Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-03-18


1--WE regret to learn that the Rev. MIR
Gould Of B,ddlefora has requested tha
a committee Of the church be appointed
to coaier with him in references 10 draw
ing has PASTORAL relations to u close
Political difficulties among the people
have rendered his situation neither use
iul nor comfortable During the frs,
three years Of MIR. Gould's ministry the
church rose from sixty five to two hun
dred and sixty-h five members For the
! past year there hos been no increase.
We know nothing Of the case beyond
what is dated in the paragraph above
What politics are held by the minister
! or people, We have no means Of learning
nor is It Of the slightest Importance in
I forming hn estimate OF the PASTORS
prospects OF usefulness among the peo-
pie Of his charge.
Two facts arc stated dis,inctlr, nav
three, that are worthy Ut being ponder
ed by those ministers and writers who
have 80 zealously defended the right Of
clergymen to preach politics as well as
the gospel 1t appeared ]. That Mr..
Gould has PASTORAL charge. 3. That
political difficulties have made his stu.
alton no longer useful or comfortable;
and 3. That whereas he vas greatly
blessed during the fret years OF his M in.
istry, be has had no "iocrease" for the
past year-the year OF bis political
preaching, we presume.
Probably no congregation in tho land
can be found where there is not some
difference OF opinion among the people
on the subject OF politics. Party spirit
may not run high, and the people may
be divided Smong themselves, so that
social ami even domestic harmony is dis.
turbsd' Such cases are not uuknown.-
But 10 the midst Of such contentions, it
is his duty, and every rightminded min.
lister feels it to be his privilege and
pleasure, to keep aloof from the position
Of = partisan, and by combining his la
bora to the spirituslities u his hock, to
become psacemaker, u friend OF oil,
. servant OF Christ, anu net the loader
or ALI OF one OF the parties against al.
other. In timss !isH those We have pas
sed through 10 the Ne. wear, the feelings
of men become 80 deeply enlisted u tie
Tate 81 their patty, that hey r.gari
with disfasor every mao who taxes sideS
against them, and the more commanding
his position, the mote he i, offensive "a
those whose We've be attempts to re.
sist.
Bus the minister may be on The eide
where nias.sen,hs OF his people ar.
/ RAGGED. And then They look upon hin,
even HE political trisuds, ~ their polite
! iosl leader or ads,sss. and the hpirisus
! teacher is lost in the pArsis.n. The goa
/ pei, il 10 !as!d moment the prsaahsI
happens TO give his people ltssls Of II,
10 not received ~ 1t would 10 from one
whose heart cid soul are ia HE Mssssr'.
work. ChrissiSus ere not edited BY IL
sinusss have no respect for ID from such
lips. A. The suspicion OF 40 immora
lite tain,a the preaching Of the mos, sol
smn ruIas and makes = suspected mar
a. Gs6t Gsn to staEd in The puipis - at
embasAsioI from heaven, 80 she knowl
! sdes that . minister ID y partisan IL
i polistos. Destroys bis moral power 90 th,
ksst,s even Of The msn who sympashis'
With him 10 bis viows OF the kingdom d
this world.
Hence il 10 inevitable that the sesul
10 Mr.. Gould's case should be the usua
result. Hence il 10 inevitable that po
li,ieal parsoos should have the rssponsi
bility OF Destroying their own ussfuln
and Leaving The souls Of their psopl. 4
perish.
! The ease Of Mr. Gould end the pso
pie Of Biddlsford 10 40 illustrstlon 0
the mischief sssulsiog from tho style 0
presohine iasrodueed BY the last Fslp
sIsosionssrius osmpaigo, and the sad Q
II 10 not yet.