Eastern times., 1855-10-04
From the Christid7 Mirror.
The Clergy.

w e nave OF late tnOu1Hl tnat some Su0UeS-
tons, like those which we copy below from
the Presbyterian Herald would be appropriate.
What the Herald says respecting candidates for
office from the Presbyterian ministry, we can
say respecting the Congregational ministry, so
far as Maine is concerned We have noticed
in the accounts of recent political caucuses,
that the ReU. Mr.. A. was on such a commit
tee, the ReU. Mr.. B. made such motion, the
RcU. MIR. G.. a speech, &C., but not one of
these names did we recognize as belonging to
Congregational minister. We did see in
the doings of Boston city caucus, that sever
al ministers, Orthodox and Unitarian Congre-
gational, were elected as members of a state
caucus to be held in Worcester but we do
not know that they fulfilled their appointment;
if they did, they must have felt worse than
David with Saul's armor on. They were out
of their proper sphere.
There are men in the ministry who are en-
tirely competent TO honor seat in the state
or national legislature, and to do battle with
the strongest, for the right but these are the
very men whom you will never catch there
They have too much self-respect, and hold
their own Office in too high estimation, to
sign ii for political arena. There have been
ministers, so called. in our state legislature,
who needed prompter by their side, of kin
dred political faith, to tell them what to do,
and when TO do it-ihey were tools, and inca
pabe of being aught else, and when used were
despised by their own party as really as by
their opponents. We recollect one exception.
The Rev. Mr.. Wines, OF Deer Isle, served one
term in our Legislature. He was a strong
man, and competent for almost any service
quick OF perception, and of great shrewdness.
Few wished to encounter him second time.
He was sent not only for his competency, but
from an intended kindness. His salary was
small, and the people of the town wished him
20 enjoy the benefit of a legislators wages
But he fell those wages to be dearly earned.
He felt himself out of his place, and when the
term was up, said he should not be caught so
again. We speak that we do know for he
occasionally spent an evening with US, and ut
tered himself freely-and it was from these in
terviews, rather than from the responsible sta
tions he had occupied, that we got our impress
sions of his high intellectual and moral worth.
We can recall TO mind several Congrega-
tional ministers, who have been legislators
within-he last fifty years but rs general
thing their professional influence waned as a
consequence. 1t is a dangerous experiment
for minister of the Gospel.
Ministers have, or should have, the same
civil rights as other citizens. Constitutions
and laws should make no distinctions, by which
the men of any calling should be disfranchised
But any man may waive particular privilege ;
and any minister, who believes his heavenly
Teacher, who said, "No man can serve two
masters" will be wary of serving political
party.
Necessity however. tramples down laws
And such necessity existed in the time of the
A ID. ID r
time, broke up the most sacred connections,
or called men TO other duties than those ordi-
narly pertaining to the sacred office. In
many places public worship was suspended ;
for the relocated "regulars'' used churches
for barracks. Harvard College had to afford
shelter for American patriots and we suppose
the same was true of Nassau Hall, and that
its students were scattered. It's President was
in the Continental Congress f; and few mem
bers did worthier service in that memorable
body than the Rev. DR.. John Witherspoon.-
We once had a long account of his doings and
influence there from fellow member, who was
member during the struggle. But it is time
for the extract -
THE CLERGY AND PoLITIcs.-We notice in
our Indiana exchanges the names of several
reverend gentlemen announced as candidates
for various political situations, such as seats in
congress, the state legislature, &C., &c. We
are happy TO add, however, that, so far as we
have noticed, none of them belong TO the Pres
| byterian Church, either old or new SCHOOL
Whilst we by no means subscribe 10 the doc
trine, contained in some of the state .constitu-
! tlons, that clergymen, as class, ought to be
| prescribed and shut out by the fundamental
law of the land from all civil offices, vet we
do hold that, in all ordinary cases, their own
sense of the dignity and Importance of the min
isterial Office ought 10 prevent them from seek
ing political stations and ought to prevent the
people from conferring such Offices upon them
when sought by them. If man be true
minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, he has
enough TO do TO preach Christ and him cruci-
fed to his fellow men, without turning aside
from that great and noble work to dabble in
the pool of party politics. If he bears the Of
hce and yet has no heart for his chosen work,
to which he has professedly consecrated all his
energies, he proves, by that fact, that he is not
] ut TO be a statesman, so that in either case, he
ought not TO seek such stations, nor ought
they, IN ordinary cases, to be conferred on him.
| We have said IN ordinary cases We admit
that emergencies may arise in the history of a
country, when, for the want of good men
among the lahy, to represent great principles,
clergymen may be called into the political
arena, just as occasions may arise when it is
! proper for them TO shoulder their muskets and