The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-09-20

~ A> - - ~ w AAs oA\1
things and the fashion, with many, ha.
changed from upholding the Ministry il
defending tho right aud denying tn,
wrong, to a wholesale condemnation Of al
NEEDING, on their part; with anything
pertaining to government and politics. -
Whence this great chnnges Has politi
cal science SO far drgcncratcd as to be nt
longer worthy the attention Of good men
or fit for any good purpose? Or. is i,
because some have perverted it from it.
Legitimate sphere, and dread the applica
tion ,f light and truth. lest their deed.
should be reproved? The science itself
is the same noble and bcne6cent science
that it ever was. But many have los,
sight Of the true dignity Of the subject
OF never yet beheld it; and have substi
tu'ed in place Of it, the greed Of gain
and the lust Of power and popular ap
plause; and they know that all this i,
contrary to truth aud righteousness, aud
that their deeds will not bear the test o
the Gospel, or even Of common morality
Hence, they dcnouncc all attempts t.
investigate their principles and conduct
by the light Of scripture, and pretend
that it is polluting the sanctuary Of God
And the saddest thing Of all, in regard te
this matter, is, that so many Of the
Churches and ministers are ready to yield
to this arrogant and unriyhteous clamor
and lot the iniquity 60 unrcbuked and
unchecked. gathering force and magni
tude all the while, under the soothing
policy Of silence and consent.
The plea that these evils arc most eff
ectually rebuked by simply preaching
Christ, without disturbing the prejudic
c. of men, by direct reference to their
particular sins, especially their politica
sins, lis not sustained by the Bible, no,
by history, nor by common sense, nor by
the common mode Of preaching on other
subjects. The Bible makes n distinc-
.iou between political aud commercial
transgressions "Sin," all sin, accord
ing to its teaching, "is the transgrcs-
sion of the law" II it sfirms " The
soul that sinneth, it shall dic;" it also
declares that Righteousness cxalteth Il
nntion, but sin is a rc2roach to any pco.
ple;" and, Though hand join in hand, "
in political, or any other combination,
"the wicked shall not be unpunished. +"
(Sec the Prophecy Of Amos-throush.
out.)
Let US look, for one moment, at the
true idea and significance Of some Of tho
great terms which are 80 often used, and
40 often nsisu.ed, At the present day -
Politics, Government, Morals, and Re
ligion these are the principle terms -
And are these at war with escl, Other
or j" any proper sense, incompatible with
sach other? Do they not, on the other
hand. i"terpenetra,e and render each 9th
er essential support, refusing to be sep.
arated, without detriment and defeat p
Take. for instance, the first, aud most
objectionable Of these worL.,as it has lat.
terly come to be regarded,-politics-
a. d see what noble meaning it bears,
in it's primitive and leading Specification.
Politics." says the great lcxicogra.
pher. - the science Of government; that
part Of ethics which consists iu the resu.
lation and government Of nation or
State, for the preservation of its safety,
peace and prosperity c'mprehending the
defense Of its existence and rights, the
augmentation Of its strength and resour.
COS. md The protection Of its citizens in
'heir rights u;,h the preserUation and i'm.
provens~nt cf their n,oruls. Politics, as a
science, or an art, is a subject of vast ex.
tent and Importance" What is there
in all his, unworthy the attention of cv-
cry citizen. whether minister or layman
What, rather, that does not demand the
earnest study and advocacy Of every pat,
riot and philanthropist, whatever his
profession or occupation
There Is. however. another and secon.
dairy sense. which Webster assigns to the
word, as follows: Politics, in looser
sense. political affairs, or the contests Of
parties for po,ccr." And this is the
sense in which It has come to be used so
commonly. Of late, as almost wholly to
exclude the other and Legitimate sense
from many minds.
The fi'st I hardly need say, is the
proper Specification Of the word, and the
only one 10 which We condescend to make
it subject Of religious instruction. In
this sense. it is, and ever has been,
proper subject for religious instruction
a subject, indeed, inseparablc from NOR
ality and religion. In this sense, there
can be no divorce Of olitics from relig-
ion, without great peril and damage to
the best interests Of learning, liberty, civ.
ilization, and human society and progress
universally.
That. in the loose and popular accep-
tation Of the word, politics are very ex.
tensively corrupt; and that there is more
or less Of this corruption in all parties,
may readily be admitted. But that the
gansrene has already extended so far as
o render the case hopeless, and that no
minister or christian can touch it, with a
view to correct the evil, without being
de6led, is much more than We can ad .
nit II, however. no effort is made by
ministers and christians, to infuae sound
principles into the body polite, the dis
ease will certainly spread, till the whole
nation is leavened and become one loath.
some mass Of corruption, ready for the
vengeance Of Heaven.
As to the dependence Of government,
aud all material, social, and civil pros
perity, upon religion,-hear the words,
lately uttered End published, by one of
the most learned and judicious laymen Of
the present day; FIX Gov. WAsHBURN.