The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-05-02

Poli,icaI Pro1cstantism.

| FOItAcal PrOtcSta nt1Sm.
The following nervous article we clip
from the Detroit Free Press. 1t says much
in very small space.
POLITICAL PRorEsrASTIsM.--Th Know
Nothing papers object to the interference OF
Catholic priests in politics and elections
SO do we. We 60 further. We object to
the interference of Protestant priests in pol
itics and elections. The Know Nothing
papers deprecate political Romanism. So
do we. We 60 further. We deprecate po-
litical Professionalism. The Know Nothing
papers abhor Jesuitism. SO do we; but not
more Catholic than Protestant Jesuitism.
The institutions of this country country
contemplate a complete separation of church
and State, in theory and in fact. We are
in favor of it. 1t is one of the best features
of the constitution. II will be a taste OF
the millennium when priests of all creeds
and sects shall devote themselves singly to
ghostly affairs, and leave temporal affairs to
be managed by those educated to the bust.
ness. When that day shall have come,
there will be far less strife, less contention,
less bigotry and less infdelity in the land
than now. 1t will be "the good time
come."
There is a deal Of in6delity abroad, and
it is every day spreading, mainly because
there are few counteractiDg influences. The
Christian Church is not engaged in the same
mission it once was. It's adherents have
not the same faith in the saving grace and
efficacy of the gospel they once had. They
no longer appeal to the conscience of men.
as they used to do, but appeal to the Leg
islature to make laws to compel men to be
good Its ministers 1--WE speak of the Pro-
testant church) leave the pulpit for the hust
ings--abandon divinity for politics. They
have been known to join Know Nothing
lodges, and to take the fearful, wicked,
dumning oaths there administered. The de-
scent is fearful. No wonder that infdeli,y
prevails. We observed, the other day,
among the names of officers elect of one O
our city Christian churches that of a noto.
riously prominent Know Nothing, but not
notorious for piety We make no profes.
sions ourselves, but we know what neck.
cry Of religion is. No wonder, we say,
that nidelity prevails. rs
Things, we suspect, will be mended by
and by. Massachusetts has had full frui.
ton of Know Nothngism. Through the
insrumentality of the Order thirty or forty
professed ministers of Christ were sent to-
the Legislature. Those thirty or forty min.
listers have not exercised influenced enough
to save the Legislature from disgrace. We
do not know that they have tried. The vo-
ted for the appointment of the committees
whose exploits have been recorded in the
public journals, and one Of whose members
made shameful propositions to the Lady Su.
perior Of a convent, and another OF whom;
on the expedition to another convent, car.
ried with him disreputable person of the
opposite sex whose expenses were paid by
the State! These things were enacted, in
the name of Professionalism, in Massachu-
sets, by committee of a Legislature con.
tanning among its members thirty or forty
professed ministers of the gospel. They
never will be re-enacted in that State
Massachusetts has had surfeit of Know
Nothingism. Few other States will desire
| to be thus stated @g.- aa..G& 9 at-sE',
We believe in Professionalism. But we
don believe in the political Professionalism
that countenances Know Nothingism. We
don't believe in the Professionalism which
permits its priests to defle their religion
We don't believe in Protestant inquisitions
more than in Catholic inquisitions--in
American inquisitions more than in Span
ish inquisitions The Professionalism we be-
lieve I'M is that whose weapons are Truth,
and whose faith is in its efficacy. This is
what Professionalism used to be--what it
must be If it would save itself from disgrace
and ruin, and the country from infdelity.
Know Nothingism has done Catholicism
no injury yet. What injury has it not done
Professionalism. .s