The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1861-01-03
POLITICAL PREACHING.

The last number Of the Cedar Democrat
contains regular political sermon, prayer
and all, without note or comment! Up
to that date, .'presching politics" was
one Of the most incendiary and sacrili-
gious things minister could possibly do.
Since the election Of Mr.. Lincoln, how
ever, and the fresh fare.up in South
Carolina, it is all right aud proper to
preach on political questions, provided
nothing is said against the South and it's
peculiar institution.
| l have read the sermon in the Demo-
crat, twice, carefully; aud beg leave to
offer few words Of comment.
The sincerity aud patriotism Of the
preacher may readily be granted. His
graceful and pathetic appeals in behalf Of
the Union in general, aud the Fugitive
Slave law in particular, are apparent,
even to an ordinary mind.
But what, according to the Bro. John
Chambers, of Philadelphia, is the cause
Of the present distracted state Of the
country? And what is the proposed
remedy? The cause is, the infdelity Of
the North to the South; and the remedy
is, Of course, a more prompt and efficient
rendition Of fugitive property. This is
the sum Of the predictions and recon-
mendations of this remarkable sermon.
Not one word is said about the persistent
and wicked misrepresentation Of the
great majority of the northern people, by
the leading men of the South, and their
colleagues at the North nor Of the
grievous wrong of American slavery, as
it is; whose "noral evils" in the esti-
nation Of the late DR.. J. W. Alexander,
"are unspeakably great"
l have no desire to cavil, or to be
hypercrtical. Preaching, in its proper
acceptation, is serious and momentous
business It's true function is, to assert
and enforce the great rule of right, in all
the business and relations # life. 1t is
altogether thu ely and meet that it should
seek to allay the present excited and dis
tracted state of the public mind. But it
should take broad and comprehensive
views, and probe to the bottom the real
cause of the disturbance which it seeks
to quel. Daubing with untempered
mortar, and crying peace, peace, when
there is no peace, can only avail to post
pone the day of true peace and prosper.
ity. 50 long as falsehood and oppression
prevail in the land, there will be discus
sion and agitation, in spite of all the
compromises and concessions that can be
devised. All our prophesying smooth
things, and crying peace, will never heal
the strife and trouble.
That falschood and injustice are at the
bottom of the present widespread dis
turbance of the public tranquility, every
well informed man knows. And it is
one of the greatest causes and most cry.
ing denominations of the times, that so
many, through the press, and on the |
stump, and even in high official stations,
persisten.ly suppress and distort the true
cause of the perplexity and amnesty
which now atfllct the land. If the real
views and ms of the mass Of the people
at the North and West had been allowed
to be generally known, at the South, the
present disastrous pauic would not have
existed, or would have been very essen
italy lessened. For mere party and sin
lister ends, The truth has been suppressed
and distorted, by those who alone had
the power to produce better state of
things, till the mischief has become un-
and the disastrous resul, has
pervaded the whole land.
T a. .Io,l
such sermons as this to pacify the ma
ton, is the manly rebuke of the AFRO
gance Of the South, in the recent letter
Of Hon. John NJ. Bolts, of Va. "No
body proposes to fire our dwellings, or
steal our substance away from US. Let
US be patient, be wise, be moderate
give time for the passions excited by the
late election and the scenes that row
surround us, to calm down. Let US act
like men, not like children; and above
all, let us take time to ascertain facts, aud
not be led away from the path Of duty
and honor by the ten thousand misrepre-
scnta'ions that are scattered broad cast
over the country, for the purpose of in
flaming popular passion" But, if
new confederacy We're to be formed,
should use whatever influence | might
be able to exert. against entering into
one with South Carolina, that has played
the part OF a common brawler aud dis
turber OF the public peace for the last
thirty years, and who could give no re.
curly that | would be willing to accept,
that She would not be as faithless to the
next compact, as she has been to this
which she is now endeavoring to avoid.
In addition to which, the objects and
interests Of South Carolina, as she con
cevcs them, are essentially at variance
with those of Virginia: this State will
never sanction piracy and if not, South
Carolina does not desire our company,
and would get rid of us as soon as posi-
bic" TIMOLEON.
Dec. 81, 1860.