Washington sentinel., 1854-04-06

u
There are also very grave objections to giving,
in the columns of religious periodical, the
pros and cons Of purely political questions.
Religious journalists, in using their columns for
such a purpose, are compromittlng and vio-
la4ing their obligations to those who have sub
scribed for their sheets. If their papers are to
support political parties, why call them reli'
gious journals? The religion of Christ is one
thing civil polity is another If it be desra.
bic to combine them in one, why not unite
Church and State at once? The religious
press at the north, with few commendable
exceptions, have unhesitatingly employed their
columns to propagate abolition fanaticism nay
more, the conductors Of those journals have
exerted themselves in writing long editorials to
excite religious horror in the public mind
against southern slavery-an institution recog-
nsed alike by the Constitution OF the country
and by the revealed will of God. But IN order
to gain an opportunity once more of thus pour
ING out their wrath upon this institution, they
have not hesitated to denounce in the most I'M
qualified terms the Nebraska bill, which has
recently passed the Senate, and which we have
no hesitation in believing to be as equitable
and as just to the north and south, east and
west as any bill that ever passed that body.
But It has, at their Christian hands, received
epithets which would be sufficiently emphatic
if applied to the DEGREES Of the Star Chamber
or the bloody decisions of Romish inquisitors.
1t has been alternately designated by them as
the 'odious bill, the 'monstrous bill the in-
iouitous bill,' the monstrous fraud the Ne
braska fraud &c.
"We intended, however, to take very little no.
tice of their fanatical fury, believing that it
would, by its own action, soon expend itselfa as
it has done before. This course has been
adopted by the southern press generally. But
they are now accused by northern editors of
studied silence, and an attempt thus to con-
ceal the turpitude of the great national crime,
which they are conscious Congress is about to
perpetrate. For one, we must say that this
charge is utterly without foundation. Our 81
lence has been altogether from another cause.
We profess to believe that our mission is not
political one. We have vowed allegiance to
Him who says his kingdom is not of this
world;" and we feel content and happy to leave
to the wisdom of our Legislators the manage
ment of the political affairs of the nation, feel
ing it our personal and Christian duty to rem
der to 'the powers that be- that obedience,
honor, and tribute, which is enjoined by divine
inspiration. ~,
A few words in this connexion may not be
inappropriate as to the extraordinary course
pursued by the northern clergy as they choose
| to style themselves in their recent addresses
and lectures to Congress Their course is
without parallel in the history of the govern
ment. Not content with meddling privately
with political topics, many of them have as
cended their pulpits, and, avaiing themselves
of their ministerial authority and influence, and
| in connexion with the solemnities of the sane
tuary Of God, have denounced the civil legisla.
| ton of body of statesmen whose political
wisdom is known to all civilized nations. Not
content with this kind of politicoreligious
preaching, they have separated themselves
from the great body of their felow-citizens, and,
clothing themselves with the title of the
| clergy have thus appeared by remonstrances
and protests before the Congress Of the ma
nation. What construction are we forced to
put upon such proceeding? Assuredly it
can be nothing short of clerical dictation to the
national legislature. These professed minis
ters Of Jesus Christ, having used their ministe-
rial influence to excite religious fanaticism in
the masses, have finally combined together to
hold clerical rod over the legislators Of the
country. Such high-handed presumption and
dictation have already received part of their
merited reward.
"One of the most surprising things, how
ever, that we have noticed in these politico-
religious fanatical movements is a speech by
DR.. Wayland to the citizens of Providence,
Rhode Island, protesting against the Nebraska
bill. This speech the doctor has kindly fur.
nished for publication in the columns of the
New York Recorder, IA Baptist paper,) and
for which the editors of that journal "are great
ly obliged to him. We should think this in.
stance of kindness on the part of the doctor
will cost him considerable in the south-per.
haps more than he has imagined. For an aged
,,,I obn1o boI Iop
prided himself for the calm, sober, and rational
manner in which he has discussed literary,
moral, and religious subjects, and who has
spent laborious life in gaining reputation Of
this kind, so far to forget himself and his char
acter, in the fanatical demonstrations around
him, as readily to leave the calm retirement of
his study and 6reside, and appear as the orator
of promiscuous assembly, and co-worker
with political fanatics and agitators, is more
than we could ever have supposed. But it is
even so. We have just read his speech, which
is about half political and half religious, ap.
pealing, in the most direct manner, to religious
sympathy to prevent the regular and just legis-
lation of the country. We can see no possible
grounds of apology for this genuine abolition
speech by DR.. Wayland, except it be that he is
going into dotage. We know it is said that if
man lives to be old he is apt to become a
child a second time; and we remember a simi-
lar instance of divine who had gained much
celebrity in his vocation, but who, in his do
tage, conceived the idea that Jesus Christ was
whig, and, under high political excitement,
undertook gravely to prove to o large assembly
of his fellow-citizens that such was the fact.
We need not add that the effort was ridiculous
in the highest degree.
"We have never believed DR.. Wayland
friendly to the institutions Of the south since we
read his controversy with DR.. Fuller on the
subject Of slavery. From the sentiments and
spirit of his recent speech to his ellow-citizens
in Providence now before US, it is but too cyl.
dent that he is not only unfriendly, but decided
ly inimical; and if he cant have the Legislation
Of Congress to suit his own peculiar views, the
next moment he is disunionist.
"How well this accords with the divine in.
junction to be subject to the powers that be,
and to obey magistrates &C., is but too OBJ
vious to require comments especially when we
find considerable portion Of his speech EN-.
ployed in giving political Instructions to south.
f. L..