The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-09-15
form in the English tanguagel Here is food
for thought. Miners Journal.
The Clergy and Politics in the Good
Old DAVIS.


The right and duty Of the Christian minis.
ter to discuss every subject of individual or So
cial action in which the question of right or
wrong ulises, has secn hotly CONTESTED BY
some politicians during the present year. The
clergy have denounced the Nebraska bill as
unrighteous and unchrstian--snd for this they
have incurred the maledictons of Douglas
and his associates. In this TRADE the the
boston Post has borne CONSPICUOUS part
From the writings of its editor we draw q
precedent for the action of the Christian min
lister at this crisis. Says Richard Froih-
ingham IN his History of the Siege Of Boston,
when landing the Boston patriots of the Rev.
oluton:
"The labors of the Boston divines deserve
a grateful remembrance. Some of them, dis
tingulshed by their learning and eloquence,
were no less distinguished by their hearty op-
position to the designs of the British admins
tratlon. This opposition has been quickened
into intense life by the attempts made from
time to time to create hierarchy in the COL
onies. The Episcopal form Of worship was
always disagreeable to The Congregationalists;
but'it was the power that endeavored to in
pose it, on which their eyes were most stead
lily fixed. II Parliament could create dioceses
and appoint bishops, it could introduce tithes
and crush beresy. The ministry entertained
a design of sending over bishop to the col
onies; and controversy for years ran high on
this subject. So resolute, however, was the
opposition to this project, that it was aban.
doned. This controversy, John Adams says
contributed as much as any other tause tu
arouse attention to the claims of Parliament
The provisions OF the Quebec act were quo
ted with great effect; and what had been done
for Canada, might be done for the other col.
onies. Hence, few of the Congregations
clergy took sides with the government, while
many were jealous Wings; and thus the pull.
pit was often brought in aid Of the town NEE
ting and the press. Ofthe Boston divines
none had been more ardent and decided thar
Jonathan Mayhem, one of the ablest theolo.
gians of his day; but he died in l766. DR.
Charles Chauncey, DR.. Samuel Cooper, DR.
Andrew Elliot, DR.. Ebenezer Pemberton
Reverends John Lathrop, John Bacon, ,SimeoI
Howard, Samuel Stillman, were of those who
took the popular side. They were the faml
lar associates and thu confidential advisers o
the leading patriots; but by virtue Of their of
flee they were not less familiar or less conf
: dental with wide circles of every calling il
e life, who were playing actively and we'll al
h important part, and without whose hearty co
d operation the labors of even leading patriot
would have been of little avail At tim
q when the pristine reverence for the minister
t had hardly declined into respect who shal
: undervaue the influence such men threw in
to the scale, in giving intensity to zeal an
8 firmness to resolution, and thus Strengthening
= the tone of public opinion! They gave tn
sanction of religion-the highest sanction
that can fill the human breast--to the caus
Of Freedom, the hoiest cause that can promp
= human effort. They nurtured the idea in tn
people that God was on their side; and tha
D power, however great. would be arrayed il
4 vain against the M. No wonder that in tn
q day of Lexington, there were men who wen
to the field of slaughter with the same solem
sense of duty with which they entered tn
d house of Worship Consregationalist.