but Walther clearly disputes this with his inserted exclamation point "!". Walther is more correct, and puts Beecher in the camp of "the Northern abolitionist, socialist zealotry". This ideology has in many ways governed the United States since the end of the Civil War. 

      There is much history surrounding this story and one can spend considerable time learning about the people involved. For example, the history of Confederate General Jeff Thompson, a handsome, rugged, respected military figure of the Confederacy, was fascinating to me. But Walther passes over all political and military matters and focuses solely on spiritual matters. One will understand the separation of Church and State in the practice of the old Missouri Synod, certainly not from "Northern abolitionist, socialist zealotry"!