Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-10-17

on other subjects, but when these are en-
crossing the deepest feeling. Of the people,
for whom We minister, we must walk
among them as though we were of anoth-
er and On unrelated sphere. Let them" g."
doubtless you have heard it said, con6ne
themselves to their own vocation. Let
them attend to holy things, ard not defle
their sacred vestments iu the filthy pool Of
politics !" As if cIergymen, had not,
like mechanics, aud farmers, and editors,
and senators, besides their special calling
also the general and most noble calling Of
citizen and man! As if they and their
children were not interested in the meas.
ures which their government may pursue !.
As if they were not equally competent
with the generality of people to understand
what would be for the good Of the couu-
tryl And what an idea Of politics in it's
true and lofty sense, the noblest study
next to religion, and coupled with it by
ALGERNoN SIDNEY as together the main
concern of man the science which shows
how the best good Of men in the state is
to be secured, this their groveling minds
would degrade to rivalry Of greedy Office
seekers, a squabble for the loaves and FISH
es Of patronage, q wardship over the offal
of public interests with which it would be
pollution for any but the buzzards and hy-
enas of the state to interfere! A "dir,y
poor' indeed they make Of it! Their SUBJ
lime selfdevotement to such abominable
functions seems to demonstrate the feasi-
bility Of the most monstrous feature in the
social scheme of Fourier, that where he
supposes that in natural arrangement Of
society some would be found as ready to
perform the foulest and most disgusting
Offices for the public behoof as others to
take upon them what is intrinsically hon.
orable and pleasant! And you can not
have failed to notice that while these erea-
lures profess to allow ministers to deal with
moral and religious subjects-"Oh! yes,
let them attend to the morals and religion
of the community"-still, no sooner do
they find it convenient to entangle one Of
them within their selfish and ambitious
schemes, than they cry " hands off! let
politics alonev' Thus, Temperance is a
moral subject, until the means of promo
ting it are found to involve legislation,
when it suddenly sinks into base aud de-
grading political question about which
minister should not speak. That a man
should do to others as he would be done
by, be just and kind to his neighbor of
whatever complexion and degree, and even
d" remember those that are in bonds as
bound with them," is innocent morality of
which clergyman may safely speak, until
the growth of slavery crowds upon doc
trines, and then forsooth he must qualify,
aud speak with bated BREATH" lest some
vested interest and party programme should
suffer. So l will venture to predict that
when, not long hence, the sanctionins of
becomes party question, "par-
sons" will be politely requested to keep
clear of that ground. Then, if the Chi
nese should multiply in California as they
have in the "old country" and idolatry
claim to be one of the institutions" of
the land, there will doubtless be politicians
shrewd enough to see the danger of dis
coursing too strongly about the one liv-
ing and true God''! Perhaps we ought
to be thankful to them for making our
office a sinecure, and if We want to handle
the obsolete themes Of morality and reli
gion, we shall need only to get into Con.
gress, or the Legislature, or at least an ed
itor's chair, and take them up as "politics."
But, 1 repeat it, 1 am glad to see that
you do not countsnance that sort of COM
plant. The very fact Of your sending
me this pamphlet implies that you sup
pose 1, as q minister, may properly think
Of such themes. Your sending it in view
Of an approaching election implies that you
would not deem me blameworthy for vot-
ing upon them. Your sending several of
Ihem together, implies that you would
approve of my distributing them, and so
others to vote on them and Of
course you would not object, when these
Are exhausted,to my taking the sentiments
therein contained, or others like them, and
BY word of mouth making them effective,
It proper times, and by proper ways, in
the important objects you have
It heart. Aud have too much regard for
POUR professions Of democracy, and Of the
belief and duty of all men to use their best
Judgment in these affairs, to doubt that if
lfter contentious deliberation, I should
EEL constrained to act in some respects diff
'erently from what you desire, you would
.onceds my perfect right so to do. Thus
Tou fairly countenance the obvious, though |
somewhat disputed principle of justice and