The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-11-28
TIE CLERGY.

the good old Book venerated by our faith
ers. has fallen into sad neglect. This is
all wrong, and SO soon as common sense
succeeds in ousting unreasoning fanati
cism, we will all return to the observance
of duties taught us in childhood our
children will learn to respect the minister
who abjures "Beecher Rifleism," and
confines himself to the discussion of theo-
logical, instead Of political subjects
The alliance with Know Nothingism in
1854 has proved terribly disastrous to
the Clergy. In advising men to use every
means, however unfair and dishonorable,
to root out one system and mark for the
scorn of Americans" he would dare
follow its precepts or profess its form of
faith, they were unwittingly furnishing
arguments against all church authority /:
and when the pupil of the order had
graduated, he was ready to upset all the
Protestant Churches that assumed to re-
tain any right to influence his action.
This declaration of Independence on
thepart ofthe masses, compelled the Clergy
to take one Of two courses. They could
war with the spirit they had evoked, and
have the modification of finding them
selves as deeply covered with denuncia-
ton as their Catholic predecessors and
rivals. They declined war with such
powerful elements. The only course left
them, was to join in movement that
contemplated the destruction of all res
traint upon individual opinion. The
Church was claimed to be the first to be
obeyed, but obedience to any power, par
ticularly political, unless it accorded with
the private judgment of the devotees,
was as efectually excluded from their
role, as though the leaders of the French
Revolution were the stage managers -
The followers "a great way off of the
meek. and lowly Saviour" ignored the
precepts delivered to Peter when he pass.
ionately drew his sword, and to exhibit
their complete abandonment of 'old line"
religion 1--WE speak reyerentIy) they
shouted Hosannas over the cannonization
of Poole! A man whose life was con-
tinued record of brawls-whose reputa-
ton was that of successful exhibitor
of brute force-whose death was one of
violence. brought about bya quarrel with
an associate in ruffianism 1t is no won
der that "the church" has been by
word throughout they country. Those
who received their education in proscrip-
ton through its teachers, despised it at
once for its utilization with the outcasts of
society who were used to crafty its vim
dictivcness towards an opponent. 1t was
Of course discountenanced by all those
who carefully kept away from its contami-
mated organization.
One class, though degraded, had a suf-
fcient recollection Of virtue to feel con-
tempt for the familiarity the church had
descended to-while the other portion
of society looked sorrowfully upon the
conduct Of leaders who preferred "to rule
in Hell, rather than to serve in Heaven"
and they silently stepped out Of the cir
Gle Of an influence that proposed to en-
gulph all law, all order, all obligations Of
whatsoever nature, in one grand moral
and political Pandemonium. Those who
were promised ''souls for their hire"
fshed in the turbid waters of politics for
nominations to Office, and the result was,
as It was with Sampson. when they shaw
ed him, their Strength departed and they
became as other men"-with this differ
ence-their political harangues, usually
week and inaamatory. from their mex
periencs and imperfec, knowledge Of pub