Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-03-10
POLITICS AND THE CLERGY

POLITICS AND THE CLERGY.
The Boston Recorder, one of the Oldest
and best religious papers in the United
States, is taking strong ground against
clergymen leaving their pulpits to become
legislators or politicians. Indeed, if
ministers are determined to be politicians
should they not be encouraged to leave
their pulpits, and to leave them perma-
nently, rather than convert them into
rostrums for political harangues ? If they
were away, the places which they occupy
might be filled by men who would feel
the power Of the Gospel in their own
hearts, and preach it to the perishing.
The Recorder says:
"On ordinary occasions, we think that
the minister who enjoys his health and
retains good standing in the ministry,
and before whom lies an open field for
bis labors cannot be justified in leaving
the Word Of God, for such an employ.
nent, so foreign, not to say inferior, TO
that to which he has been called. Our
first rea on for this conviction is, that
the whole habit Of mind which the min
lister Of the Gospel ought to form ana
cherish, the habit Of devoting his ener-
gies Of thought and feeling mainly to the
objects of his ministry, must tend to
unfit him to do himself justice. Or to do
justice to his position, as legislator. If
he gives himself wholly to his ministry,
ne cannot, unless he be very rare ex-
ception among men, become skilfui and
we'll informed politician There are very
few such universal geniuses as can be
completely fitted for occupations so di-
verse. AS general rule, it may be af.
tirmed that good minister, remaining
such, c'nnot be good and competent
legislator.
But we have, in the converse Of this
statement, a still more serious objection
TO adduce, viz: that active legislators. or
politicians, cannot ordinarily be good
| ministers. To succeed as q politician,
one must give his heart and energies to
the business. His zeal must kindle upon
IT.. 1t must occupy his public and his
private hours. But if minister thus
devotes himself to politics or legislation.
his mind is, by necessity, in a great
| measure withdrawn from the sacred
work to which he stands pledged to be
wholly devoted. No man can serve two
masters. No man can fill properly two
| positions, so far remote as the pulpit and
the political rostrun. The minister, who
has good standing in his profession,
will be unwilling to become politician
unless he can achieve success also in that
line. But this success is not to be gained
| by mere nominal or official connection
with political affairs. He must carry his
heart and soul into them. He must ply
busy mind, not only In studying the
objects of legislation, but in working the
more complex machinery of politics.
Offices are to be gained and given.
Elections are to be provided for and man
aged. And, however upright the man
himself may be, he is almost necessarily
brought into contact with much that is
questionable, and evcn base, in the arts
of political intrigue and management.
His mind, to speak, is made to breathe
in an atmt sphere that benumbs the spir-
itual senSibilitieS and hardens the heart.
After one has spent the six days of the
week in the midst of such an atmosphere
and in such employment, be is but poorly
prepared, we must believe, to come forth
to bis people on the Sabbath and unfold
to them the unsearchable riches of Christ,
whose kingdom is not Of this world.
"It is sad for the interest of the
Church, aud is adapted to arrest the
progress of religion, when the impression
obtains with any respectable portion oi
the public that the ministry are set Of
ambitious schemers, seeking more for the
honors or emOluments of Office than sc.
caring the eternal interest of their hear.
ers. And yet, what else would be likely
to be thought of the ministry, if clerical
legislators were to abound? When the
greatly exaggerated report went out, af:
ter ouI State election last fall, that some
sixty or seventy clergymen had been
elected to the Legislature of this State
we felt mortified and ashamed yea, and
sad, and solicitOus tor the interests of re.
ligion. When we afterwards learned
that the greater part of this number were
Methodist and Universalist ministers, VIC
felt somewhat relieved. But we were
more relived when we fond that ths
story itself was great exaggeration
there being but about twenty -four, al
told, and not more than five or six o.
these from our own denomination"