Valley Spirit

Ewell Supercedes Early--The Enemy Expected to Assume the Offensive.

Hd.Qrs., Middle Military Div.
November 8.

General Sheridan has received informa[tion] that the rebels intend to immediately assume the offensive. General Ewell has superseded General Early in command of the rebel troops in the valley. Yesterday Fitzhugh Lee's Division of cavalry was at Wardensville, on Cacapon River. Imboden was also reported there. The rebel force at this point was over five thousand strong. Mosby has been reinforced by a regiment of Virginia cavalry, and was yesterday at Berryville.

A raid is expected on Winchester, or on the line of General Sheridan's communications. The rebel movements have already been counteracted. To-day a force from General Kelley's command successfully attacked a rebel force that was moving towards Moorfield. A general engagement is now looked for in a day or two. There is much indicating that the rebels will attempt to flank General Sheridan in his position at Cedar Creek. Early has gone to Richmond.

On last Sunday morning a week--the Sunday immediately preceding the Presidential Election--the Lutheran congregation of the place were regaled with another Abolition harangue from the lips of the Rev. F. W. Conrad, the Pastor in charge. We were not present to hear him, but we are told that such his "speech" was disgusting and insulting in the extreme. As is well known, no sooner had this man Conrad taken charge of the congregation than his pulpit was converted into a political rostrum for the fulmination of Abolition heresies and unqualified denunciation of all who did not fully square up to the new standard of "loyalty" as laid down by Abraham Lincoln and his worshippers; but it is said this last effort capped the climax of fanaticism, and some few to our certain knowledge who still had a little faith in him as a christian minister, have none at all now--having becoming thoroughly convinced that he is nothing more than a noisy, windy, half-crazed bigot and fanatic.

We regret exceedingly to be compelled to speak thus plainly of a professed minister of Christ. We have heretofore refrained from saying aught while urged to do so by others. But forbearance has ceased to be a virtue. We conceive it to be our duty, as it is that of all right-thinking persons, to raise our voice against this glaring evil which is rending in twain the Church of the Redeemer. We write more in sorrow than in anger; for the Rev. F. W. Conrad's Church is our Church. In her worship we took delight, and in her communion and fellowship we realized many seasons of enjoyment in the days when men were not reviled and persecuted by their brethren for entertaining honest and conscientious political convictions, and before the pulpit of the Church was turned into a rostrum and the demon of fanaticism had usurped the place of the Prince of Peace.

On the occassion [sic] referred to the reverend gentleman, we are informed, undertook to instruct this hearers how to vote! He in effect stated that all who did not vote for Abraham Lincoln would be eternally damned! Did mortal man ever hear of such a bold and shameless assumption? Where does the Reverend Conrad obtain the right to instruct the people how to vote? Where does he find his authority for making the political opinions of a man the ground of his damnation? Surely not in the great commission which directs him to go into all the world and preach the Gospel (not politics) to every creature. We are astonished that christian professors can countenance such a mockery of religion--such a prostitution of the sacred office of the ministry--such a violation of the holy Sabbath day--such a desecration of the pulpit and sanctuary of the most High God!

Among the most mischievous influences which inaugurated the civil war now raging in the land, and have since exasperated to diabolical hatred and inhuman thirst for blood thousands of otherwise well meaning men, and even inflamed to fury many of the gentler sex, is the prostitution of the pulpit to partisan purposes and the degredation [sic] of clergymen from their former position of usefulness to that of blatant advocates of destruction. The preaching of the Reverend Conrad is of this character and has this tendency. His speeches, or sermons if you please, are generally more noted for rhapsody and denunciation, than for logic or truthfulness. His style is of the transcendental type, largely partaking of the ranting and enthusiastic. With all the zeal of a monomaniac, he combats an imaginary foe--places him in a vulnerable position, and then demolishes with a ruthless hand, the creation of his own brain, and claims with great egotism a tremendous victory.

The introduction of politics into the pulpit by a faithless ministry, is the main cause of the low state of religion in the land; and we cannot reasonably expect the Church to prosper so long as the ministry are recreant to their ordination vows, and continue to prostitute their sacred office. While they minister in unholy things, and inflame the passions of the people, and alienate a large portion of the community by their fanatical course--the worship of God will wane--the courts of the sanctuary will be neglected--and Zion will languish. Their ministration will be partial, and pertain almost exclusively to things that are earthly and transient. Instead of luring the soul to the skies, they chain it to the earth. Instead of Christ, they preach an earthly potentate. Instead of promoting charity and good will, they stir up strife and contention.

We pity a fallen minister, whose apostacy can be traced to extraordinary temptations; but we execrate one who deliberately "steals the livery of Heaven to serve the Devil in." We honor the minister who stoops not to soil his office with unministerial acts, one who can preach Christ to all--who has access to all--who can beseech all to be reconciled to God. Alas, how few yet remain in the pulpit who have not by their foolish course, destroyed their usefulness. We could record numerous instances where excellent and pious families have been driven from the Church by this suicidal crime. No church can prosper under such a ministry.

To the class of ministers we have been describing belongs the Reverend Conrad. Reverend Conrad, a professed follower of the meek and lowly Jesus; Reverend Conrad, who chose the profession of preaching salvation to a fallen race; Reverend Conrad, who came to announce glad tidings of the gospel of peace and to save souls from perdition, (except "copperheads"); Reverend Conrad, whose Master declared His kingdom was not of this world, and who prayed not for the world but for those whom the Father had given him out of the world; Reverend Conrad, a wolf in sheep's clothing, who preaches to the animal and not to the spiritual man, for the applause of the multitude, and not for a crown of life. In so doing, does he follow the example of the great Teacher, during his mission on the earth? Did the Savior ever make political speeches? Did the Apostles ever go along with the Cabal, idolizing and glorifying man? Did the Disciples who were to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, betray their mission and make stump speeches in the synogogue [sic] or elsewhere? Truly is the prophecy fulfilled that in the last days perilous times shall come, with false teachers having itching ears, turning many from the faith. From such turn away.

On Wednesday morning last about 10 o'clock, Mrs. Snoke, wife of William Snoke, now a prisoner in Richmond, was found dead in the tenant house of Mr. Henry Shearer, in which she resided, about one mile from Orrstown, in this county. A jury of inquest was promptly summoned by William H. Blair, Esq., and a post-mortem examination of the corpse was made by Drs. Kennedy, of Orrstown, and Hunter, of Strasburg. After a thorough examination of the body, and a searching investigation of the circumstances attending the case, the jury found that she came to her death by means of poison administered with an intent to produce abortion; the deceased being in an advanced stage of pregnancy. On Saturday last, Dr. S. D. Kell, a physician of Orrstown, was arrested with the perpetration of the crime and was brought to this place and confined in prison. He was brought before one of the Judges of our Court on Monday last and admitted to bail in the sum of $5,000. It seems to us that the bail taken in this case is insufficient, and that persons charged with crimes of such high grade should be held in a larger amount. Some of our Judges, however, appear to have reversed the usual order of things and demand bail in an inverse ratio to the grade of crime charged; as an evidence of which we would refer our readers to a recent case of Assault and Battery in which $5,000 bail was demanded.