Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1860-12-12
Political Preaching,

amcng clergymen of the Northern States
to dabbe in politics. We have long since
recovered from the shock given to our
old fashioned, ideas of propriety by the
harlequin performances of II. W. Beech
or, who has nov become the professional
clown of the pulpit, and whom we expect,
as a matter Of course, TO see rs often stand
ing on his head IS on his feet, and enter.
tanning the spe ctators of The Sunday
amuscments in Plymouth Church with
regular exhibitions Of ground and lofty
tumbling. All the sinners in MIR.
Becchers congregation having been
saved long ago, it is of couise emf
nently proper that they should now de
vote themselves altogether TO repenting
of the sins Of other people, and he himself
being freed from the bondage of all grow
clling prejudice, all unforgiving feelings,
and all unholy ambition, is at perfect lib-
erty, instead of crying ont, "Oh, wretch
ed man that am" with that old fogy
auostlq, who feared lest when even lie had
preached to others he mi ght one day be
come a castaway, to go cheerfully turning
summeriaults up the road To glory. We
look naturally to Beccher for all sorts OF
spiritual casualties, religious frolics, and
sacred profanity, but we had not supposed
that any clergyman in the Northern
States, of really solid parts and consistent
Christian character, would, even by impli-
cation, Justify the Sunday stump speeches
of Republican preachers, delivered by
those "~obbath-loying" sons of the Ruri>
tans, amid shouts of laughter at pulpit
clap trap and butloonery'
We regret, however, TO observe that in
a late volume of Addresses by DR.. c. S
Henry, clergyman who has hitherto en-.
ioyed high reputation as q scholar and
divine, political preaching, sach as that
of Bcecher and Chapin, (thoagh he does
not mention them by name, is justified.
DR.. Henry declares that the. country is
growing worse rapidly, and says it is ''in-
."iintcly important to the salvation of the
'natiGn, that the pulpit should he free,
"that its voice should bo heard-one great,
"strong yeioe-dgainst all public wicked.
ness :" and ho warns the clergy that If
"they do not thus speak out, lie is not
"sure but they will hayeto give way to
something bettor, or TO some thing worse" "
If DR.. Henry includes slavery in the
wickedncss against which the elepgy are
required to cry aloud and spare not, we
cannot but admire the improvement he
has made upon the practice OF Christ and
his Apostles by preaching, who, surrounded
by slavery in its worst form, not only nev-
er preached against it, but enjoined slaves
TO be obedient to their masters, and de
elared that any man teach otherwise,
"and consent not to wholesome words,
"evcn the words of our Lord Jesus Christ,
"and TO, the doctrine which is according
"to godliness, he is proud, knowing moth.
ing, but doting about questions and strifes
"of words. whereof cometh envy, strife,
"railngs, evil surmisings, rerverse dispu-
"tings Of men of corrupt minds, and des-
"titute Of tho truth, supposing that gain
lis godliness from such Withdraw thy
Self First Timothy, sixth chapter,
third, fourth and fifth versos.) /. will
thus be seen that Dr.. Henry assumes to
be wiser and better than the Divine Foun-
der OF the Christian Religion and His in
spircd Apostles, and, we may add, of the
whole Christian Church for eighteen cen,
turics, including all the great lights of
Church of Rome, he Greek Church and
the Church of England; including all the
great doctors Of the Reformation, and all
the commentators who have ever lived
from the time of Christ to the beginning
of this superficial and fanatical century
lf the age is growing worse, it is certainly
not for the want of political preaching, OF
which the North has had a surfeit for
years, and which has produced results al
together different from those which DR..
Henry indicates. "a Layman, in a com.
munication TO the London Christian Obscr-
ver, asserts that during the last fourteen
years. while tue country has increased
ten millions in population the New School
Presbyteries have decreased by the loss of
ten ho'sapd communicates, adecline which
began with the introduction of Abolition
preaching in that body; whereas, i'm the
seven years preceding that date, during
which it steadily excluded from its pul>
pits all political agitation, it added to its
communion forty.seven thousand. The
Methodist and Baptist Churches have
been rent asunder by the same cause and
the New England Conarecationalists b,vo