Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1846-12-31
OF 7 Il L A G E
THURSDAY, DEC. 81, 1916.
Election 5lh Of January,
FOR COMPASSIONATE DISTRICT,
LUCEUS b. PECK. .
POLlTICO-RELIGIOUS NEWS PAPERS,
THE FEDERAL CLERGY.

HE tEDEkAL CLEkH1.
Much has been said, and justly TOO, in condem-
alton Of tho food Of fictitious publications, with
which for few years past, the American public
has been deluged. The decrious influence OF
this species Of literature has been ably portrayed,
and decidedly condemned, in reference 10 its viii
atns and immoral effect upon the minds of Amer
lear youth, and through them upon the civil and
political institutions Of our country
But greO, as is the evil to be Opprehendcd from
this source, it shrinks into comparative nothing
ness, when the influence Of political Clrgymcn,
and poliiico religious newspapers, are taken in
to view OF this class of self styed clergymcn we
have heretofore brief, spoken and we purpose
now TO notice one OF their organs, more particular
~ We have been informed, on what we consider
10 be the best Of authority, that these Federal
Priests, through their conventions, associations,
correspondence, or other medium, havo agreed up
on an organized opposition TO the administration
and TO the War, as was the case with this same
class Of men during Mr. Madson's administration.
heard of the reasonable language made use of by
the shallow.pated fellow at Norwich on the
Sabbath next succeeding our annual Thanks.
giving, bu, the conviction was more strongly fore
ed upon us on perusing the following from the
"Dollar Newspaper neutral sheet printed in
Philadelphia, under date of Dec. 23d;
OLD AND NEW ISLANDERS REV..
WE'D.
When clcrgymen enter the field Of phi
Iosophical politics, to show that free gov
eminent is a divine ordinance for main
tanning Gods moral government Of men
and that iree-government, righteously ad.
ministered, is the extention Of Christiani-
ty from individual seIEgovernment TO the
government Of men in society, they moi
only discharge very important duty o.
their vocation but render esa1tialfeaEin4
But when they enter the battle ground Of
partisan politics, and convert their pulpi,s
into stumpS for serving the local and TEN.
porary interests Of factions, they not only
prostitute their profession, but make
themselves instruments of ISLANDERS and
lies, and foment envy, hatred and malice
and all uncharitableness, and sometimes
treason, prlvy conspiracy and rebellion.
In the partisan conflicts that succeeded
The retirement Of Washington from the
Presidency, portion ofthe clergy, espec.
tally in New England and New York thus
prosttued their pulpits to faclious purpos
es; and making Mr. Jefferson, then the
leader of the "Repnblican" party, the OBJ
ject Of their especial hostility, they assaiI-
ed him with every imaginable SANDER
They spared neither his public or private
life, his official administration nor his fire.
side. But time has rendered justice to
both parties. The lustrious author Of
The Declaration Of Independence, and OF
The annexation Of Louisiana, stands yindi.
Gated, as bold philanthropist, pure
patriot, a sagacious statesman, an accom-
plished scholar, scientific inquirer, a
just and benevolent man; aud his clerical
rcvilers stand beside him, when remem-
bered at all, as ignorant, narrow minded,
malignant fomentcrs of the evil passions OIL
the day.
So decisive has been the judgement Of
the present generation between Mr.. Jeff,
erson and his revllers, as to furnish {
powerful restraint upon the most of those
who, at The present day, might be dspos
ed to follow their pitilul example. Blu
the restraint is not complete. Occasion
ally one can be found, bold enough in the
pentitude of his ignorance, or of his reli
ance upon the ignorance Of his hearers ,tc
revive tales which the enlightened and
honest poor long since repudated, or &c
invent tales OF similar character. or this
a case is recorded in the New York
Globe Of Saturday, in a sermon preached
in one OF the New York puIpits on the re-
cent Thanksgiving Day. In this sermon,
the reverend demagogue, for clergyman
who can say such things in his pulpit, es-
peciaIly on day OF national gratitude for
the mercies and bounties of Providence,
richly deserves the epthet, after saying
what every enlightened mind now indi-
Gales, that, this country was once in dan
ger from the infdeIity ofthe French Rev.
olLtion, and after falsely imputing TO Mr.
Jefferson the principle agency in "dissem-
mating the poison" charged that illustr-
Gus man with having made the following
remark: Gin fifty years Christianity will
be de(unct, and the Bible unknown in
this country except as a curious old book.
He said tina, this remark had nsvsr been
published, but was known 10 be authentic
As this remark, imputed to Mr. Jefferson,
was never before published, and is now
first published in the Reverend Gentle
mans sermon, upon whose authority does
it rest? Hs own! We pronounce it a
s'anderous fabrication, and defy him to
prove it; and we give him the alternative
Of producing authentic evidence, or Of