The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1857-03-18


of Liberty the following extract from tho letter
Of Methodist clergyman, which We find in thu
Quincy, llL,) Herd. Mr.. Barger had bean
attacked through the papers for not preschinR
on the subject of slavery.
He makes the following convincing reply:
PAvsoS, Sspt I'd, 1855.
Now, to the task of vindicatiOn, which is csfs =,
tainly light one. The grave charge resting
upon me- as we'll a. others Of the same class, Ii
that We are silent upon the subject Of slavery,
| acknowledge the fact, but cannot with nv
friend al knowledge any guilt. Ny reasons tor
such silence are as follows
FGrsi. There are no Shareholders in my con-
gregation. AS a Methodist minister, | lind thia
! reqtisition in our discipline, (page 55,> with
which | am bound to comply, 'Aheays b tyntr
subject 10 yDr 0i9iehe," and as slavery docs not
exist in my bounds have nothing to do with if.
| If | feel that American slavery is a sir and God
has called upon me to expose that sin, will
| not remain In Illinois, where that sin does net
and is not likely to exist, but would rather 90,
and with the S,viour, sit down al tt. table with
these pdblicans AMI sinners, and eat with them,
and notwithstanding, might he pslsscuted for
Righteousness sake, Would cons der myself,
blessed, and with him would say The whole
| need not physician, but they that are sick =
and with him | would cry out, 81 come not u
call the righteous, but sinners 10 repentance.'
A sublime idea would it be, truly, for you tho
| physicians Of Quincy, TO make out pre- Icriptions
for your patients for yellow fever simply lrepl..
the fact that the disease is raging to some exc
| tent in New Orleans. .l a
| My Seecnk reason for such silence il, l don't
find that subject included in my commission
| The command is, "preath the Gospel" Con-
vince me that politics constitutes part Of the
gospel of Christ, and will preach a pol.tcalssr-
Y,aNt Sabbath Rut tLatc eli
not easily be arrived at either directly or indi.
rectly, until bylegal bonds Church and State
are one ; which may heaven ever forbid.
| My third reason for silence is. | meet with
no precedent for political preaching in the ex-
| ample of Christ and his apostles. SO lar from
it, that we see everything TIE contrary Paul
would glory in nothing ''save in the cross OF our
Lord Jesus Christ" and expressed himself al
determined to know knothing among the people
save Christ crucified." And in the memorable
instance when our Saviour was put to the test
| by having propounded to Him a political qucs-
ton, under circumstances OF very lnomentous
character, he replied, Render unto Caesar The
things that are Caesars, and unto God the things
| that are Gods And in that laconic but VOLT
minous reply not only set forth the character of
his mission, but gave an example to be carefully
studied and diligently followed by all his min
| listers through all time. Follow his example my
good brother M, and then and not till then.
say to your Pensioners, "follow me as follow
Christ" ..#--#...
My fotsstk reason for silence on the subiectlof
American slavery is, my people are as well q
quanted with the subject as am. Almost, If
not all of my members are in receipt of one or
more political papers, weekly. | don't know
how it is with others, but my people are posted
up in these matters. Itrequires all my time to
7
attend to Other duties OF my charge, while thl
have time at their command to read thesa pa
pers, political speeches, &C., attend political
meetings, "come to the lighe" see it Sshinc.ns
and otherwise gain information on all important
questions Of the day; and | have not SO little
confidence either in their intellectual stamina
or industry ds to think they either cannot or
DO not improve these means Of ofinformationto to all
beneficial intents and purposes Such fict
renders it not only inexpedient but unnecessary
FOR me to crowd the cross out Of my pulpit IT.
make room for a political platform ! cannot
l ,0iW mt be guilty of such sacrilege.
| Myftfh reason for silence is my pulpit wss
not dedicated to politicians, but to God. CoaIt
houses and legislative halls are designed express
| ly for civil purposes. Churches most certainly
are not. Il political harrangues are to be intro
duced into our churches on the holy Sabbath,
it is high time we were rearing up other edit ~
ccs and instead of dedicating them to Almigh.
| ty God, for the dissemination Of vital truth and
holiness, we should dedicate them to Buchanan.
! Frem mt, and Fillmore, for the Elimination Of
opposing doctrines Of political parties, and the
breaking out otbtter sarcasnii against men who
honestly differ with us as TO the best manner Of
conducting the legislative AMI executive dep1Ft-
ments Of the nation. We think If lie who made
'sc urge of small cords and drove out those
| that ho,tr,Et nd uolI H.. o,,J n
threw the tables of the money changers s. Vi Z,
! my house sh til be called ofal nations the no iso
ofprayer but We have made it den Of thieves"
should he, We say enter as in the days of his
incarnation one of our modern temples, he
would say as he then said, "take these thingaz
| hence" down with these poltical ensignS aug
raise in the room thereofth ensign Of the gos.
pei Of God, and where now your party colors
float in the gentle breeze Of heaven, unfar shc
glorious Banner Of Christ, and bid the teefning
millions OF earth in moral slavery, despotisGn 4
an death, See, read and hope"
1 These, sir, are briefly my reasons forsence on
| the subject Of American slavery | consider
them iustifal reasons, friend--Mr. Matlock's
views to the contrary Notwithstanding. Bur
won't he, oh won't he reserve one sad decision
lie denounce5 me, as we'll az the whole class OF
silent prophets on this point, as t,inoral COW.
ard, and nlyworthy place among the proph-
cts Baal" The reader will please to feserto
/ part of their historyss1 ! Kings, 18th chapter.
These prophets of Baal were very bad men un-
doubtedly very great hypoortes--'t those who
steal the livery Of heaven to serve the devil in.,s
] ! hope am not quite so bad. II so, come over
thou modern Elijah and build up your political
altar place your sacrifice thereon, and l5oav sass
mater on it, then call on your God who smiles on
your political course, and if he hears you, and
/ fire. trfh
rifce and altar too, We may possibly be converted
and there may yet be hope ii our case
JH. BARGER.