Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-11-01

tachments. They will support their man, not
withsanding they obliged to submit to the NOR
tfcation of having their most confident assertions
on the same question fatty contradiced by him.
and although they find it exceedingly difficult to
keep on his devious track!
AS ministers should be free from such spirit
and practice, they should refrain from ertering,
as stump orators, or otherwise, into the noisy and
heated debates of a campaign, on subjects of fl
nancia or commercial character.
The minister should not be political disputant
in his private intercourse with his parshioners.-
He has other work to perform, which should be at
tended to with diligence and prayer. Nor is it
judged proper that he should take an active part
in the primary meetings of any political party for
the nomination of candidates for office. Let him
do his Duty will soon be pointed out, and there
will be call for his services at such places 9TH
er than to address them on the grand subject Of
duty and responsibility.
do not think the minister ought to be a candid
ate for, or holder Of any civil office; especially if
he is PASTOR having charge of church and con-
gregation, 1t is his chief, his UhoIe business, to
preach the pure divinity and sound morality Of the
Bible; and being an officer in the church of God,
it is not fitting that he should hold office under the
civil government, which is another department in
the Lords administration.
The minister should exercise the elective fran
chise. He is a citizen, and owes to the govern
ment which protects him the duty of casting his
vote for the preservation Of the safety, peace
and prosperity of the nation" He owes this duly
to each member of the commonwealth, and to him
self: aud he is chargeabe with want of friend
ship for his country and countrymen, or with
want of consistency, if he will not express that
friendship in way which, Of all others, is best
calculated to secure their we'll being. We are
aware that an argument is attempted to be drawn
against ministers voting for rulers, from the ST.
lence of the New Testament upon the subject
We are told that it is no where en- joIned in the
Gospel. We reply, Neither is it forbidden. But
if silence proves any thing for the obiector, it
proves that no Christian should vote; and, as all
men ought to be Christians, so, no man ought to
vote; and if no man ought to vote; then man ought
to be voted for; and having reached the end Of the
logic, we find ourselves &c no government men'
with witness.
IL is The minister's duty to inculcate The princi-
pies Of morality m connection lOHh political faith
and practice.
He should preGch and ,Orite on the relative du
ties of the governors and the governed, as did the
Great Apostle to the Gentiles: reminding rulers to
rule in the fear Of God, being just: and the people,
that the po,Cers that he, are ordained of God.-
| nd bn ic
to resist God He should incuIcate the duty of
making Uo'ing, as we'll as every other act, re-
gious act. edo all to the glory of God" He
should enforce the duty of selecting such men for
rulers rs will observe the ordinances of the Lord,
and enact laws which will be just and equal. On
all these subjects God has given us directions
He neither regarded it as out of his appropriate
work, nor as polluting himselfo teach and enforce
these political duties. Inspired men have taken
up these subjects as those that were neither above
nor below them, but as coming within their proper
sphere as servants of the Most High God 1t APP
pears to me that the minister who will not reform
political sins, nor inculcate political duties, has
strangely forgotten his work viii he see the
Lord about to visit for national sins and avenge
llUlStIl Vi people WIN OlStl IIllI; duu uol wal
the guilty of impending WRATH Will he see the
people, by their political action, trampIing on all
the principles of Bible morality, and yet hold his
peace? Will he listen to the assembled mass who
in their noisy shouts " call the proud happy" aud
&c set up those who work Wckedness," and deliv-
, err those who tempt Cod" and not NEEDLE with
politics enough to warn them, at proper times
that they will be ''cursed with curse?" iea
that ministers-at least some Of them-h0ve but a
partial view of the great designs -four holy reli-
} gion They preach well on the great subjects OF
repentance, faith aud holiness, and labor album
dainty to get men converted to God and may
God speed them in the work But do they not for
get that the people are to he instructed to carry
principles and practices of holiness into all the
walks of active life?
| despair Of ever seeing the offices and control oil
| the country placed in proper hands, and politics
divorced from adulterous connection with all tha
is vile and false and hateful, until the minister of
pure morality and holy religion shall arise W
! for God against the evil doors, and stand up fo
him against the workers of nquity." | know
that this will subject them to the reproach Of the
h wicked who are quite willing we should have ou
e religion so long it does not disturb them in the
e destiny of the nation involving the moral state o
2 millions, and placing the nation, as it does in al
r attitude of hostility to the Universal Sovere gn i