The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-06-09

CIERGY-A TIMELY HNT.-The attempts
made in our own day to regulate the actioaa
of men, whether by the force of legislation OF
the more potent influence Of religion, do not
seem to produce the desired results. Society
continues to be disturbed to its very centre.
Every thing occasionally gets out of joint, evil
triumphs over good virtue retires from the
hopeless contest with vice. Crime, only q
fractional part of which is detected, haunta
along in its gayest colors. Misery besets us at
every turn. Poverty expires in its unvisited
novels, debt breaks the spirit of the MODEST
men, licentiousness laughs at the admonitions
of the good, and if we take one point of yieW
every thing appears to be getting worse.
In this social imbroglio, we look around in
vain for protection. Here, in the city Of Nem
York, we have all the common safeguards Of
life and property, but are they worth any.
thing? We have government, we have
police, we have station houses, we have hospi.
tails, we have prisons, we have human sociei
ties, we have all the appliances Of civilization
and all the monitions Of religion, aud q
host of clergymen whose speciality it is to ap.:
peal to the hearts and consciences of the PEG;
pie, and who profess to be the ministers Of God.
But we see but little Improvement. The good
time is always coming, but does it come?
We attribute much of our social disaster To
the mistakes of our spiritual pastors and
masters. We believe that too many of them
mistake their vocation, and that by mingling
SO largely as they do in secular matters they
are producing vast injury to the couatrN
We have now almost daily spectacle of their
attempts to make private sins out Of POLITICAL
necessities. 1t is no longer the Bible we must
look to, to know what is sinful, but wha. s,ma
fanatic preacher decides to be such. A vote In
convention now determines whether the Crea.
tor of the Universe is right or wrong, whetheE
his dispensations Of color, or climate, or social
differences are to be submitted to or to ba
done away with. 1t is for Brother Beecher,
and Brother Garrison, and Theodore Parker,
to determine what has been his will, and what
is his will, why we live in temperate zone;
and others in the torrid. The inspired wricera
inculcated obedience to existing author tiess
even our Saviour, who was Lord Of ALL recom4
mended the payment of tribute to an inidel
prince; he declared his kingdom was not Of
termined that it shall be otherwise. FauatE
cism, with its broad phylacteries, which it not
only wears, but makes up to suit itself, makes
itself wiser and holier than God, and its de;
luded votaries fly to MIME balls and rifea
to "vindicate his ways to man."
What is the influence of the clergy WORTH
under the extreme measures which its most
osu0u nh n<o cd ma mn
raj stake and faggot are quite bad enougM
The disorders of opinion are as dangerous a.
those Of the animal frame. Indeed they are
the fruitful source of insubordination, dis sterd
intolerance, crime and death.
We see the American clergy very Jealous IN
their remote charities. They have an intense
interest in the. welfare of people at distance.
They can chaunt their hymns to Greenland'a
cy mountains and Afric's burning sands, but
many of them are practically disorganizers,
sceptics and insurrectionists, entirely indffer.
ent to the peace and tranquility of their own
Countrywide revilers of the constitution, and
the slanderers of Washington. We know that
all are not so; but, unfortunately, the public
My see and hear of those who are thus promi.
nent in their mischief.
What is to become Of religion, if the influence
of the clergy is to be thus misdirected? How
shall we stop this food Of irregular aud uns
clerical opinion? Are there not some good
men left who will put forth their energies, IN
their Masters name, to control and regulate it,
Divisions among the Presbyteriaus, the Mesho1
dists and the Baptists are now but too ia ally
begun, arising out of purely political and esov
nomical questions
Practical infdelity grows rampant nidsf
these discussions. The country is on the Drink
of disunion from these unnecessary and irrelf:
gious political controversies. Let the clergy,
or such of them as are within the scope OF our
remarks, take heed to their ways Those Of
Gods ministers who do not put up the sword
may yet die by the sword. Take off the caps
of your rifles, gentlemen; unfix your bayonets;
violence is no part of Christians creed.