The Express.
London, England, 1868-09-23 00:00:00

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rLONDON,WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23.

POLITICS AND THE CLERGY.

Da. blamt, the vicar of Greenwich, in re-
cording his vote for Mr. GeAns'roxe, touched upon
a subject about which a strong feeling exists both
on the part of the clergy and of the laity. " I
" take," ho said, " a lively interest in public
'• affairs, but feel that direct spiritual usefulness
should be my aim, and that for this I must be
" content to sacrifice to some extent my liberty
'• of speech and action in political matters." We
think that in this instance Dr. MILLER is right in
his judgment, but at the same time it seems to us
that there is frequently a good deal of false feeling
manifested with regard to what is right or wrong
on the part of the clergy. We are apt to regard
them, and for that matter they too often regard
themselves, not as members of the commonwealth,
but as a class of men separated from the laity by
distinct aims and interests. This Las been ever a
fruitful source of evil in the Roman Catholic
Church—an evil greatly strengthened and inten-
sified by the celibacy of the privets. In a much
smaller, but to a very perceptible degree, the feel-
ing acts, we think, injuriously in this country.
True it is that the work to which the clergyman or
dissenting minister has dedicated his life does in a
manner separate him from secular affairs. To
study well, to preach well, to administer con-
solation to the sick and dying, to orga-
nise and superintend charitable agencies is
enough, no doubt, to tax to the uttermost
the energies of a clergyman. We don't complain
of his devotion, and can understand how in a few
cases this ie so powerful as to prevent his taking
an active interest in what is going on in the world
around him. But then the devotion must be in-
tense, indeed, to justify this abstraction. Gene-
rally, however, a clergyman finds leisure for
amusement, for reading the newspaper, for dis-
cussing the politico of the day, and for a multipli-
city of concerns unconnected with his professional
work. It is well for him that he can find it, well
for his sanity of mind and body ; well, too,
for those who look up to him as their
spiritual teacher. We take it that the ininence of
a clergyman is lessened if ho is simply occupied
with clerks"l duties, if his sympathies are con-
tined to his cloth, if the great social and political
questions of the day are unheeded by him, and if
he shrinks with nervous apprehension from the
discussion of any subject which is occupying the
attention of thoughtful men.
The first virtue in a Christian minister is
howdy, the second honesty, the third honesty.
Ile, of all men, should be open to receive
truth from whatever quarter it may come ;
he, of all men, should be the most out-
spoken and courageous in the defence of
his belief, but his nature will not be thus
receptive, nor can he act with the manliness
required of him if he regards himself as belonging
to a peculiar and privileged caste, or considers
that his interests are different from those of hie
fellow men, Dr. Mu,LER has been courageous