Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-04-09
Politics and Religion,


question whether clergymen should treat Of po-
litical questions either in their pulpit or through
religious periodicals
1t is obvious that this question requires more
precise determinations than newspapers are apt
to make No one will deny that the highest
and most commanding relations sustained by
human being are, his moral relations to Cod
that his supreme duty is, obedience to Cod
that his greatest interest is identified with obedi-
ence to God. What the Sd preme Ruler com
mands, is morally Right; what lie iorbids, is
morally Wrong. Questions are continually
arising in the course of human affairs, which
concern chiefly or altogether Right or Wrong.
These questions are Of the highest and most Vi
tai interest to man. There are other questions
again, involving incidentally Right or Wrong;
and they are next in Importance,
The moral relations of man to his God,
and to his fellow men, are the peculiar subjects
of the care and supervision of Church. The
clergymen of Church are the religious teach
ers, whose vocation it is, to trace out distinctly
all these relations, and their requirements, in
every form of life and, society Whenever,
therefore, question agitates the puplic mind
the first duty Of the religious teacher is to in
quire whether it involves mans moral rela-
tions; if it does, to what eXtent;-and his next
duty is, to show and enforce the requirements of
the laws of the Supreme Governor, just to that
extent. 1t matters not what shape or style the
question may take-socia, literary pecuniary,
economical, or POLITICAL just in so far as it in
wolves moral right or wrong, just in so far as it
affects mans moral relations to God and his
fellow man, it is legitimate subject of discus
sion for the religious teacher, and of action for
the Church.
In some questions the moral element is clear
ly the predominant one. Such are the ques-
tions connected with Temperance, Slavery,
War, and our policy towards the Aborigines OF
the country. These undoubtedly may, and do
at times, assume political shape on account Of
the merely political considerations associated
with them; but the moral element is always con-
spicuous in them, to such an extent, indeed, that
primarily they must be regarded as moral queS
lions. Now, Just SO far as they affect mora
relations-that is, mans duties to his God
and his fellow man-they are to be tested by
moral law, and to be treated of by the Church
and its religious teachers.
1t will be noticed that we do not argue this
subject-but merely discriminate and state po
stions, trusting to common sense to ratify
them.
Again, there are questions which we MAJ
suppose to be started in the community-for ex
ample, whether there ought to be State CAurcI
whether there ought to be complete freedom
Of Observation-Disclosures it were not proper tc
abolish the rites of matrimony, and tolerate
promiscuous Observation-Disclosures brothels ough
not to be licensed. All these might assume thu
form Of political questions, but everybody see
that they would be primarily moral, and that
would be monstrously absurd to deny to clergy
men the right to discuss such questions on reli
gious grounds, or question the right ofthe Churcl
to act in regard to them
But, there is another class of political ques
tions in which the Moral Element may be more
obscure, or latent The religious teacher may
find it difficult so to develope this element t,
the common understanding as to secure assen
to the propriety of his discussion of the ques
tion. In all such cases, he must be wise as
serpent and yet firm as a rock. OF this elias
of questions, is that of free trade in England
Many of the Ministers in that kingdom deemed
it their duty to hold convention on the subjec
of the Corn Laws and express their opinion
in favor of their repeal-on this ground distinct
ly, that these laws operated to demoraize til
laboring classes, and counterGc the effect ofthe
religious teachings. For one, we can see moth
ing to blame in such conduct
The prevailing evil of our country in regar
to Politics is, practical Atheism, In the esti
nation of large portion of the Political Press
once make any question Political, and you ter
inmate mans moral responsibilities in regar
to it. No matter if it before involved hg
moral considerations, now it has nothing to d.
with right or wrong, but is to be solely deter
mined upon grounds of political or party expe
dency. War is horrible evil and wickedness
and the clergyman may denounce it as such
but, when it comes up in the National Legisla
ture or between Parties, as practical question
" Shall there be war or no WARP then let tn
Church be dumb, and the minister hold hi
peace, and men act, as if there were no Godl-
The UNANIMOUSLY bIasphemous assumption is thg
when political demagogues, or the People if yo
will, say let this be political question, Go
has nothing to do with it. That is-the Peopl
may take any moral relation they please, an
declare that it is no longer moral relation -
may remove any great moral question from tn
sphere to which God has assigned it, to the 10,
ground Of state or party expedency, and the
say to the Almighty, hitherto shalt Thou com
and no farther!
This, we say, is the prevailing vice of Amel
lean Politics. BY the base acts of politics
demagogues, unthinking people have been deli
ded into the grossest practical Atheism. CT,
siruati Herald
Shade Of Washington! fellow, by the name