The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-23

ed GO a 100 bids Cuba chiefly for refining al fun
prices, and 900 bags sold private terms. COT
fee steady, but quiet. Freights exhibited more
buoyancy, while engagements to fair extent
The Sensation Preachers OF the North
and Our National Crisis.
The events Of the past week have forced
upon rs the realization Of the long threatened
dissolution of the Union--the Acknowledgement of
this confederacy Of States-the union and pros
tons of the habitable world. 1t is betting
time upon this, the first Sabbath morning after
one of the original thirteen States that formed
the nucleus or small beginning from which we
had grown in less than century to powerful
combination Of thirty-three prosperous States
has repudiated the compact and declared that
she will no longer be considered member of
that family of States, for our business men to
pause before crossing the door stills of those
buildings consecrated to divine worship, and
consider how much those reverend gentlemen
from whom they have been receiving their
spiritual food, and who have derived their
support from annual contributions out of their
profits, have contributed to bring us to this
crisis Of political and commercial affairs, the
want and suffering in our midst and the train
of evils that must Of nature follow in the wake
of permanent breaking up Of this confede-
racy.
No class of men have done more to
force the ship of State into the perilous
waters where it is now to be found,
in danger Of being dashed to pieces
at any moment, than the Northern anti-slavery
ministers who, under the garb of preaching
Christ and Him crucifed, have been, step by
step, infaming the public mind of the North
against the institutions of the South, and those
laws that have been enacted by our national
legislature for the protection of the rights of
the citizens Of the Southern half of our repub
lie. Instead Of following the example set them
by Jesus Christ and the founders of the church.
or the teachings Of that book which they pre-
tend to follow, they have, whilst clothed in
their MINISTERIAL robes ana VIII uir oil sane
tity, put new Interpretation upon the Scrip
lures and taught their followers that an observ-
ance of those laws which recognise slavery is
a heineus sin, and that the requirements Of the
higher law" demanded from all believers
In the Bible their violation Our church-going
people who have been in the habit of sitting
every Sunday in those churches where the anti
slavery ministers hold forth have been COM
PEELED TO listen to harangues better suited for
stump speeches of partisan politicians, and to
have their consciences stirred up with the suf-
ferings of the slave the horrors of the capture of
fugitires, colored with descriptions drawn from
their own imaginations too revolving for human
nature TO bear. In short, notification, rebellion
and treason have been the fruits of the teachings
OF these pretended encounters Of the Bible. APP
pcaling as they have for the last thirty years to
the religious sentiments Of the Masses is II to be
wondered that we are now upon the verge of
civil war, to the horrors of which the imaginary
snfferings Of the negro at the South, OF the re-
voting barbarism Of the red republicans Of
France. bear no comparison.
Their course in this respecthas been contrary
to the teachings Of Christ and the Apostles,
who on all occasions instructed their followers
Of their chief duties; and in the effort of the
persecutors Of the Saviour TO fasten upon him
some reasonable act, his prompt reply was,
render unto Cesar the things which are Caesars,
AID unto God the things which are Gods. If
we follow the progress Of religion down to
the rise OF the Roman empire, we still End that
those who guided the councils and were the
spiritual advisers Of the people still maintained
in all their teachings that the strict allegiance
to the government under which they lived was
one Of their first duties Still later, when the
political revolution divided the empire into an
eastern and western division, the bishops and
clergy within the territory Of each government
sustained their respective rulers, holding that
human life was too sacred to be tempered with
in preaching rebellion, and that disloyalty even
10 earthly mcnarchs, was sin In the sight Of
God.
1t remained for the ministers Of the Gospel in
the nineteenth century, and In the northern por-
ton OF the United States Of America-where
freedom OF speech, the press, religious tole.
rance and the liberties Of the people exceed by
. thousandfold anything that history records
~ hsshs been before enjoyed by mortsls since
the foundation Of the world--to inculcate 10
the minds OF their Hocks the doctrine that In re-
fusing TO comply with the laws passed by the
proper authorities Is serving Heaven. II was
left for the lucid minds OF our Beechers, our
Cheevers, our Chspins, our Higginsons, the
three. thousand political parsons Of New Eng
land and their colaborcrs throughout the
Northern States, to declare that civil war and
the resort to Shapes rides were In accordance
with the fundamental doctrines Of Christianity.
Their frequent admonitions, falling upon the
ears Of free, happy and prosperous people,
hsd but little peroepdble eject for yesr; but
- the gradual dripping Of water wcsrs away
the stone" 30 have the continual repsstioas Of
no imaginary wrongs OF The slAye aud the