Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-10-16
POLITICS IN THE Pulpit.

Ucct dpait IuS HOfk W.
copy them from DR.. Hoge's Hmsre8 dfssodsse tosE6
the congregation of the Brick PrexhS Church.,
New York, in which he was associate Pastor with
the Rev. Dr. Spring. lis sometimes asked, is there
nothing like politics in the Bible ?-Rich. Chris
Observer.
+ Did not Jesus say, Render unto Caesar the
things which are Casars, and to God the things
which are Godsg" And does. not Paul say, The
powers that be are ordained God Whosoeyer there
fore ressteth the power resisteth the ordinance Of
God?" And are there not similar passages? and
must not these be preached?
70 all say, decidedly, yes. We must mot shun
to declare all the counsel Of God" These passages
are Of great importance. They put government on
its right basis. They heget law and order, peace
and happiness They make good citizens. have
time now for only three remarks on them.
The first is: That the true Interpretation Of them
is alcays true. Therefore, either they do not teach
the doctrine of passive obedience and condemn all
revolution, (as some have held) or they condemn
the revolutions of 164S and 1888, in England, and
the revolution of 1776, in America.
NY second remark is: The true Interpretation ct
these passages is true ereryphere Eternal truth is
universal. The Bible is for all the earth. These
passages do not inquire into the origin rigbtfuness
excellence of any government; nor do they give
the preacher, in expoundng them, the smallest au
thority for such inquiries. They take every gov
eminent on earth as is 1t may be good or bad;
founded in right or wrong. These passages say not
word of that and if the preacher sticks to his text
| he will not say word of that In Rome or Paris
in England or Hungary, in Sardinia or Austria in
Washington or Richmond, if he speak according to
the oracles of God he will say the same things.
Once more: These passages do not bind the cti-
zen to approve every act of his government even in
time of war. Did no good citizens in England dis
| approve of their war upon the colonies? or their
| opium war with Chinay or the Crimcan war? Did
no good citizens of this city disapprove of our war
with England in 1912? Did Paul approve of all the
acts of his government when he wrote the passage
to the Romans already quoted? If he did, he ap'
proved of the acts of government at which 1t has
been thought vrtuous ought ever since to Shud'
der
| What is Righteousness? Perfect obedience to
| law The angel whose obedience to Gods law is
perfect has Divine righteousness. The child, who
perfectly obeys every parental law has 6lia right
eousness. The citizen, who perfectly obeys every
| law of his government has political righteousness.
| That righteousness claim to-day.
| But may not an argument for political preaching
be drawn from the example of the ancient prophets?
By all means, when two things come to pass to
make the parallel
When We live under government in which the
Church and State are not only united, but identified,
we shall enjoy the first circumstance necessary to
complete the parallel and make the argument valid.
They lived under Theocracy, in which God Was
king The church 1.-THE visible church, aoas the
State Even after the pure Theocratic form was
changed, according to the provisional constitution
laid down in the 18th chapter Of Deuteronomy verses
fourteen to twenty the essential features were the
same God was Head of the State that is the Church,
and human kings were but his vceroys Under
such a government what political was also &C.
clesastcal. If this is not condition. the argyll
ment from the political preaching of the ancient
prophets fails
Again: When God inspires any Of us to declare
special political doctrine or decree we shall
enjoy the second parallel to the condition of the pro-
phets. When He reveals to something about
England, France, or the United States and bids me
utter it. l hope Il shall have courage to obey. Until
He does So I hope | shall have grace to stick. in
my preaching, to what He has revealed.
9. Political preaching is not needed. Political in
struction is otherwise provided for. Many learned
and excellent gentlemen devote themselves to this
work. in may forms. They have given us histories
of our Constitution, and formal expositions of Its
provisions Great statesmen have keenly debated
its articles and the people have easy access to their
opinions. 1t the speclalwork OF the secular press
to give political information and advocate political
theories. Halls are everywhere open for such dis
cussons and six days of the seven may lawfully be
devoted to giving and imparting political light
All experience, too, shows that men rarely lack
zeal in attending to their secular concerns. Nor
will they lack capacity or fidelity if only their piety
is kept vigorous and pure. And how shall this he
done? God has revealed but one way. "Sanctify
them through thy TRUTH" says Christ and adds,
THY Word is truth" Therefore. when the living
ministry faithfully preach the living Word, Gods
living Spirit pledged to produce the fruits Of grace
and holy life. Therefore, if our aim is, that men
shall attend best to their secular interests and du-
ties, the directest, surcst and diviney appointed
way is to preach them pure gospel.
And if it be said that such good men preachers
ought to have this instruction in their hands. it
makes me sad to confess that instead of the preacher
lifting politics up politics generally pull the preach
er down. If the pulpit tries to become platform,
it is in danger of getting lower than the PLATFORM
1t is common remark that more invective and
fierce epthets to be found IN the political sermon
than in the political speech.
3. Political preaching is not desircd How often,
of late has the lament been heard all this city,
"ls there escape from politics! We attend to
politics all the week. and hear little else; may we
not have respite on the Sabbath? Through the
parched sand we walk six days, and we see from
afar the'palm trees grcenly waving over the cool
wells of Elm. Shall We be Knocked when we draw
near, and still find sand, arid sand?
tell YOU friends, there are men and women wan
dering sadly about this city, hunting for places
where they shall be to hear the gospel aud be
safe from political preaching; not because the poll
tics differ from their own but because they long for
than ever in these days Of distress and calamity.
And who does not every day hear of uncoverted
men abandoning their churches, and doubling even
the reality of religion, because of this political
preaching :? I speak what l know and bitterly
mourn; and the churches will bitterly mourn ere
long, if this be not changed. Our children will
grow up hardened, goddess, in6del.
4. Political preaching is dsspised. How ludicrous
learned Senator's often look when they attempt lit
tie theology! Nor do appear better in their robes.
But mean more than this. The preacher of
Gods Word, standing where his Master put him,
and cleavng fast to His sacred message. is clothed
with heavenly authority. Men feel that Sod speaks
when he leaves his great commission, the preacher
is like Samson, shorn. His hearers are inwardy
replying, 1--WE know as much about these things Of
the world as you, and sometimes a little more
Don't pretend that you have Bible authority for de-
Gliding modern political constitutional questions