Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-09-30
The Phenomenon Of Con-
sctentious Political Preacher.

hciehtious piety IN high stations The Bib,
speaks so plainly about spiritual wickednes
in high places, and calls on US so earnestl,
to contend against princip alities and powers
that it is eminently refreshing to find on,
burning and shining light OF religion il
political Office. Especially is it wonderful tt
see the politician turning preacher, and with
ed,iytng warmth emulating in the Court ant
Cabinet, the sacred zeal OF the mos PuritaniC
Pulpit
We are Led to thesa reflections by the re-
cent address of Mr. jefferson Davis. fragrant
with the breath of heaven, nropoundinS and
exslting the principles of Southern philan.
thropy in the name OF God. How happy is
the people that is in such a case, where field
preachers appear under the shape of cabinet
ministers, ana political sermons by pollti-
clans themselves take all the wind out of the
sails OF the most fanatieal political diyines.
Our admiration is also excited by the appear
-;ince of Others in the same field of morals and
theology, proclaming the iniquity of any
interference against wrong, whenever the
wrong is assumed among the iu6 yes to have
been chartered by the Constitution. The
Constitution is the inspired scripture of the
latter class of preachers, and OF much higher
authority than the Word Of God because,
the Word of God having commanded US t.
submit to every ordinance of man for the
Lords sake, ii magistratical man commands
us to make slaves OF our own children, or t.
pass them through the fire to Moloch, we
must do it asking no questions for conscience
sake. the human commandment having been
elevated by God himself in such Il cas-, to a
much higher authority than any elitt Of
divine revelation. lying. stealing. adultery
and murder were authorized by the Cons.itu-
ton, conveying 4 property in such rights Of
transgrcsslon to 4 portion oil the states. then
no other states or statesmen, especially II
candidates for the Presidency, could have
any right of intervention against such wrong,
and it would be perfectly orthodox every
where to command perfect acquiescence IN
such wrong, and to forbid all interference
against it. Fer the power. that he are or
dained OF God, and consequently the con-
stitutlons that be are his authoritative reye-
liton, and our business, everywhere, is
simply to inquire, not what is right, nor
what is agreeable to the will Of God. but
What is in the Constitution. This is
agreeable to the political catechsm, which
was p;.raded up and down our streets during
the last Presidential election, in the follow
Ing grand banner, The Constitution FOR
EARTH. THE BIBLE For HEAVEN This is that
system Of politics in religion and politics in
the place Of religion, propaunded with all
the eloquence OF the late lamented but era
tic Mr.. Choate. the spread eagles Of whose
political morality We're harnessed 50 amica-
bly, with the doves Of his pastors orthodox
theology, in u chariot that whirls onward
the slayehol ing church and state in career
OF glory.
Mr.. jefferson Davis has taken under charge
of bis ministry, the continued adjustment al
the divine providence Us to the distribution
of races, and especially has undertaken tae
tuhllment of Gods curse upon Cana u, IN
restoring TO their normal condition. undtr
that curse, the descendants Of Ham. He
slight mistake Of contoarding the other
descendants of Ham, whether in Africa or
any other quarters Of the GLOBE. wiki the
Canaanites, on whom the prediction of Moan
was fulfilled, only gives 10 Mr.. Jefferson ;
theology the piquant zest Of holding tie
truth in unrighteousness. 1t can hardly be
supposed that man Of intelligence is 81
complete an ignOramus as not t. know the
difference between Canaan and Ham; it Is
therefore to be presumed that is the thealo-
gy of Accommodation, adopting the popular
prejudice as i steed to carry the curse. The
curse, as the assumed judgement Of God
upon the colored race, must net wear out,
must not be permitted to fail; rather let Us
offer ourselves as its devoted priesthood
What submissive reyerential regard To the
providence Of God What flial alteration
OF his judgments With what pious haste
do our Southern political orators and Cabinet
preachers present thems5.7e as the instru-
ments Of God for securing and carrying cut
those judgments And how glorious re-
fuge for the attributes OF the Almighty Is
their provision of such an insurance How
blessed are the Southern shareholders in tbs
privilege of preserving his predictions from
the disgrace of not being fulfilled, and q
rendering that fulfllment, by slaYeaJidtuz
law, a perpetual miracle. IRON generator
to generation, as wonderful IS tA2 Ireasarva,,
ton Of the Jews. peeled. scattered. and
branded on the lace OF the whole earth
But Mr.. jefferson Davis assumes the
state of caatteis,s, tts sergiis caste, to be tbs
normal condition of the African. that is, hi,
most perfect state, the highest AMI hapgiest
development of his nature and destiny. HIS
theology grins and sueers at the slave, 4.
unworthy and Incapable of any higher deye-
lopment, or any other. He takes nan
makes beast of him by slavery, then taunts
him with his derradu Jon. and cuffs him loI
not being anything better than a beast. liz
takes the negro, debases and dchumaniZe;
him under the iron bondage, deprves aim O
all the rights. influences, and cIeyating
privileges and institutions Of freedom anc
Christianity, and then and there declare
that the condition to which he is thus re
duced is the holy providence of God, working
out his appointed destiny. and that VIC ar,
bound by the highest obligations OF piety t,
assist in working out that providence la
iniquity of man is the providence OF God
and the perfection OF a slayeholdng pletyiti
normal condition, is the voluntary degrade
ton OF its professors as the instruments o
that iniquity, in order that they may faIll
accomplish that divine providence Sub
blime and admirable piety In alteration
of the divine providence, though hol,
jealousy of Gods adorable sovereignty, Y
have become the servants of sin, and FIRE
from Righteousness, in order that We nigh
weld yourselves as instruments OF iniquit,
unto iniquity, for the glory of God Pau
himself never imagined such an ecstaney Q
spiritual abnegation.
But this great political preacher speaks o
che slaves Us being IA useful and happy bod
of hborers, under the protection of our Law
and tbs, benefit of our civilization At th
slme time, he ..viudicates our institution O
African bondage from the assaults wbicI
have been made upon it, by proving that tn
good Of society requires that the negr
should be kept IN has normal condition. =
Il