Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-07-27
For me Banner.
"AMERICAN'S LETTER"
Kansas Territory. July 3. 1854.


Mr.. EDIroR:--ln your last is commu.
nication from one who signs himself
American concerning which beg 10
say word. The article referred to is
burdened TO death with hard words, and
has not even the merit of soft argu-
ments.' Its author in the apparent heat
and phrenzy Of passion. has dealt GU. the
most bitter invectives, without even gro-
NAUTICAL congruity. much less with Rhe-
torical polish or Logical skill. He re-
minds one Of The props.t Of Boar. astride
of an Ass on q mission TO curse lsreal;
and without doubt his success will be
similar to thai Of the q me serving proph-
ct. The emOluments of Balak will per-
lsh with his cause. and every Balaam who
consents TO ride an Ass for Moa bi,ish
brides will certainly be arrested by the
angel of truth stationed in his way
Were il not that christianity and chris
! tian ministers are unwerrantably attack
ed and abused. by your correspondent:
without any exception, would not con-
descend to notice the incoherent stuff;
for ii is sheer balderdash--a vulgar ho,ch.
! potch.
Your correspondent, like the advocate
Of the Nebraska bill in Congress, and like
the antiteInperance platform men of In
diana, seems 10 have particular grudge
against ministers OF the gospel. Now.
4 osk. are these politicians engaged in a
mission of national good? Is their object
the welfare of the State? If SO, thoy
have nothing to fer from the clergy or
from the gospel principles which they ap-
ply to matters oil State policy. Did our
revolutionary fathers treat ministers and
their calling IN this way. and try to drive
them into privacy How did they regard
Rev. John Witherspoon. D. D., in the
days Of rs? This clergyman saw that
British tyranny was opposed TO the prin-
ciples of the gospel, and he proclaimed
il from the pulpits and rostrums of New
Jersey. The people sustained him and
elected him to Congress. On the morn
ing OF the memorable 4th of July. 1875,
the old Congress Hall in Philadelphia
rung with his voice as he invoked the
blessings of heaven upon the cause Of
American freedom. He then signed the
Declaration of independence and thus
showed himself q man and minister wor-
Thy Of his nge and country. The elder
Adams. feeling the importance of the
Divine help. and knowing the potency Of
the christian ministry. said. let the pull
pits thunder against the British oppres.
sion and corruption;' and speaking of she
good service which the Clergy rendered
in times that tried mems souls he saws.
and the pulpit ,hundered.' Washington
cOurted and acknowled the influence of
christian ministers for good on the ma.
ton. And even Jefferson, who had but
little personal respect for religion beyond
that Of gentleman, recommended its
prominence i'll State affairs TO prevent
corruption.
Now. ii some of our ministers think
this to be crisis in our government af.
fairs, and follow in the footsteps of the
il!ustrious Witherspoon and others. why
this hue and cry? Why theSe snathe-
mics against them? The fac, is there is
something rotten in Denmark and po-
litical demagogues fear that the clergy
will expose the hideous mass of moral
Putrifac,ion covered up undera preten.
ded zeal for more extended rights Of indi-
vidual citizenship. The pure have moth.
ing to fear from christian ministers as a
class. l % not wonder that these men
make such operate effort to put down
the infue.re If the clergy by the gag
law. do ~, wonder that they are so
restless in our State at this time. When
llC0 Methodist preachers, who minister
to $4,000 Pensioners. and who preach
ID about 250, 600 hearers each week in
the State of Indiana; when these are call
ed itinerant vsgnbonds; and when the
ministers Of all denominations in the
State (Roman priests only excepted) are
attacked, abused and anathe ma tised by
the leaders Of the so.cslled Democratic
platform of the State; when they recon-
mend the people to stop the fed Of their
ministers; and when they threaten 20
drive them to their Kennels wonder
not that these reckless whiskey suckers
and their trucklirs constituents begin 10
trembIe for their cause. The people OF
Indiana are too virtuous and religious to
sustain such men.
That some clergy men dsbbhe in party
politics beyond what is prudent and &C
cordant with the sacredness Of their call
ing. is true; but ss a class it is not true.
Neither is il true that the moral ques-
tions involved in State policy are not
proper subjects for ministers to canvass.
And all must admi, that the clergymen as
a class in this country are conservative
and not gitators--exceptions there are
to be sure. chiefly out Of the pale of or
thodoxy.
A few things moro about the letter Of
| American He ridicules the ides Of