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Show THE RELIGIOUS WAR. 269 He escorted us through his fine orchard, plucking and presenting us in a hospitable manner with luscious apples and pears. There was no "forbidden fruit" in that garden. CHAPTER LV "THE RELIGIOUS WAR." The Hon. Thomas Macon, in speaking of Canon, said: " The first settlement was made up of all classes, the vicious element predominating. The second settlement began in 1864, and the settlers were of the highly moral order, and like the Puritans of old, were determined to lay the foundation of social and sound moral principles; allowing every one to worship according to the dictates of his own conscience, provided always the conscience was so far enlightened as to accept their theology. " With this high and holy purpose, about twenty families arrived at Canon in July, 1864, and at once resolved, first, that the earth belonged to the saints; second, that they were the saints; and proceeding to act upon their conclusion, took possession of the vacant houses in the town. " They were of the old-fashioned orthodox Baptist creed; looked upon infant baptism as a sin against the Holy Ghost, and missionary enterprises as casting the children's bread to the dogs. " They came without a shepherd, but they had a ' singing master,' who taught them to sing, and with his assistance they praised the Lord on Sunday. " For a time all went on smoothly, but in an evil hour a wolf came to harass this flock of lambs, in the shape of a Universalist preacher, and they were sore distressed. |
