Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1857-01-09

Politics and 5Eso Clargy.

wltaia shor- TIM past, against the
protestant Clergy. Of being political
ministers, AMI o. PREACHING treason, 1
think IS i'll founded ana base SANDER
in perfect keeping with the disposition,
Of those who bring forward the aceusa-
/ ton.
The charge OF being political minis
ters, may be. in a com,n T. Eal'.=s sense
tru. Bat in It's appleat. ,i.is i .tis-
ma OF the Clsrey, an d. ign. d to set
til IN n false Il. 1t u re tae commu-
nifty.
To hibit the position OF the Cl>r-
~, in relation to the charge, inquire
hat politics are. and answer first, that
politics is The science of government
Second. that system of civil ethics, and
foreign policy by which the government
Of a State. or Nation is regulated, and
administered.
Third, that system of operations by
which, in this country, the officers of Il
Stat, and the Nation ate obtained
Now It is highly eommendab!e for the
Clor.s, man, to BE read in The science of
his government ane i'll politics, as un-
dorstood in Tie light If the above def
tGtl7n. No u2e warts an i.snoranus for
IA Minister. Ait is often, tn 1t less sons
Of instruction applied 70 the human
eorsc net., arr illustrated, ly figures
drawn from the science Of government.
But it is Obvious. that by politics is Of
ten and most commonly meaHt, some-
thing very different from V hat has been
here stated.
| rcm1ls therefore, foulthly, that ly
politics is meant that strenou., co test Of
parties for power, which distinguish cleo
tloneer;ng CAMPAIGNS in the Juited
States.
Fifth, politics mean, in common ac-
ccptation of the term, that system Of
lying, Misrepresentation, and SANDER.
Frae;lecd by the newspapers, stump
spcakers' i'ha, IN tEclr TAM by dema-
sogaes AID private citizens. Now IN
taiS Term OF politics, 1t Is far from be.
ing eommendable for the Clergyman to
engage. The pulpit should not be des-
!
eel lated y the debates, brolls, and ma
ii9m.y OF political STRIFE. Aotwlthstand-
laG TIE tlsrgyman IN tAe=orI.n.rg par
suit ii his paIae'''ai datles, Il he lsa
1l;'d! Workman i5.4 afa't't engaged
IN Tie eAsc4'!oa O: ms mission, may he
literally "fa"H mo political contests
according as fae changing issues OF po-
i.t'e'ti e;ihl 'A99s' my nave a f-ias;on
u AS hf''Sh' oi i@32r'
Bat, has tae Cl.lty engaged in
this tafm Of politics, in such manner as
to cad down or up to themselves, the
oJinm and SANDER Of political contest
ants for roWcr, in the estimation of
reason end common sense The Old
issaes raaia ,ndistutbed. Ciergymen
do not discuss the right, or wrong. of
Democracy and Whisism as understood
in the paimy days Of those partes-
They have not made it their business.
whether high, or low tariff is neces-
sary, or whether it ought to be for pro-
lection CT revenue purposes. Neither
do they NEEDLE with the National Bank
question, or the s4biect Of internal i'm
provemcnts by the Government. Nei-
thar is the nations system of foreign
policy, subject of pulpit Investigation,
unlcs that policy effects, fer better or
worse, some OF the distins gushing insti-
tutons of the country, or has an evil
tendency at home, and l deem these
subjects improper for the pulpit
They are parelv and abstractlv politi-
cal, and the Clergyman must go out of