The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-08-14
pniitics and The PmInit.

IN the August n,tInber Of Irtaur'S MdgoE'ne
The article is evidently intended as justifi-
cation Of the course pursued by the Episcopal
congregation Of philadelphia, who requested
the Rev. Mr.. Tying to resign his position as
pastor because he d,nounced the sin of human
bondage. Here is the first paragraph, which
contains the gist of the article:
| "The Introduction OF political themes in the
pulpit, and there discussion there on the Sab
| bath by men set apart TO minister in the holy
things of religion is greatly to be deplorcd, as
working evil instead of good. In times OF po-
| lticul excitement, when interest and love OF
power seize every opportunity to sway men bY
passion and prejudice, the day Of rest from
| thoughts of this world as well as from natural
labor particularly needs to be Kept sacred TO It's
high spiritual uses. The ministers calling is not
of this world, but the next. His office is TO lead
men to heaven and when he so far forgets his
peculiar uses as TO step down into the arena OF
politics. and desecrae his pulpit by partisan
1 harangues, he loses more than half of his power
over the minds of men in things pertaining TO
spiri ritunl life"
Now, Mr.. Arthur, that may be sound doc
trine, but we can't exactly understand it SO.
Perhaps it is owing t. the fact that we grew
up in the woods, went to school in log house
which had paper windows, and were "instruc-
ted by masters" " who had certificates to
teach reading writing, and ciphering to the
single rule of three" and who impressed their
ideas upon pupils with the ferule and clinched
them with a CAD that would reach all parts Of
the school room from the center. Be this as
il may, we have a right to differ, even with
Mr.. Arthur; and we will leave the reader TO
Judge as to the merits of our opinions.
Let us be understood in the outset, then, as
not being an advocate for political preachers ;
or, in other words, do not understand that we
would convert ministers into politicians, or
pulpits into political rostrums. The position
we assume is, that political parties are not in
fallible-they are liable, from various causes,
to support iniquitous principles and practices
that vice is none the less vice because
it is party bantling-that minister of the
Gospel has no business to ask whether the de-
nunciaton Of a sinful opinion or practice will
offend this or that man, or promote the in
terests of this or that political party, or the
speculative designs Of this or that individual
or corporation.
Suppose either ofthe political parties should
resolve that the polygamy of the Mormons
was right, and that it should be fostered, en-.
couraged and extendedby government. Would
that be sufficient to seal the lips of minister;
against such an abomnation? Should the
pulpit be silent while such an impious doc.
trine and wicked practice was seeking fol
power to sweep over the entire country and
substitute vice for virtue Mr.. Arthur may
say yes, but Miss Townsend we know could
not sanction such criminal silence.
Three years ago, the only question tha
agitated the political elements of Ohio, wat
that of temperance. Many ministers contin
ued to preach temperance, and many news
paper editors, who had always carried the
principles in a whiskey jug, denounced then
as political medlers, just as the pro-slavery
press now denounce those ministers who havt
the religious courage to preach against thu
sin of human slavery.
If those ministers who meet iniquity ant
battle against it face to face, close more tha,
half their power" by it, l.oT does it com
that the church organizations TO which the,
belong are so much more prosperous thai
those which will not tolerate such preaching
The mass of the people have more faith ii
the sincerity Of those ministers who strike tn
Devil in the face, than in that class who ar
always running behind and trying to step o.
his tail. 1t is this different mode of attac
that gives vitality to some churches and de
stroys the life of others. 1t is not necessar,
that we should make the comparison betweel
those denominations that have been bold il
their denunciations of actual existing sin, an
those which think it only necessary to ptc
into old mother Eve for eating the forbidde
fruit. While the former have grown with IN
precedented rapidity and exerted powerful
influence in the right direction, the latter hav
: not kept pace with the increase of population
and have rather opposed than favored huma
progress. As to the spiritual life " Of thes
S different denominations, we have nothing t
; say.
Who does not believe that Henry War
' Beecher, Theodore Parker, and E. II. Chs
= pin. are doing more for the advancement
practical christianity than all the long-face
hypocrites in the United States who worsh
y. at The shrine of mammon and go through IL
motions in the house of God? And yet NJ
Arthur would have us believe that these me
and men like them, have no power over IL
minds of men to lead them in the ways
lt righteousness Common observation STAN
Sc this bold assertion as a most gross absurdit