New-York daily tribune., 1854-05-12
DOUGLAS on DIVINITY.

Mr. Stephen A. Douglas eondescended LAST Monday
to give tie Christian Clergy some advice aud almon-
ton as to their sphere Of clerical duty. We have
looked in vain FOR full report of his remarks on this
lead: but in ts absence, the following extract from
cur ;elegraphic synopsis viii serve:
He DISPUTED the fairness Of the pursued by The
ministers in speaking against the Nebraska BAL on day
andn places where there could be no reply made lie oo
iected 10 making the sabbath an eleconeerne day ana
The occasion for stump speeches lie then said say that
The purity Of the Christian Church, the purity oi our holy
RELIGION and the pr servaion OF free institutions,
ou at Church and State be separate that the preacher
on the Sabbalh day shall fad his text in the Bible shall
preach Jesus Christ and Him crucifed shall preach from
lie loy Scripture and not aemptt0 control the political
organizations ali political parties Of the day.
We forget whether it is Joe Miller or some other
Joe who relates the case of a culprit on whom the
Judge WIS proceeding TO pronounce sentence when
the subject of bis by no haterng structures in
tcrposed with. Sir. allow me to inform YOU that
your remarks are grossly, Ofensiyey personal, and,
.if you have no objections, would suggest TO you
the propriety of changing the subject That Doug
las should cherish kindred repugnance to any pulpit
discussion of the Nebraska BILL is natural life.
McFingal. in Trumbulls capital Revolutionary Wing
satire could not why the Tory fnconares OF his
time should be grateful to Providence for the good
things they enjoyed when it notorious that they
werenot bestowed by Providence any one on that
side Of the house. That the champion Of reopening
the great Nebraska Territory to Slavery whence it
has been thirtyour years absolutely excluded law,
should object to pulpit discussions of his measure is
the best testimony in favor of the general righteous
ness and whoesomeness of our current that
we have lately seen,
Mr. Douglas is greatly concerned for 1.-THE purity
of our holy religion" in the Clergy don't stop
preaching against National sins. He would have them
stick to denuncations of sin in the abstract-tellng
their hearers how exceedingly sinful it ia, and how
carefully they ought TO avoid it. But TO tell Tongo
Islander that he ought not to eat his csptiyes-or an
African chief that be ought not to make on neigh
boring tribes in order to make slaves to sell for rum
and tobacco-or an Arab that he ought to avoid PO-
lygsmy-all such rebukes of practical sins are forbid
den BY the Gospel according to st. Stephen Arnold.
When Nathan said unto David, Thou art the man, he
ovelsepJed the line of his duty preacher Of right
eousness and when the rough blunt old Baptist said
to enthroned Herod "I is not lawful for thee to have
- thy brothers wife" he deseryed-according TO
Dougas diyiniy-to have his head chopped Off as it
was. What business had preacher to be meddling
with Herod domestic relations peculiar institu-
tionsl" Why wasn't he content to preach the
Gospel" inveigh against 1.-THE exceeding snfulness
of sin in general and avoid all reference to partc-
ular sins and sinners By keeping thus within bis le-
ritimate province he might have saved his head,
and probably been called to the most fashionable
synagogue in Jerusalem, with Herod for a gratifed
occupant of one Of the hundred-doar pews and He
rodias End her daughter making him costly presents
tud ,mplimenting him the orthodoxy of his views
and the thrilling fervor and beauty of his pulpit per
lclmances. 1t srery clear that the Gospel according
to Douglas effects great improvement in the
comfort and sefety of its apostles on that which
was fret introduced eighteen hundred and odd years
ago. Ia fact thi. is age Of improvements and since
it has discovered that panderng to Slavery is the per-
fecton and touchstone of Democracy, there is no tell
iug where It's progress" will stop.