Council Bluffs bugle. [volume] (Council Bluffs, Iowa) 1860-1868, 1862-07-16
THE TRUE sPMRRE or EnE CLERGx
-4gs@ MERTMEns TIT f1F

7@&@ s@ 81 wEEEMEMs III *
From the cAasea 5ournat-Pfotextsna Rpazcapaa
The xsgy remarkable saxyaan by saa
Rev. Dr. N. I. Rice (Dld School presby-
terian, ensitfed ttThe Pulpit, ika reIa-
siens 10 oar Nasioaai Crisis ID one ug
the signs Of the times. On the gensrsI
sahjeet Of ths dsgree 70 which shs olsEgy
are bound, or have right to use lhals
once for the agitation OF the Questions
Of the day." be is precisely right, covsr-
Ing toe sasas ground, and witt, IN aoana
cases, alnoSs precisely tia saEne .iiEas@
trauons, that our readers are familiar
with in our columns. The evil of which
he complains has, to sssne slight degree,
been fela aaaong ms aiso but ias opera
tion has been ~ nothing compared 20 isx
ravages among the Protestant denomina-
tion around us, which have been ground
as between the upper and neither mill
stones. We give rather . long sxkses,
but il means a vast dezis Of whlch We
sball learn more and more Of every year
that passes over our hsasis. Speaking Of
hss ewn sDsissly correct sssseEasat of the
difference between things spiritual and
things secular a. conneeted with the sx-
ereise Of the ministerial ofiee, he SAYS /:
E'H anything could BIZ surprising In
such day &s sh4s, IL woaigi prih.
Gplss so HaaaifSstiy tEus aaa scTipsuraI
principles admitted and asserted by the
abiest theological wEisers for three hun
dEed years, have met with an almost uni
versal condemnation by tAs religious
press. Why, itWaa only The othar day
thai saw, iB one 0f ourreaigioua papers,
the plain denial tha& any line can be
drawn between the seoHlaE and the spiF-
ituai. Well, If bounds, they may preach
on all snbjests, aad ought 10 understand
them all. But tbs idaa Ia absurd No
civil gnEeruasnt could axisk, if the func-
lions II the diifegeRt 0aaeoa wass not de-
hnsd and liEaitsd. The ministerial ol6ce
exexts 90 the interests of men wider in.
aaenee than any oshsF; and a., within
lta Legitimate sphsss, il is an insstimable
blessings so when perverted, 1t is fear
fully mischlaFoRs. .,.s4 - t4r~
. "The TINA 10 at hand when ahis great
question respecting shs limits with wuiaa
The functions OF tbs ministerial olioa awe
to bs e1sgciseds must be earnestly dig
onzsed, For, it is admitted, shat 10 .
Eay gEsss extent shs pr@peE work Of the
ainistery 10 neglected, Waist these sleaA-
I'd with the sacred ofice have trRYaIed De,
you'd the limits Of their commission in
search Of exciting aad papalar topics
gsd tbs prevailing excitement viii render
it extremely diihealt TO arrest the down-
ward progress Of the pulpit. g.;
The demand Is made upon ministers
Of the GOsPalv not to iBstEucs their people
IN the truths Of Gods word aoE we'll un-
derstood, not to incalculatd some irnpor-
tan6 pfeospt Of the Gospel demanded by
the state OF the community, not to hold
forth some eErpE Or vice becoming prev
a4snE, but 70 define thelE positio respect
ing some exciting qaestion Of she day
question, IL may be, the examination Of
which falls nos withia the sphere Of their
studies. Bat the public have become az
cited, and the minister mast defna his
pnsitisu. Il ls R9t eapugh ttaAt he !
exception can be taken. Ii is not enough
shat, like Paul, be does not shun TO de-
clare the whole council of God. His pri-
yate opinions on the exciting topic must
be brought out and il must be knoHn |
whether his sympathies are all right<+-~
The feelings Of his heart IN ths matter |
must be brought ouE. Now so far as my
reading goes, there is scarcely anything
in the history of despotisn that. can
equal shia popular Gyranny. Ths Lhqui- |
aition Of RaEns has never carried matters
30 .fax, Yet We boast Of our frse rouR~
tEy! WheEe will the thing stop ? a-, !
'tWhAt Ars tho Consequences II be
minister yields 10 the elamor, and de-
elares his position. New, since, in the |
nature of the easa, there must be differ
eness Of opinion about such Questions,
the preachers deliveraRcs gives offence
to some OF bis people. Then begin de-
bates, sad strifes, and divisions. When |
entered the ministry the Presby Eegian
Chursh was one noble body. Il Is now
divided inta FIVE, and there 10 reason tol
fear further divisions. Other churches
have passed through similar experience
Where ia this tAiRg 10 terminate dol
not hesitate to express tha eQnEs~AzsB, 4
that EnlA=a- ahAs~~ksus anu ministers can
ha aroused to see the danger. that In less
thaa Ave years their liberties will be gone.i
Every time you yield to the elamor yau.
bus increase its boldaess. Admit that
ministers mag be called cut in this way
and ths dag is al h&nd whea mahs will
dictate the doctrines you shall hear, &ud
the prayers that &hall be offered in sheI
chuTohes.O II