The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-02-02

Hhe SRT&y ana the o8huve s'aVe Bill
There was certain class Of ministers Of the
gospel In some sections Of the country, who de-
nounced from the pulpit our last struggle with
Great Britain as an unholy and unjust war, who
denounced from the pulpit all who aided and as
nsted the government in prosecuting it, and who
exered themselves in their pnesty character, aad
rs individuals, to bring defeat and disgrace the
American arms. The trades of abuse, the whole
sale denunciaton, and the quantity OF vtuperation
which was poured forth by those amable disciples
Of the " meek and lowly Jesus" could scarcely be
credited, were il not that their sermons were pre-
served, and many of them printed and filed, for
the wonderment and amazement Of posterity.
Those sermons show TO what an extent OF fan att
sism the clergy will go when they lose sight OF
their calling, and, throwing aside the emblems Of
peace, arm and array themselves in opposition TO
government, TO law, and TO the opinions Of man.
kind. Some clergy men Of that day openly coua-
selled disobedience to the laws Of the highest
tribunal known TO our government, and threatened
70, II they did not actually, excommunicate, not
with "bell, book, and candle" as was the prac-
ice in former ages, but with fierce denunciation,
all who stood by their country in that struggle.
We had hoped that no such exhibition would ever
again be made by the clergy Of any section Of the
United States-we had hoped that in our day, at
least, we would not witness clergymen unrobing
themselves and preaching disobedience to the laws
70 their congregations, deneuncing Congress for
passing them because they did no, agree with their
private judgment, and counselling fanatics, like
themselves, TO violate the law even INTO the death
But we have been disappointed II has been done
IN this very city, the metropolis OF the Union-the
seat Of art, refinement, and civilization-and with
churches Astounding in every ward While we
have benevolent institutions without number, and
missionary societies for Outstanding the heather
Va foreign lands; while we have societies for spread.
ing the peaceful doctrines Of the Bible before all
mankind, we have clergymen who advocate mar
der, and counsel fugitives to shoot down all who
attempt TO arrest them IN pursuance OF law which,
II constitutional, all are bound to obey; and II the
reverse, can be set aside, and declared null, by
competent tribunal one OF the most auocious
and infammatory discourses that has been deliver
ed from the pulpit since the passage Of the Fugitive
Slase law. is one Of the Rev. Charles Beecher In
relation to that measure, he held the following Ian
gusge, which we extract from a copy OF his SER
mon, recently from the hands Of the printer
This Law then s wrong In the sight Of @ cd and man
1T 10 an unexamplsd climsr Of sin IL IL the mon.
ever ON the pag. Of history . the vilest ant Of
infsmy Of the nineteenth century Russia knsws no
thing like r. Hungary blesses God that she suf
fered rom anything worse than Haynau And nations
afar OF pause awhile from their worship Of blocks Of
wsod and stone 70 ask, What vii those Christians do
next
God from his throne who beholds all the nations OF
the earth, looks down and Christ who hung,rs and
thirstsis naked sick and In prison With Of the
least Of his brsthrea looks down 70 What gigantic
cuminatiou Of guilt, What accommodation % shame and
sin, proceeding TO It's contamination; for remark
that there IL yet thing more guilty than the act
Opposing this Law There 10 yet one step wanting 10
render esmplsts end swfui In the sight OF God
mighty guilt and that step IL obedlsnce TO the Law
Ihat u sin even mors sxquistely sinful than the
making o. the aw isslf for two hrst because
~ has the whole srociousn.ss o. the lev itself aud
secondly because has the whsle atrociousness OF q
eso AZ the freedom q conscience sns Of private judg
ment
Ifthis Law Is obeysi what does Christian DO and
Why aoee ne 90 ~ answer, he commits an act OF
piracy and ne does Y because the Law says so and be-
cause be must obey the Law right wrong a. long a.
Nhs These are the two elsmsnts OF vullt I'm the
obedience OF this Law First what IL H. ..eond ~hv
It's First. piracy feoopd, Popery
why does any man imagine he ouxht 70 obav IN.
h~Y What the Jesuiticsl plea which /. IndustrI.
ousy inculcstsd By the high priests OF Molo,h ara
Mamnopf IL b because he wants 10 keep on the .a,.
side By obeying law Because he told that IN. pro
Der var 10 10 obey until the Law bs altered n
be Is ted IL Ia vronR do right unle.s The 70