The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1855-05-11
From the Detroit Free Press.
Political PrOleSlantism.

The know-nothing papers object to the IN
reference of Catholic Priests in politics and
elections. So do We. We 90 further; we OBJ
iect to the Interference Of Protestant priests 10
politics and elections. The know-nothing pa
prrs deprecate political Ronaaism. So do we.
We 60 further we dNpFecatr political Protrs-
tantisln. The know-notbing papers ahhor Jes-
nliSfn. So do wr but not more Catholic than
Protestant Jpsntism.
Tbe institutions of this country contemplate
a complete separation Of Church aod State, in
theory and in fact We are IN favor Of it. it
is one oil the best features of the ci.aStituton II
will be- tasl.. Of toe millennium when priests
OF all creeds and secls shall devote themselves
singly to spiritual affairs and leave temporal az
fairs to be managed hy those educated TO the
business. When that day shall have come,
there will be far less strife, less contpaton, less
bieotry, and less intidpIity in the land than
nov. 1t VIII be ''the good time come"
There IS a deal Of inidelity abroad, and it is
every day SPREADING mainly because there are
lew cuunteracting intluences. The Christian
church is not engaged in the same mission il
once was. lis adhrrpnts fave rot the safnr
faith IN tie saving grace and efficacy Of the
Gospel they once bad They no longer appeal
to tht conscience oil men, as they used to do,
bot appeal 10 the legislature to make laws 10
co0peI mpnto be good. It's ministers 'vr speak
of the Protestant church, leave the pulpit fer
the hustneS abandon divinity for politics.
They have been known to join know-NotbiHg
I1dges, and to take the fearful, wicked, damn
ing oalhS there administered We observed
tie other day, among The names Of officers elect
OF one Of our city christian churches, that OF
notorously prominent kDoW-nothing, bot not
notorious or pietv. We make no professions
ourselves, hut W. know what mockrry of rP-
ligion Is. No wonder, We say, that lntdeii,y
prevails.
Things, we suspect, will be meaded by and
br. Massachusetts, has had full iluition ofknow-
nothlngism. Through the instrumrntaGty Of
the order thirty or forty proiesseI ministers Of
Christ were. scot to the legislature. Those thF
V or forty ministers have not exercised DGp-
ence enough to save the legislature from dis
grace. We 40 not know that they nave tried.
They voted Tor The appointment Of thr commit
tees whose exploits have been recorded in the
public Journals. and one Of whose members Of!
ftrpd shameful ndirnitiss to the Lady Superior
Of convent and another Of whom, on thr eX-
petition to another convent, carried w,th bin a
disrepuabie person Of The opposite SeX. whose
expenses were paid by he Siat- These things
were enacted, in The name Of prole>laniism IN
Massachusetts,, by committee OF a legislature
containing among its members thirty or forty
protested ministers Of the Gospel. They never
will be re-enacted in that State Massachusetts
has had surieit of Know Nothingism. Few
other States viii desire to be thus saed.
We believe in Professionalism. Bu: we don't
brirve ia political Proteslantsn. We don't
believe in the Professionalism that countenances
knoH-nothagism. We don't believe in the
Protestanlsm which permits lis priests 10 drdlp
their religion. We don't believe in Protestant
inquisiionS more than in Catholic inquisions
in American inQuistioas more than in Span
iSh inqusitous. The Professionalism we briieve
in is that whose weapons are truth, and whose
faiths in lis efficacy. This is what Protestant
ism used to be-what It failst be if it would save
Itself from disgrace aud ruin, and the country
from intjdeltv
know-Goihngism has done Catholicism no
injury yet. What injury has il not done Pro-
testautiSm