The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-09-19
Politics and the Pulpit.

Prot. Henry CDR. Oiehan OF grey
stones.) has written a very clever 'tract
for the times on Politics and the Pulpit.
He defines the sort of preaching on pol
itical matters which he considers the du
I ty of the clergy, and answers the current
objections The whole thing is so cap
italy done that it is difficult 10 select the
most striking paragraphs. We quote q
portion of his definition and his reply to
the objection that is urged with most ef.
| feet:
1T is preaching Christianity in its re-
lations to the political life Of the nation.
1t is enforcing the spirit and principles
of the Christian religion in their necessary
application to the duties of citizens and
the conduct of public affairs. 1t does
not meddle with political questions, which
are purely and wholly such, and to which
the principles and precepts of Christian
ity stands in no relation, and Lave no
application. 1t deals only with poitica
questions which are at the same time re-
ligious and moral in themselves, or in
their consequences, or to which, in them-
selves, or in the manner of their practical
determination, the principles of religion
and morals have a necessary application,
and it treats all such questions only from
the point of view of the Christian religion.
This sort of political preaching'-if men
will so call It's not to BIO surrendered
to condemnation. 1t is not At variance
with the proper functions Of the pulpit
1t belongs to it We Justify il. We
vindicate its legitimate rights. Yet this
is precisely the sort of preaching polite
ians have raised the cutlery against. The
other and really indefensible sort-the
discussion of purely secular topics in
purely secular spirits, in point of fact,
| a merely imaginary thing; at least, we
never heard Of it as actually preached in
any pulpit. Be this as itmay, it is not
this that corrupt politicians stigmatize. 1t
is the application of the principles Of
Christian duties as citizens, that they
wish to repress. They hove spared no
pains, therefore, to renderit odiods-by
raising hue and cry against ia clam
or of watchwords, some addressed to the
pious sentiments of the religious, and
some to the preiudices and passions of
the profane. In this way false and
pernicious opinion has come quite widely
to prevail, which the clergy themselves
too generally give in to-some, because
they are imposed upon by the fallacies it
rests on; soane, from scruples about i'm
pairing their power to DO good, by going
counter to the current of opinion, even
when they know it to be false; some,
from fear of mourning odium, or displeas-
inc the laity in whose p c's, is their liveli-
hood lies; and some, simply because it is
their nature to ilnbibo, without reflection
the opinions that pass current around
them, according to what old Jeremy Tay
Tor says: 1T is the iniquity Of men that
they suck in opinion as the wild asses do
the wind, without distinguishing the
wholesome from the corrupted air, aud
then live upon it at q venture
But why NEEDLE at all with such sub
jects? Why not let them altogether
aIouea He viii thus avoid odium, pre-
serve his official influence with men of
all parties, aud thus be better able to
save their souls-which IS his great bus
mess and proper work. Tbs is very
specious. 1t has soft JUNCTION of piety
about it. But o soft hearted friends,
who talk thus, let us understand one an
other about this Saving of souls For
we, for our part, think there is scarcely
anything about which so much, and such
! pernicious cant and falsehood has been
said and sung, as about this same matter
of saving the soul. What, thon, do you
mean by saving the soul? Is it merely
to escape certain hot, intolerabie place
when ore dies, and to get into comforta-
BILE quarters in the OF e. world {?
This, We fear. is pretty nearly all that a
great many understand by saving the
soul We will not stop now TO suggest
what mean conception of the chief end
of rational creature this is nor, further.
that he who makes the saving of bis soul
bis supreme end, will be sure to Lose it;
nor, in fine, that, in a right just view, the
soul is well saved only so far as it thinks
more of doing its duty than Of anything
it is to get in the way of payment, either
in this world or in the world to come
all which things are perhaps dark to you,
o friends, who would have the minister
let political topics alone, and stick to
preaching the gospel and saving souls.
But this much we must insist upon !;
that the soul needs saving in this world
in order oget well saved in the world to
come, and that this needful salyatan con-
sists in something more than orthodox
notions or devotional fervors-iL truth,
honesty, and fair dealing, for instance
Clear views of the vital truths of the
gospel and sweet communion with God
as some phrase it-are not all that is
needful. Think of it: what sort of a
saved soul is he who has clear views Of
vital truth and believes that 'aIl is fair in
horse trade;' holds sweet communion
with his Maker and delights to come it
over knowing one, or to take 'green
horn in; is regular at family prayers and