Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-11
INDIANAPOLIS, IND, THURSDAY MORNING,

he, men will fight. if tuey consider their
rights trampeled upon, even If YOU show
them that ruin to themselves and families
will be the probable result. Besides, in
times of high party excitement, the vio-
lent men on both sides get the control of
matters, and moderate men are thrown
into the background, and their couuciIs 90
anheedcd.' Finding that the venerable
statesman had exhausted his strength In
talking, we arose to bid him adieu, as we
thought, for the last time upon earth. He
shook the hands of both of Us. and said,
: II you preachers wiu only keep the
churches from running into ercesses and
fosaticism, think the politicians can con-
troll the masses. But added he, yours IS
tie hardest task, and # goa do not perform
ii, are ,ciU not be dble to do oar por. That
consider tie greatest source Of danger to
our country
Here we have the opinion of one of
Americas greatest statesmen and most
true patriotism opinion expressed when
the icy hand of death had already taken
hold of him-when his dying eye was
fixed on Gods judgment bar, when no
motive other than the well being of his
country could have influenced him-that
the greatest source of danger to our coun-
try was the sundering of the religious
ties which hitherto bound our people to-
gether Where was this modern Aboli-
tionism, of which Mr. Clay speaks, born! !!
In New England. Where was this monster
nurtured! In the bosom of the New
of New England have been the nursing
fathers, and the churches the nursing
mothers, of Abolition fanaticism. What
has it done? 1t has corrupted the church
and destroyed the country! The professed
ministers of Jesus Christ, instead of
preaching the gospel, have for years been
preaching Aboltionism. Instead of teach
ing their people the great lessons con-
tanned in the scriptures, they have poi
soned their minds with infidel and anti
American doctrines. Instead of teaching
them to hate sin. they have taught them
TO hate the constitution. 1t is my firm
belief they have done as much as the
most corrupt politicians, to plunge our
country into its present calamities.
The three thousand and fifty New Eng
land clergymen, not satisfied with their
occupation as preachers, must needs form
themselves into a Congress-managing
committee. Some of them, not satisfied
with Jesus Christ as q Savior. must needs
have another. whose work shall be more
complete, in the person of John Brown, a
fclon, whom they cxalt to a dignity equal,
if not SUPERIOR TO that of the immaculate
Jesus. This spirit of Abolition fanaticism
has shown itself in all our religious de-
nominations. 1t divided the Baptist and
Methodist and New School Presbyterian
churches, North and South. 1t influenced
the Chicago clergymen to petition Mr..
Lincoln in reference TO the conduct Ui
state affairs. 1t influenced certain mem
bers of the General Assembly at Philadel-
phia to telegraph to a member of Mr.. Lin
coins cabinet asking advice respecting
the political influence of certain resolu-
tions on the state of the country, then
pending in the General Assembly. And
l ask YOU in all sincerity, ii il be not the
spirit which now influences the conduct oI
many of our ministers and churches! Is
il not seen in the articles written by the
editors of our religious papers! Slavery
is, in their estimation, the great and on!,
SIN of our nation-the cause of all our
national troubles. And is it not the great
theme of discussion with most of our
preachers? What reasonable hope car
we have of n reunion of States, so lone
as our pulpits resound with political and
sectional prayers snd sermons! If the
members of the same denomination, who
hold the same faith-who serve the same
master. and who profess TO be influenced
by the same spirit, cannot live together in
peace, what can be expected from poll
ticians. "very few of whom profess to
be governed by the great principles OF
love-"
4. As an ecclesiastical court, we have
no right to give authoritative decisions or
political questions. There are questions
which properly belong to civil courts, and
there are questions which properly belong
to church courts. There is state gov
ernment. and there is church govern
ment: thev are both of Divine appoint
ment. but their powers are totally distinct
they do not clash. for God is God o.
order. and not "a God of confusion.
Even under the Jewish Theocracy. tho
distinction between the duties of the
church and the duties of the state wa:
distinctly drawn. Never was there q
time in the history of the world, so favor.
able for the amalgamation of church anc
state, but God made express provision
against this union. Hemade Moses. Law
giver. and he made Aaron. Priest. 5,
far from the church and state being unitec
under the Theocracy. the fact is. IL wa
the confounding of their purposes and in
terests which brought about the destruc
ton of the nation. Saul once undertook
to discharge the duties of the priestly of
flee, and what was the consequence! The
sceptre departed from his house forever
There is no authority in the Old Testa
ment for the amalgamation Of church
and state. Is there any such authority
in the New Testament: To the Law
and to the testimony" for if we "speal
not according TO this word, it is because
there is no light" in us. What is the ex
ample of Christ: Did he ever interfer'