Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-02-20
BISHOP CApERs AS A POLITICIAN.

FROM mltred priest, cries, De IL So.
To be forced TO relinquish, or even to quail
ify, q long cherished admiration of fellow
creature, who has been to us the very beau
ideal Of excellence in his particular voca'
tion, is one of the most unpleasant circnm'
stances Of life. 1t produces feeling not
unlike that experienced by one, traversing a
wilderness at night, when he observes an jill.
boding cloud concealing one Of the brightest
stars, by which he had guided his course II
this be true of the secular pursuits of life
how much more is il 50 of that @high calling,'
which is of God, he.mvisible and the Etcr-
nal When mere man of the world for
feits, BY some rash step, the power he had
been wont to exercise over his kind, though
the hearts of his followers may be deeply
panied for time, yet may the effects Of his
indiscretion ultimately rebound only upon
himself But when Ole, clad with the high and
sacred authority of a minister in holy things,
swervcs from the strict line of propriety, and
and SO far forgets the exalted dignity of that
service for which he has been solely SET apart,
rs even to lend the weight of his influence to
any particular line Of temporal policy, evil
results Of more general and serious eharac-
ter may well be anticipated. For, while NOR
tifcation and regret will be the only effects
produced upon many,it may still be difficult
to estimate the number Of those who, in spite
of their convictions, will follow blindly the
alterations of the Idol, rather than tear loose
its hold upon their affections. And hence
the greater danger of.such an error.
We have been led to these reflections from
observing the line Of conduct ctadopted by ser-
eral eminent Divines Of our State, within the
last few weeks, in relation 10 the political
course of South CAROLINA. While We will
lingly absolve these holy men, as far as our
opinion goes, from any impure or sinister de-
sign in striking: outfits singular course for
themselves, we are not the less impressed
with the dangerous tendency of the prece-
dent and the unhappy results that may, in
this instance, flow from it.. To contribute
our mite towards counteracting these infu-
ences, is our only amin writing this article.
When the Great Head of the Church
adwelt among men,ntHe, on several occa-
sions, pointedly rcbuked the efforts of those
who sought to entanglechim with their tcm-
poral affairs and civil disputes. "Who made
me Judge or a divaer over you?" was 4
question of deep import and came from the
lips of Infinite Wisdon: Render unto Cn-
sar, the things that are Caesars, and unto God,
the things that are GoS, was a marked ex-
preston of his determination only to point
out the general rules right, without
descending to the disdMiaaal Of any; par.
ticular case. And iEaaS 6eredEs from
the general tenor of that he.
sought to. inenleate q Sptiife anestrationI
sof shis sApostleshipi tess integffer.
once WITH tEs sdiSssR oaa and eohficfssof'
earthly governments Fliea history sofsChfis-
tendon, since that day;sertainly bears us out
in the assertion that thsre have been few de-
partures from these alE:wise injunctions, un-
attended with disastrous visitatons Of his
power, both temporal and spiritual.
We presume, however, that it is scarcely
necessary, in this day, to demonstrate the i'm
propriety Of Gospel-instructors volunteering
to advise people, under any circumstances,
upon measures Of State policy. This i'm
propricty becomes the more palpablc, in pro-
portion to the insuficiency of the grounds
set forth as excusing the interference. 1t is
well then, carefully to sean the political Epis-
ties that have recently emanated from certain
Christian Pastors in our midst, that we may
arrive at just appreciation of their cxtcnua-
ting points, if any such there be. We will
at this time confine ourselves to the circular
of Bishop Capers.
1t seems that the Reverend Bishop had just
returned from denominational tour through
the States of Tenn, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Alabama and Georgia, much influenced by
the hue and cry, that was raised on the par
ticular route he happened to take, against his
native State. He speaks with precisely such
feelings of alarm as one might have, who
had just discovered that South Carolina poll
tics had many enemies in the West-an item
tending to show, that, for political adviser,
his general information is rather stale. And
from this discovery, he Mt once deduces a
broad conclusion, unwarranted even by the
facts he developcs, as we will cndeavor to
show.
That he had, during the period of his ab-
sencc, given but little of his attention to the
political action Of our Legislature, is evident;
for he was, according to his own account, un-
acquainted with the fact, that the action of
that body looked to secession, as probable
and not very distant event. All his politi-
cal conversations then, while abroad, could
have had no bearing upon South Carolina,
only rs State resolved to resist 'cith the CO.
operation of other States. He was unaware
of the true issue that existed, until his return
home. How then could he have ascertained
tile feeling, even of that portion of the Wes-
tern people with whom he had intercourse,