The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-04-07
From the Richmond Enquirer.
The Political Priesthood.

RHC EUk1tsCNA kDtses1HOUGs
The Richmond Christian Advocate administers
just though severe rebuke 10 the political priest
hood of New England. 10 Introducing an extract
from the able ar.Icle in the Advocate, we canno
iorbear expression of qualification at the manly
! and patriotic stand which the Mehodists Of the
South have assumed and maintain in the conro
versv between Northern fanatcism and Southern
slavery. Rather than yield one jot of Southern
Rights or Submit to any imputalon the Southern
character, The Melhodsls Of the South choose fo
! rend asunder that vast and powerful organization
which held the first place among HE religious
communities Of the country. and which, by ITS zeal
and energy, had won noble position in the van
guard of American civilization and christianity.
Since the division in their Church. the Methodist
Ministry in The South have been conspicuous Tor
their devotion to the gh's of the South. The
Advocate makes the following criticism on the re.
monstance of the New Eng land clergy against the
Nebraska bill:
This is sad affair, not for the country, but for
christianity, so shameuy outraged in the "liouse
Of its friends" Professionally We cannot be sup
posed to feel indifierentIy towards the ministerial
character. When in their place engaged in their
appropriate work, no class of men in the country
is more highly esteemed than ministers OF the
gospel. But when they turn aside from their holy
employmens, and descend nto the arena OF party
political strife. they defle their mission, and lay
their honor in the dust: Instead Of f"washing their
hands in innocPncyo they soil them with worldly
filth, and stain them with crime against their
coun,ry's peace. They richly merit tho rebukes
administered by gentemen OF the Senate, and must
blame themselves, il, hereafter, they find them
selves Stunned disturbers Of the public peace,
and the religion they profess and teach suspected
Of having too much 10 do with the world that
is, and TOO little with that which is to come. "My
kingdom is not of this world" SAID Christ, "if it
were then would my servant fight We write
more in sorrow than in anger when We express
the belief that this furious coDgoneraon of every
shade of religious opinion and ecclesiastical poiity
against the Nebraska bill has more OF earth than
heaven, of time than eternity, in its elements and
Objects and has higher veneration for mems
judgments, than for Gods, notwithstanding their
seeming impression that his judgments are SUBJ
ject to the impertinent and vindctive movements
OF their own. They can consort, agree and act
with u massive openness in this case, but if the
question concerned the sending of missionary to
The Chinese, they could not be woed into the same
building together. brought within bow shot of
each other without vexa'ons, dispuIngs, and
sec,ariau wrangiings. We utter this opinion with
profound humiiiAton but with profound con-
vicion of It's truth and justice. 1t Is painful to
witness such desecraon of ministerial character,
TO watch the movements OF men. OF whom better
things might be expected, engaged in crusade
against the rights OF the South, aud trailing their
priesty garments in the dust to accomplish objects
not mentioned in their commission. and never
dreamed Of in the acts and writings OF the apostles.
These the evil works that endanger glorious
Federal Union. Blinded with passion, and with
far less reason for resentment than Samson for
The loss Of his eyes, they seize the pillars of the
temple and seek to bring il mass Of ruins upon
their own heads Il is to these clerical agitators,
with their ceaseess brayings against the South
we must ascrlbe the opinion, widespread,
and constantly strengthening and deepening in the
public mind that there is something more sacred
than the union of these States, and something
great deal more to be dreaded than their dissoiu-
lion. Ii the conception reaches its consumma!ion
in the dissolution of Federal compact, the
evil. and all the disastrous convulsons attendant
upon it, must be ascribed to the evil Vaccinations
of those ministers who. as in the cases before u.s.
turn aside from the peaceful pursuits of their
calling to engage IN reckless poiitica, drawings
and to prosecute ruthless invasion of the rights of
others. -