Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-09-16
Preacher versus Politician.

In thc~r later times the politician appears
u ~ getting greatly jealous Of the preacher
ami III" pIrtain cannot ABIDE the pulpit
lhis Is not an assertion capable Of universal
aspiration, hut th" causc o, II il sufficiently
general t. deserve all the att ,ntien we snail
hystuw upon It in thcs, remarks Many
Political men and many political newspapers
arc tnVcishins against what they term
political priests and political preaching.
n every occasion when urtizln iellouslv
furnishes them the slightest prrtext for ;,
doing. II one listened only T. this sort of
men and rad only this SORT of newspan,rs
he might be astJIndca at the swift d., no.
racy and unscrupulous yenality of the
pulpit, and might be led 10 think that
nearly every Christian minister north of
Mason and Dixon line had surrendered she
sacred dutir- of his holy Office. and hld
taken, instead, g. dlbhlins in all the pstty
disputes OF political factions. Men. in
almost every church who's. minister is not
CAREFUL e. wear the rcsuaiion-muzllc of the
political cr'cds, are, from time T. time.
having their sensitive political c1nscienccs
insaltei ly what they term a up, litie.l
-ermpn.' and, being willing 10 sacrifice their
d'eire g bear the preaching of the gospel To
thrlr iealiy 10 the annunciations Of the
Buncon'b Convention, they forthwith with
draw their ministerial subscription and
absent themselves from church. perehance
shown: their religious feeling by piously
laborIng - convince their fellow pew.
holders that they ought To get n NEW
minister, who would preach the gospel
aud L.; politics alone or else by transfer
ins their patronage 10 the exchcquer and
their persons 10 the pews of some other con-
lregation, whose preacher words are oiled
or velvet-wrappcd - as to give no rude con-
custom 10 the party rrcia1ices of these
Aforesaid martyrs to the great Buncomb
Time Was, within the memory Of the
present generation. when ministers were
not - pcrycrsc. and did ut corrnptly for
sake the preaching Of religion" 10 make
political harangucs' from the pulpit.-
And yet. these poor ministers are 10 BE-
pIticd, fOT We wot Of those who have fur
bished up a sermon which had been received
without doubt Of its propriety ky half
dozen pious and unsuspecting CONGREGATIONS
within ten or fifteen years past, but vet when
presented 10 an assembly OF hearers in the
year OF grace 10, these same stupid clerur-
men have been astonishea to find the san.
sermon to have the effect Of = lighted match
applied u the fuse of u bomb upon certain
exp, sive politicians in their Congregations.
Don't Is too hard ON the poor ministers =
How shou.i they know that the decrces of
the great Bu.'comb have made such inn5ya-
tons upon tlic sanctions of the gospel
But II behoOvcs rs TO ascertain the real
merits Of the case b'.wecl the preacher and
the politician. PYlities, according to the
photographers. is the SCIENCE Of government.
la h'pS,r s'1tSf, c-el> tl.1Hes politics
as "tac contests Of parties for power.
which n1y be taken as Mr. Webster 5
opinion that the strife Of parties his li,t!. &.
the 'sciencc Of government in il. Bat u
return, politics. unprecedented. Is the seiene,
Of government, and 1t is the Just province If
the honest politician to labor to secure for
his state and nation government must
nearly in accordance with what he esteem.
the most correct principles of stat, and
national policy. II IS the province Of the
Christian minister & enaRci4te the prineirie.
VI the New Testament. to set forth the ruiz
Of conduct taught by the Founder Of our
faith, "to preach the gospel to the poor, to
heal the broken hearted, 10 preach deliver
ance 70 the eapiives and recovery Of sight 10
tue blind, and to setat liberty Item that are
bruised
We think that il is evident that the
preacher should not usarp the province of
the politician. We do not wish him 10 tell
Us whether the interests of the country will
be sabserycd by the establishment of a ma
tional bank, or by high rate OF duties on
imports, because these and all such questions
OF financial and prudential policy are mat
tiers OF Judgment from knowledge or theory
OF our national condition and wants. ami
have no moral character whatever. The
preacher has and exercises his ouinisn AMI
voice relative to these matters, but they
have nothing 70 do with the ministration II
the gospel, since u man can be equally a
good Christian holding either side OF a o,,es-
ton Of policy Involving no moral right or
duty. 81, when the preacher intrudes such
question into bis pulpit, he is invading. the
province OF the politician, for we % 70
church 10 learn OF Christian duty, and not
to consider how we may, bcst increase our
national revenues or enhance the inlustr i,l
prosperity of our country.
But the politician must remember .ba,
the preacher has a province in which Nj.
liberty is not 10 be clrcumsurib.i. This !.
the domain Of the universal IN 1ral ri,b,s an8
Christian duties Of men everywhere. "rbou
shalt love thy ncisAbJr as thyself :" ID,
unto Others evcn Us ye would that they
should do unto you - This is the Law Il
the gospel, and no act of human hands or
iaiiaeious standard Of public opinion NAV
by right bar the preacher from the iull aud
Tree Gtteranee vi this universal Law. NJ
man has the sanction Of the Word Of Odd
or OF his own conscience to Restrain tha
Christian minister from rebukins any an5
every act of uneqaiyocal moral wr9n,
whenever, and wherever, and by whom> ,as'1r
committed, whether the sins be of nations 81
parties or OF individuals. If political par
ties make issue upon an uneqGiyOcal moral
question, or upon prudential question
merely, which Is 50 connected with a moral
question that discussion IF the latter cH,.t.
the politlo al issue, than the politician has
come within the domain OF the preacher.
and he has no right, by any rrinciple
OF religion, of justice or OF hImanifv.
TO control or 10 condemn the ChrlsiI N
minister IN has rcbUke Of tbs ini4aiiy which
the politician sustains or is affected hy. II
nation or political party sins, ia the M e.
teenth century. We do not SO why Tat sin
Is not us open 10 rehuke $ IL Il bad b,,u
committed by the Jews, ia the times when
they were reouked by Gods prophets Of Oh
4 We confess that We cannot acknowledge the
justice of the principle which, in the l,lici.
tous language of friend. demands tina,
great national sins should be left to be re.
huked soelly by great national sinners
| The evil which is the cause Of all In. pres.
ent partizan maledietion concerning ..pilitj.
cal priests - and .D,Iitieal hasa, - = =