The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1854-07-26
Committee.


PoLIrscAL SxanoHs,-1he New York Oh
server religious paper, has some very sen-
sible remark. upon the subject Of political SER
mons and upon tho course pursued by the
Clergy Of the Congregational denomination
The interference Of this class Of men in the
Affairs Of government is no new thing. II dates
back 40 far - the war Of 1912 and was prodnc
tive Of such results, Is the Hartford Conven'
ton" the refusal to vote supplies to the army
snd the efF,rt to prevent an appropriation for
rebuilding the national capitol after it had been
fired and consumed by the torch Of the enemy
The Observer says:
alt 10 with painful, approximations that we
observe, in the speeches Of clergymen, in the
tone of portion of the press, aud in the de-
nation 10 make IN issue with the government on
this question, and, il possible, to prevent the
execution Of this law. Il 10 time tn pause
when this doctrine hasany semblance Of favor
in the public conscience. A spark OF ire may
explode magazine, and ages may not be able
to repair the mischief.
When certain rash men. in October, 1919,
invoked IN armed resistance to the fugitive
slave law, and pr0asred the crown OF martyr
dom to those who periahed in the fight, thrill
of horror struck the heart of the people, and
the authors,o Of the infamous sentiment were fain
70 hide themselves from public rebuke BY
Quasi denial. 10 there aught in the present cir
cumstances to make that doctrine less atrocious
now than then 7"
A congregational clergyman, writing 70 the
journal Of Commerce from Boston, in enumer,
a,inp the political sermonizers, and stating the
proposed future sction Of the clergy, says:
What 10 10 be the result Of this politico-
clerical warfare upon tie laws Of the land and
the constitution judging from the past,
portion Of the clergy may be speedily ashamed
Of their conduct, and become gospel preachers
Those who persist in such preaching, will either
drive portion Of their hearers away TO seek q,
gospel church, or will drive themselves away,
to debauch any other people they can get 10
hear them Az consequence of the whole.
many Of our congregations will become divided
new, and, perhaps, entirely independent Com
Rreaational churches willbe formed, and many
viii find religious refuge in the Episcopal
church, a. by far the most conservative demo-
mina,ion we have among rs, and who, so far
% we learn, have little or no political preaching
s.lf the annals Of the past in New England
we're searched, our clergyme would find in il
most Instructive lessons nth regard to the in
Auence Of political preaching In the old fed
.enl times Of 1879 and following, the late Dr..
Burton. Of the Congregational church, Of Thet-l
ford, Vermont, drove eighty Of his parishioners
to the Meihodists in body, by his political
haranRues. The late Dr.. Parish, of By6eId.
made himself and his parishioners much trouble
for the same reasons s~d fattheb had regrets
on the subject when he came to die. There Is
much Of the eccesias,ical history Of the Con.
rrcqationalists OF this period that is eminently
suggestive at this time. II the Congregational
denomination in New England, which, for
vanoue reasons, in the past, has given the chief
Syorces to establish and snstain other denomina-
tons, l. desirous Of becoming small and beau
tifnlly less, let il adolt abolition ~ principle
Of the body, and encourage political preach
inR."