The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-09-08
poIilIcnl NIInIsters AEaln.

Political ministers Again.
In the last two numbers Of our paper, we
have spoken Of that class of clergymen,
who preach politics from the pulpit. In
our remarks we were governed solely BY a
sense of Justice. We have spoken kindly
but at the same time in earnest in con-
demnation of this practice. For this, much
fault is found, and by some we are accused oil
waging a war upon the ministry. This is
on error. We would not throw straw In
the way Of any clergyman who is sincerely
laboring to promote the spread OF true
christianity. But ministers themselves are
beginning to fear lest intermeddling with pull
itics will injure their cause. The follow
inc is from the Presbyterian Herald, and as
il gives our views far better than we could
write them, we publish the extract in full;
ave know that it is plead that the tenn
moral and eterngl interests Of men are SO
blended and bound up together that the one
deeply affects the other, and that by pro-
noting the one we advance the other also.
This is true, but it is just as true OF all
mans other temporal interests as it is OF
politics. If it be good reason for the
clergy embarking on the stormy sea oi pei
/ itics, it is as good for their leaving their
chosen work and engaging in any aITd eve
ry other scheme which will promote the
temporal welfare of men. There are thou
sands of good things which clergyman may
not do. The great flead Of the Church, in
I assigning to his people their respective
work, has gone on the principle of the di-
vision of labor. The work of every man
must be good work. but he is not at liber-
| ty to quit it and undertake to perform an
| others, simply because he sees that, by SO
doing, he NAV promote the welfare OF men
|! His field has been assigned him, and that is
the place for him to glorify God. The min
ister o. the gospel has his duties laid oil
, and defined at length in his commission, and
no layman has any right to intrude himself
into any of the functions of the sacred OIL
, fee. The lsity have their thties defined
also; and the minister may not quit his sta
3 ton of influence, and come down into theiI
, province, any more than they may &C
: ap into his. Every man is useful and to DC
r respected in his proper place, but when he
D gets dtt of it he is not only shorn of his use
, Iulness, but he soon loses the respect OF tht
S community. He who stumpsit all the weei
S in favor of his own claims to particula
e civil office, will not be likely to be Listened
. to with great respect by his opponents oE
r the Sabbath, when he arises to plead thu
e claims of Christ to their hearts affections
The politician and preacher will be SO com
: pletely identified in their associations, tha
r Mt
c them. How much towards the salvation o
e world in ruins would Paul have accom-
/ pished, if, instead of determining to know
i nothing, save Christ and HIN crucifed a
:, Rome, he had taken the stump against Ne
o ro, and proved, to pcrfec. demonstration
] that he was the greatest tyrant that ever su
r upon throne, and thai his reign was
S grand obstacle in the way of the success c
Il the gospel through his vast empire! II
might have proved this with perfect ease
and set the whole empire in blaze; h
might possibly have brought about greI
and valuable revolution; but that was nc
n his work. Christ had commissioned hi
t not to put down Nero, but to set'up his ow
y kingdom in the hearts of men. He has giN
:, en- the same commission to every other tru
y minister of the gospel. Their work is
y higt and holy one; let them not neglect it
S do one that is infinitely inferior to it. l.
their answer tc all men who attempt to ST
duce them from it, be:
=. We are doing great work for our Maste
= and we cannot come down; or, if they hav
:, gotten tired of that work, and lost their col
ception of its vast and unspeakable impo
g tance, let them throw of the office altogeti
R er, and give it to those who will devo
n themselves wholly to its sacred functions
10 " No man of the American party pre-
poses to interfere with the rights and priv
u lodges and franchise of any person now VI
= on the soil Of the United States. --Loui'
ID Vile Journal.
Certainly not; but then if any foreign
D. attempts to erercise those rights, he is on
T, knocked down, stamped, stabbed, shot al
s. his houses burnt and wife and children roas
es charlottesville Times.
--NSeASA---------"-