Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-04-23
PoIitical Preaching.

tSSAtn C0uGuAy IL was d pCllou WASH
learning was full of mischievous scepti-
cism, and when the popular mind was
intoxicated with a frantic spirit of civil
revolution. Religion had no immunity
where she was tempted to step down
from her throne to mingle with the
storm. She sank in the death grasp Of
the bloody tragedy, to which she had
made herself an ally; and then inideli-
ty had no check. This mighty calami-
ty was but the inevitable consequence
of such an unnatural and unholy ALI
ance. When religion stoops to become
an adjunct to the Incorporate zeal of
political strife, and casts away her dis
tinctive holy Office, she soils her vest
ments with the impure contact and poi
sons the pure fountain of her faith and
mission with the drugs that are bucks
tered in seasons of wild political dis
cord.
History is full of instruction and pro
found admonition upon this sad theme.
Nations and communities have felt the
scourge in the long eclipse of every ray
of redeeming light and the tardy return
of special and moral health.
Religion never wandered from her le-
Ultimate sphere, to share in the great
agitating movements that %convulses So
ciety with some bold scheme of political
corruption and base ambition, alien to
her sober and peaceful province, with
put injuring or endangering her benign
and holy cause. The active and boiste-
rous clements of secular life take hold
Of her gentle spirit when adroit appeals
are made to her sympathy; and, incau-
tiously relaxing her hold on her best
safeguards, give her helping hand, she
lends her strength to the promotion of
vicious ends before she is aware of her
false position. If returning reason
should open her eyes to her great error,
she might decide to retire from the lost
field to repair her violated faith and in
jured reputation, as the best amend she
could make. But, if infatuation should
blind her to a true sense of duty, and
she should move on in companionship
with unholy ambition, the last step would
be to her W dishonored grave. With
these memorials and warnings before US,
it is deplorable to see, in our own land,
in this enlightened age, in the clear light
and defined path of religious duty, so
many pulpits desecrated to political
preaching and so much zeal worse than
=SRastedSin thcf false Eame of religion. to
aid the worst spirit of discord; to weak
en-, if not to sever, the bond of our ma
tional Union; invoking hostility and
discord where there should be peace and
harmony; cutting asunder the fraterni-
ties of brotherhood; stimulating a blind
persistence to peril everything that is
dear to us il government, and all that
is sacred to the great cause of civil and
religious liberty, that bigots in black
may preach treason and baptize infdel-
ity with the sanction of sacredotal i'm
posture. 1t is, indeed, a sad spectacle
but this does not tell the extent of the
shame and evil. 1t has a deeper shade
of crime when a venal press is leagued
with a licentious pulpit to defle the al.
tars of religion and r~epudiate the obi
cations of patriotism. OF this scene o.
turpitude in another land, Madam Ro.
land exclaimed, Oh her way to the scat
fold, "Oh! liberty, how many crimes
are perpetrated in thy name!" and she
might have added, GLOW many crimes
under the mask of religion"
Whilst we lament and reprobate thu
commissions that endanger our common
country, we have the cheering c~onsola
ton of knowing that these evils, howev
er threatening, have their limit, and al,
destined to fall infinitely short of thei
aims. IF the pulpit has its bigots AM
u faithful stewards, religion has he
pure and faithful votaries Throughout
all her borders-strong, pervading, an
controlling-watchful and jealous of he
good name, and her high and holy mis-
sion-ready to rebuke error, to punisl
hypocrisy, and to lead in the way of du
ty. II the press is not unanimous, i
has nevertheless an embodied and com
handing strength that is watchful an,
faithful at every point of duty; as read.
to rebuke clerical apostacy as it is t
expose political corruption. The PEG
pie, too-the sovereigns of our land
love and honor religion as a great divin
clement, working in her appropriate
sphere to dispense blessings where he
healing is necessary, but not to usurl
the popular prerogative in what pertain
to civil government.
Church and State are distinct in GU
handmade so from the clear convic
tions of sound policy and the r%elativ
demands each for the good Of all. The
have travelled on as handsmaids, i
harmony through our national career