Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-01-02
RELIGION and Politics.
erprise.

If the precepts and doctrines Of religion or
christianity, as unaffected through the divine
laws inculcated by our Saviour, were sufficient
to influence human beings to lead upright and
correct lives, and to deal equitabIy and justly
with each other, no necessity would exist for
human enactments or civil governments-but
the natural endowment of mankind with good
and evil propensities and the proneness OF the
evil to predominant over the good, renders 1t
necessary to resort to human agency to enforce
regulations and laws in conformity to the high
er instincts OF our natures. Hence, the origin
and necessity for civil enactments and human
governments to enforce them. Politics, or the
art of civil government, has then common
aim with religion-that of promoting the well
fare and good OF mankind the accomplishment
of which, however, admits of diverse means
The one is practical, and looks to definite re-
sults-the other is merely theoretical, and COM
prehends only principles, pithout providing for
their enforcement. Thus, politics seeks to pro-
mote the physical comfort of society. by the
enforcement of laws and obligations that rem
der life and property secure, while religion op
crates by intoxicating principles and sentiments
calculated to obviate the necessity of all other,
make duty paramount to necessity. In this
discover the true distinction between religion
and politics. The divine law instituted in the
decalogue enjoinins honesty in these words
Thou shalt not steal,' is as imperative as any
human enactment, ard is only made the more
binding in the latter case by the practical bear
ing of the penalties affixed by society to its in
fringement. -l... .....
Religion and political action correspond,
in that they are both gradual in their opera
tons and Announcements. Progression, with
each is limited to the conceptions of the human
mind. The principles ircucated by our Sa-
viour, nearly two thousand years ago,were cal
culated to produce the millenium-and vet
what progress has been made in the interven-
ing time. Have the evils that then existed,
been entirely eradicated or much improved >
And yet who believes christianity to be fail
Te," because its progress has been so gradual,
"' " oe "ihiosI iHiPeicePtluie 90, 100, with
political action-and lie; us apply it to our own
country Does it follow that american Inde.
pendence is failure because certain great prin-
ciples declared but three quarters of a century
ago, have failed to be entirely realized Our
forefathers believed "that all men were born
free and equal and with the enunci alton of
so noble principle, they took stand to sup
port and enforce it, and were successful, and in
the government that they formed, and the in
situations they have since originated, have thev
been endeavorilg to sustain and carry out the
great idea. How long time is required to
realize its whole truth, throughout even our
own land, who can say: And yet, some are
found-occupying the high and holy stations
of religious advlsers-who. from their sacred
desks presume to set limit to this time-nav,
would foreclose, torevermore. all chances for
the future An instance of this occurred I'M
der our own observation, on the occasion of
public discourse preached on our recent annu-
al holiday-in which the truly talented divine
assumed other positions, alike untenablc-but
which, being of minor Importance, we do not
consider it profitable to attempt to contr overt.
While we would not withhold from the &C.
cupant of the sacred desk the prerogative to
discuss national questions in their moral bear.
inss, we trust that pirate opinion, will never
be carried to such an extent as to produce a
bias that will justify the speaker in impugning
the motives of those who see fl to entertain
different views from his own.