New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-23
TIE sEcESSIOYIsT's FARE WELL

Some years ago the Rev. Mr., now the Rev. Dr.
Hoge came TO this city from Virginia and obtained
permission TO preach in the Grand street Pres
byterian Church on weekday afternoon. For some
reason or other be wanted his reported aud Of
all the places in the city where shorthand reporters
are to be found, he selected THg TRIBUNE Office HIS
was very Northern then. lilo said that he had
had q sermon reported ard be wanted TO see how ono
Of his sermons would look. The writer OF ths report
ed bis sermon, which able-boded exposition Of
some doctrnal pon and after Mr. lIoge began 70
be talked about the assistant Of DIR. Spring On Sun-
day he preached bis farewell sermon, he having become
very Southern. II was pot expected until the morning
service when he gave notice TO that effect but still the
house. was densely crowded, many strangers being
present.
lie commenced by giving brief history Of recen.
events III tie country and the Church. at the close OK
viii, he turned to DIR. Spring, who sitting IL Tho
pulpit, and asked, T" Is the substance correct I"
DIR. Spring shook bis head.
DR. Iioge, unabasbed by this proceeded TO cay ihss
be intended il should DO correct. He named several
gentlemen Of the Church. every OF whom, no said
had frequently expressed their unqualified approba-
ton OF bis conduct and their unqualified contenp for
the idea that bis political opioions should Interfere In
any Way with BIS performance Of hIs duties as their
pastor. Among them he named Moses Allen, Daniel
Lord and james Gallsn, aud 10 those be added with
solemn gratitude the mare of beloved elder in the
Church whose name he delighted 10 record, Thomas
Eygleston. He was dead, but this use of his name had
been authorized by his son. The objections az i0ss
him had been, he supposed, partly as q citizen,
aud partly as q niinister OF the Gospel. He
was ready 10 vindieate his conduct MS either. As @
citizen he had formed his own opinoos remembering
that he free citizen OF free Republic. and in
! the free North. But be had not forgotten be was
minister ofthe Gospel In his Prayers he had poured
out bis words with teare and anguish for this whole
land; surely they ought not 10 object to that who still
! held that il was one land. lie had also prayed
for the President Of the United Safes if not by name
in such words these bless onr rulers, those IN
authority over Us, /" " The Executive and all VINO
bold military authority" As for the President OF the
United States, he fell that few ever placed
in position where they more needed the grace ri
God. But bad be not included also Ia bis suppl
be sore he had. He had followed the injunction Of
Paul that suppications aud prayers aud interees-
siors lie made for all men Ia authority. He had asked
that in every heart God would shine and reigu that
might be rectihed, and that through them the
whole land might be covered with glory. He
thought i patriotism to pray, that, and say
amen 20 that, and be had added prayer that
God would extend the blessings Of peace to
all Were not these prayers according TO the law and
spirit Of Christ This was the substance Of bis Sun
Iatriotic" prayers aud bis sermons. They had never
tesrl If him 10 anything hut preacher of the Cos
rel. lie quoted from his book, Blind Bsrtimeas, to
show that he had always advocated the preaching Of
tie Gospel pure and simple a. 20 be prsued without
regard 30 politics. In his inaugural sermon he had
sad that lie did not wish 70 lay himself liable to the
objection which Daniel Webster raised TO ministers
who took their text from the Bible and their sermons
IN the newspapers. These politics might be very
grand, and they demanded toll, Treasure, and blood
Ill citizens must share in 1hem. Bat let not the physi-
elan give pohtics in bis pre- cripons, and let the
preacher stick 10 his bufiness-the ministry Of
cancellation" az Paul defined i, They, were q" Em-
bassadors OF Christ" Who're did we find thai Christ
Paul ever delivered one sermon answering 10 the
least to n modern political sermon. Either these pas
cages III tho Bbe with reference rulers did not teach
the doctrine OF lseive obeoisnce or they condemned
the revolutions of 1913, 1893, ard E76. They did not
inquire into the rightiulness Of Government. They
took every Government on earth rs Il They
said not word, and the preacher
stuck 20 Bis text, he would say nothil q about
or London in Paris or Vienna, Ia Washington or
Richmond the preacher IL be was true 10 these texts,
would say nothing about the character OF the Gov
eumen But these passages did not require the ci zen
10 acQuesce in all acts Of Government. Obedience
to the law was political righteousness, and he hsd
broken no law. In every Government which was not
despoiism the citizen might mourn tie action OF the
Government ana fully criticse IL. No precedent tor
poltical preaching could I've drawn from the Prophets
because In their days the Government was atheocraey
Then what was political was also Eceleelastcai.
Bntil he received direct revelation be should suck
in his preaching TO what God had already revealed IA
the Bible Again, there was no ne ,esslty Tor political
preaehingx days OF ths week and the secular press
were devoted to il. And, instead ef the preacher lift
ing ponies up, pobttcs puhco n4ih uOHH' "non .uo
pulpit attempted to descend to level with
The platform, il generally got below III and yes
again, political preaching asnct desired lie knew
Hundreds aud hundreds Of men who earnestly painted for
some rest from politics. especially In these days Of
tronble Every day men left their churches even
doubling religion and becoming infdes IN consequence
of political preaching. Moreover, political preaching
was despsed. Tie pulpit once down, did not easily
get up The FOR the sacred office was weak
ened and the most earnest preaching of the Gospel
lost Eafits power. Lastly, Il iica preaching be-
came general, the world, after using the Church,
would he slow 10 relax It's grasp. Everything THAI
agla,ed and rent the State would sgtats the Church
He felt that We were Just beginning reap the bitter
fruits OF political preaching IN ecclesiastical dissension
He hfted up his voice in warning agans these disse-
sions. IL God east his bt IN the South, ana he saw
there was need Of it there, he would prearb eqnshy
agains, political preaching tbere-he wouh De wiinng
70 repeat this sermon No Richmond nsSt week. lie
thanked tho congregation for their decate attentions
ONLY few weeEs sinoe he bad written 70 Richmond
that the ehcacy with which he had been treated ey
the church. who knew how much he differed from
them was green spot ~ him amid the general waste
He ssond saw that ever since the beginning OF this
national evil his heart had yearned toward his beloved
South and especially the dear Commonwealth OK
Virginia He bad longsd 10 share their privationss
their danger and their destiny whether OF humilia-
,On Ut triumph. But all thete feelings he had been
rady 10 sacrifice on the altar Of Chrit and bis cause.
God had given bin the joyoas capacity to absorb h;
abundanty declared by his conduct IN s case that no
places this saered relation Of pastor and peopis
above every national question, he would never
have severed il, or done anything towssV
seyeriug IL, for such cause as this.
But "a citizen he would not sknlk; he would maze
a calm and manly reply whsna fellow s 81 sa ~