New-York daily tribune., 1845-01-21
Balch,s Political Sermon.


the fret Monday in February.
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Balch's Political Sermon
Tee interference in Political controversies Of
ofciergymen az clergyman is happily becoming
less and less ccmmcn. As msn and citizens,
they have just as good might 10 attend caucnses
and, yard meetings. heave hard att the erection Of
ash or hickory polls, and jollify over party VIC
tories, rs any body else. Bot when the preacher
converts bis pulpit Offices on days esteemed
sacred into weapons OF party controversy and
ae1terously assais bis political opponents under
the cloak Of worshipping God, giving them no
chance to expose his misrepresentation Or dissl
pate his sophistries, he takes an unfair advantage
and is guilty of perversion of his fcnctioDs ana
opportunities, whicn 10 sincerity or carnestness
of conviction will Justify. He may mean to state
fairly the points in controversy, yet he cannot
but be aware, from his experience in sectarian
polemics, that no party isever fairly and satisfac
torily represented by bitter adversary, Who has
it all mis- own way. The propositions which ne
lays down as covering tde ground in controversy
will rarely or never be recognized as doing SO by
opponents; and while he may gain over some OF
the iLinformed and unrefecting by pushing his
advantage to the utmost and investing his parti
san harangue with the odor Of sanctity which
naturally attaches to pulpit ninistra,ons, he can
hardly fail to offend and deeply wound those OF
his congregation who feel that their own cherish,
ed principles have been insidiously assailed in
p!acs from which and by person from whom
they had right to expect immunity. If Politics
are to become the staple of their pulpit herapgues,
they feel that their side should have fair chance
In an edi6ce which their means have aided to
build and in minstrations which they regularly
contribute to support The natural consequence
is that the preacher does honor to his society
than good to his party, and unless he regards the
prosperity of the latter as offsr greater moment,
his pulpit-politics prove as much 8 matter of bad
policy as of bad faith.
The author of the Sermon before US belongs to
denomination Che UniversalisD whose minis
ters have rot, so far as we are aware, been re-
Inarkable for making their pulpit-dscourses the
medium of partisan pIosslytism. In our City, at
least, aud tho same has been noted elsewhere,
they have been moro apt to fall into the opposite
error Of allowing their duty to abstain from po-
htical partisanship as olergymen TO limit and OBJ
strnct the discharge Of their proper duties cit
2ens. With them, as with far too many other
elergymen, it has been common and true re-
mark, don't belong TO any party-I seldom
vote ut all-as if political duties were no duties
at sl but mere privileges TO be exercised or neg
lccted at pleasure. With Mr.. Balch, however,
the case has been entirely and steadily different.
He came among US from Rhode Island, where he
bad been las he states in this Sermon) ardentiy
and actively associated with Dorr aud his CON-
patriots in all thcirprior operations We believe we
do not mistake in saying that he by this course
broke up his Society in Providence or so distracted
it tastorender his departure exceedingly desirabloi
not imperative!y necessary. Coming thus among
us, It is net surprising, though unfortunate, tina,
he has felt impelled, when out of the pulpit, to
preach Dorr more than Christ, and to take sweet
counsel with the David Parmenters, Seth Lu.
thers and Ely Moores, who were engaged in the
Dorr agitation, quite as freely and cordially es
with his brethren in the ministry.
The Sermon before US is the first, 50 far es we
arc aware, of his published pulpit discourses on
his all ongrossng theme. We will not doab;
that it is in his miad an honest aud straght.i for
ward production, yet we are sure nothing can be
more unfair or calculated to produce more unjus,
impressions on the minds not fully informed on
the subject. Nine.tenihs of it are devoted 10
the assertion and illustration OF principles which
all Americans would agree to, and from these
the author glides noiseessly and skiltully to the
assumption that Dorrism and these principles are
Identical, and that Dorr is their champion and
martyr. Is not this below the average fairness
of political sermonizing
Let US elucidate the vital point which MIR.
Balch's discourse laboriously and insidiously ob-
scures and covers. All men are born free ano
equal Very good, we observe, and al women
too. Every human being is entitled. by the
mere fact OF his being, to the absolute protection
of the law, and 10 unmolested, unrestricted pos
session and use of his faculties, his sinews, and
his property. ANY institution or law which de.
prives him of any of these is wrong, and ought
to be abolished Every individual, of age TO dis
tinguish night from wrong, is bound to obey the
laws; every one, though an infant or an idiot
Is entitled 70 equal guardianship and defence
from the State. But are all therefore entitled
to en- equal poiee and COTE IN making and alter.
eng the Iatos7 There is no form of Goyerames,
under heaven whics practically answers this
question in the affirmative. The woman, the
boy, who commits q crime is puaished for it,
though the latter has never ye. bsen allowed .
voice in fixing the laws to which he is held anne
nable, and the former never has nor ever will
have. Yet a boy of eighteen or woman Is very
often better qualified to exercise The Right o.
Suffrage ia,ell;gen,ly and usefrlly than 'hau-
sands on thousands OF the legal v0te,s. Here is
n poor Immigrant vho landed in the country bn'
yesterday, VITO has no shadow OF Political Fran
ohise among us vet if ne commits crime we