The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1863-02-04
The Abolition Clergy and the War
To Rev. DIR. BeecAcr, Cheever & Tying:

GENTLEMEN: address you because
you represent the great body of Ameri-
can clergymen whom a majority of the
people arc beginning TO hold responsible
for much of the terrible spirit of revenge
and slaughter which desolates our land.
One of you, in a late Thanksgiving SER
mon, said "The Nation is possessed of
the devil" 1t is, alas too true. The
spirit Of the war is of the devil. If the
precepts of Christ are true, all who on
courage the revenge, cruelty and inhu-
man violence Of war are Children of the
devil" because {" His works they do."--
Where, gentlemen, have these bad tenn
pers Of the devil been more encouraged
than in the pulpit of the United States
While the horrors oe the battlefield have
been, as much as possible assusged by a
Christian and enlightened General like
Mcclellan, a majority of our pulpits have
raved, stormed, and belched forth the
smoke and flame Of the /" bottomless pit. "
From the lips of the clergy the satanic
sneer has gone kissing forth that Nobody
was hurt" One of your number declar-
cd that ave want Generals and soldiers
who delight to swim in BLOOD" Have
you forgotten that you profess to be min
isters of a religion Of peace and love
Have you forgotten that you profess to
be followers of one who was The Prince
Of Peace who came into the world 10
teach the nations to "Beat their swords
into plougbsharos, and their spears into
pruning hooks" so that "Nation shall
not lift up sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war any more" The
great lesson Of this life was, " Put up
Thy sword" How can you, gentlemen,
without blush, profess to be the disci-
pies Of that Prince Of Peacei" You
teachers of the gospel which was sent to
spread " Peace on earth and good will
among men"
One OF you, in Thanksgiving sermon,
said "Thank God for the rebellion and
war" You whose preaching embowels
humanity, and fills the altars of religion
with blood, followers of the Divine One
who said, "Resist not evil!"-are you not
rather followers of the Prince of Dark
ness?" Do you not enter your pulpits
every Sunday morning MS Marius entered
Rome, burning with revengoful memories
Of the marches Of Minturia? Instead of
opening the gates Of the kingdom Of
Heaven, TO make men of One heart and
one mind" one would think your mission
was to open the temple Of Janus. Instead
of pointing out 10 mortals "The paths
of peace" you are striving to drive them
down "The broad road Of destruction. u
Instead of preaching and praying to make
our country what Christ meant all ma
tions should be, "a kingdom Of peace
you seem to make it province Of hell.
Your prayers 90 out like poisoned arrows,
only to wound and kill. Like the heathen
law giver, you never see God only in the
midst of flames and swords. You are
living back these thousands of years in
the brute ages of the world--not follow
ers Of the Lamb but the savage and
bloody disciples of Thor and Odin. The
meek voice that once breathed peace
among the bills Of Gallilee you have new
or heard. Not in Gallilee, but in Col
gotha were your altars built.
The great Erasmus said, "All this
conditions Of war are absolutely forbidden
by the Gospelf You, gentlemen know
that the precepts of Christ forbid them.
You know that the early Christians, those
who lived Immediately after Christ, who
were instructed by his Apostles, believed
that Christian could not fight. Maxi
milan, Roman convert TO Christianity,
on being brought before the tribunal, 10
be enrolled as soldier, declared to the
Pro-consul, al am Christian and can
not fightp When told thai he must
bear arms or suffer death, he replied, ("
l-Is. a.. L. 4