The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1856-11-28

hBUsEs OF TIE FEAPlT.


has always been recognized by the American
mind. The ambassador from God TO man is a
being so potent for good-So comforting in the
dealh-chamber-so sacred in all the tender
ations of life that reverence towards the min
stcr and his solemn office springs iutuitively
from every breast. His messages to US are clad
with all the authority "as Of one risen from the
dpad." The mysteries of his teachings serve
but 10 enhance the sanctiiy Of his Office. 1t Is
not strange, then, that in this land, where the
people love to seek ont intellectual leaders for
themselves, under whose banners they may de-
youtly range, more than ordinary significance
has been attached to the offerings OF the pulpit.
If its influence is less tumultuous, ii is even
more permanent than that of the press. Such
field for power is afforded by neither the Sen
ate chamber, the newspaper, nor the hustlngs,
and those who fill the pulpit have not been
slow to observe it. So dazzling a sway as the
priests of religion exercise in this country could
hardly exist without turning the heads OF many
Of the erring and frall men who are our Spirltu-
al guides. The transition from the themrs OF
the Bible to the concerns OF temporal life Is as
EASY as the line which divides thrm is shadowy
and vague. Thp heated enthusiast ot religion
mpprcrpibly gides, in the trrvor OF the mo-
fsent, TO topics that are present, exciting, and
OF everyday life. Hence, when the pride Of
eloqnence and the warmth Of pos>ion has car
ripd the puipit-orator over the oit-ioId tale OF
sChrist and Him Crucifrd.' he srizrS on some
new and arousng topic to awaken the Tagging
Interest Of his drowsy hearers. II the tricks OF
rhetoric fail TO elicit an emotional sympathy,
he knows full well that the tricks Of hr great
institutions ofthp ''stump" will supply an eN-
haustless fund from which he may draw at
will
Thus, whilst the church-gong people Of
New England were augrily and unwiSely de-
nouneing MIR. Madison during the last war with
Great Britain, the pulPs OF that siald and deco
rnns community We're made political rosirums
whence every friend Of the war aud soldier Of
his county Was denounced and abused. 1t VAS
a tribunal from whose Judgment there was no
appral--to whose arguments there could be no
instant reply. And so when the So-Caied
';Amefican" party emerged from the gloom Of
,lar, lodges, large section Of our pulPits were
flied by harangurs in behalf Of lis success, stir
ling up at once political hnstitles against for
rignrrs and Catholics.
But, Of all topics delighted in By The church
militant, none has received such undivided IN
terezt as the subject Of slavery.
The sermons written and printed upon It
wond dam TIP the mouth Of the Mississippi;
and If all that has been spoken sand written
could have been addressed on pure religious
topics 10 the heathenS OF Africa, Asia, and A.
mcrica we nigh; we'll hazard the guess that
each of them would know more of Theology
than some Of the very occupants Of oar Pulplts
themselves.
From the time ofthe eloquent bat misguided
Claiming to this hour tiIrre has been one IN
cpaslng ''pTeach" against slavery. Al one mo-
ment Habbakuk Mukrlwraih Parker has arisen.
CRYING aloud, '.Dead corpseS and wounded hor-
Ses, the mixing together of battle and garments
rolled in blood.'' At another, Kettle-drunmer
Chrrver starts up to ''tesiify" for Kansas, after
the style of OLD Muse Heading, crying out,
"Slay and spare not. Woe TO the coupilers
and seIl-seekerS that daub over and drown their
const FENCES by complying with wicked eXac-
tons, and giving manmon of unrighteousneSs TO
the sons Of Belial." And far awav in the van
stands Rifle Dtecher, of "pons memory" with
his famous gun ''Kill 'rm,'' doing Gods Srrvic+
in f4Eping to slay tho "phiIislnrs and Edom-
ties" of Missouri. The three preachers who
spoke in Gods name against the repeal Of the
Missouri Compromise Close up the rear of the
great army Of abolition pulpit saints OF the 18th
century.
Does any friend of religion. as the some thing
needlu,' feel joyous pride in the glance we
give him? Istherr aught here to elevate the
American pulpit in the affections Of men or the
sight OF God. How compare the teachings Of
Beechpr. and Parker, and Checvpr, and Dntton,
and Tying with those Divine Precepts of Peter,
"Subnit Yourself to every ordnance of man for
The Lords sake % and of Paul, 'sTo obey mag
istratrs, to speak pvl Of no man, to be no
brawlers, but gentle, showing all merkness un-
10 all men ~ How far more beautiful the
TEACHINGS of MasSilon and Bossuet than the IN
cerdiary harangu~s in which our northern min