Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-06-09
WHOLE NUMBER SAG.

aud to know no supreme being but party
convention, and no supreme law but par,
ty platform IL cant takes the place Of
principle, intrigue is substituted for fealty
to the fight, and even legislation and
statesmanship sink into party ohicanery
it the highest ends are the spoils Of Office
and the triumph Of a selfish ambition; and
political leaders gain their pre-. e.eminence BY
the cunning aud the effrontry Of the dema-
gogue.
This tremendous influence can be made
noble aud ennobliug only by perpetusl rel
currence to those eternal principles which
are the basis Of oil the grandeur Of human
actions. A nation barren Of these seuti-
ments is incapable Of greatness. It's very
revolutions are ridiculous in the meagsrnes3
of their principles and tue. barrenness OF.
their results and great only as they are
terrible. rt l7 r9s3.
But these ennobling principles are ell
the offspring of religion. Truth, duty,
honor, are nothing, uprinciple is nothing,
fealty to right and Justice nothing, the
rights Of man are nothing, except as thef
Fest 0n the eternal government Of God.
Blot ont the realities Of religion, and She
rights Of man are no more than the rights
OF brutes the revolutions of states are
changes the the same in kind with the mi-
grations of birds; the life of man is no more
sacred than the life of beast right aud
duty no longer differ from interest and
gain there remains no reason for valuihg
principles above life or convenience or pro-
perty; the notifies Of heroism are anhihilat-
ed, its sacrifices made ridiculous and absurd;
and the highest end and noblest duty Of
mau is to eat and drink for tomorrow he
dies. The genius Of democracy reaches
one hand within the throne of God-that
the touch Of the other may electrify the
people with godlike life Sundering thas
hold on the invisible, her touch is the touch
of palsy. ~ o-fa
What is the State Z The wise behold in her
a creature bora of time. that keeps our eye Ak
ed on the statutes OF eternity, TO which her
judgments reverently defer. Says Coleridge
"He who has not medtated much on God, tho
human mind, the chief end Of man, may posi-
bly, make thriving earth worm, but will most
indubtably make laundering patriot and
sorry statesmen" "Berkey asserts, and is sup
ported by Lord Bacon and Sir Walter Raleigh
that without an habtual interest 10 these great
subjects, man may be dext, rous intriguer.
but can never be Stat nan. I'D, ssg
Here then is the necessity OF religious teach,
ings in application to political subjects, to keep
alive the ennobling sentiments which are the
spring of all granduer Of national character and
to prevent degeneracy.
| 1t may be that ministers travel much straight
er than statesman from an abstract principle
TO its practical application their knowledge
Of details and circumstances may be less COM
prehensve, they may not always make.sufhcient
allowance for what Burke calls the refraction OF
principles when entering the media of worldly
circumstances yet their work is in bringing
men back TO principles and keeping alive the
sense of responsibility to God--and of the in-
volatility ofhs law. 1t is the observation Of
the heavens which must guide the voysger.
| Let the statesman use the compass, the chart.
the pIummct and the log, but let him not object
il the minister takes observation of the unchang-
ing lights of heaven by which alone, they can
determine their position and direct their course.
This necessity of continually holding the
public miud close to the gospel standard OF right
n order to prevent degeneFaey, Is. IN nothing
more strikingly exempi6ed than 10 the great
topic of the day Am. Slavery. Alike among
politicians and in the church has there been g
mournful apostasy from the faith of our fathers.
The Anti-SlaVery sentiments of Washington,
Jefferson, and theiriustrous compeers are under
a ban at the South aud need 70 be defended at
the North. The churches have in like degree
apostatized from their early faith lat.-.Np +,
This apostasy Of churches wish briefly to
prove. ..tn,
Let me begin by stating what suppose to be
the true position for Christian church to take
on the subject of slavery. 81.
Merely to sustain the legal relation OF a slave
holder is not necessarily Inconsistent with chris
tianity. A man may be in the eye Of the law g
s'aveholder and yet not treat his slaves as pro-
D, ,rty; he may abjure theiright. to make property
of a man !; he may refuse to buy and sell men
for gain +; he may carefully respect ih his slaves,
their rights as men, so far as the law permits |;
4 he may be principed against slavery as anopj
preston and o sin; be may be taking that course
which he cOnscienteusly believes, according TO
the light be has to be the best for the immediate
interest Of the slaves aud Of Society, aud most
effective to insure their emancipation at the
earliest practicable moment. Such a man Is a
STAKEHOLDER in the eye of the law he is not q
STAKEHOLDER in the eye of God he Is entitled to
our heartiest sympathy, and If he is chureh
member to our Christian fellowship. a ,eull
II q Shareholder claims a right Of property 10
his slaves, aud treats them simply as property,
IL he buys and sells men for gain If be holds that
slavery is good aud righs and heartily gives oil
his infalepee to perpetuate il, every attribute
Of God aud every principle of Christianity COO
: demns that man and be his professions what
! they may, every Christian church ought 70 de-
! clare bis course to be Inconsistent with Chris,
8 tianity, and to withhold from bin all fellowship
s as a disciple Of Christ
This / consider the position becoming q
!. christian church. Now / affirm that this
! is substantially the very positlo4 which chris,
: tiau churches North and South generally
a held few years ago. ~ g3te.t ,aiss
: In 1918 The General Assembly OF tho
4 Presbyterian Church, being then one body
aud including ali Presbyterian churches
, North aud South, passed an Act and Tes-
tinony on slavery. taking substantially the
position which ! have Just defined The
act was passed unanimously. It began BY
declaring slavery to be SO gross violation
of the NEST precious and sacred rights oi
human nature actually inconsistent with
the law Of God, which requires us 10 love
!. our neighbOrs as ourselves aud totally r.
2 reconciable With the spirit and principles
' Of the gospel of Christ" IL then enumeE-
|. ates some Of the terrible evils insepprabls
; from the system: 1t then proceeds 60 de-
e. Ill - H..