Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-13
Political Preaching Condemned by
the Rev. Adam Clarke, the Great
Methodist Commentator of the scrip
t~ures-Adam Clarke's Opinion Of Pc.
lfficaI Preaching

Methodist commentator of the scrip
tu~res-Adam CIarke's Opinion of Pc.
IiticaI Preaching.
The great Methodist commentator and preacher
Adam Clarke, ha, left on record bis opinion Of
political preachers, which we give in his own
words:
1T was the lot of Mr.. Clarke TO be associated
at this time with two eminent men who unfortu-
nately took opposite sides Of this great political
question; one pleading for the lowest Republi-
canism. the ether exhausted himself in maintain
ing the divine rights of Kings and regular Gov
emments TO do what might seem right IN their
own eyes, the people At large having nothing to
do with the laws but to obey them. His soul
was grieved at this state of things; but he went
calmly on his way preaching Christ cruci6ed for
the redemption of a lost world; and though his
abilities we're greatly inferior to those of the col
leagues. his congregation was equal to theirs, and
his word more abundantly useful. Political
preachers neither convert souls nor build up be
levers on their most holy faith; one may pique
himself on his loyalty, the other on his i~beralfy
and popular notions Of Government; but in sight
of the great Head of the Church, the first is a
sounding brass and The second a tinkling cymbal.
When preachers of the gospel become parties
in party politics, religion mOnrns, the Church ia
u%nedi6ed. aud political disputes agitate even the
faithful of the land. Such preachers, no matter
which side they take, are 10 longer messengers
of glad tidings. butt seedsmen Of confusion,
and MASTERS of the heritage of Christ. Though
Mr.. Clarke had fully made up his mind on the
politics of the day, and never survived from bis
Wing principles, yet in the pulpit was nothing
heard from him but Christ cruci6ed, and the sal
walton procured by his blood ."-TLife of DI.
Clarke vol i.pp l60-l6l
The above extracts. though written in the
third person. are from DR.. Clsrke's own pen.
The quotation is literal. italics and all, as a ref
erencc 10 the book will show. For our own ex-
pressions of disapproval of political preaching
we have been calles an infdel Our poll teal
priesthood will be gracious enough 10 allow that
we are at least in good company. We have no
desire to injure them. but would earnestly labor
for their benefit. May they fOrsake the error of
their ways. so that it may he said Of them. in the
language of Dr.. CiaAke, whom we again quote:
They neglected their pastoral duty, so that the
hungry sheep looked up. and were not fed"
OPINION OF POLITICAL PREACHING BY EDMUND
BURKE. THE GREAT BRITISH ORATOR AND STATES
MAN.
Hear the grave and weighty words of Edmund
Burke:
Politics and the pulpit are ten ms that
have but little agreement. No sound ought 70
be heard in the Church but the leading voice
Of Christian charity. The cause of ciriI
Liberty and eiriI GoUernment gains as little
as that Of religion by this confusion of
duties. Those who quit their proper char
acter, to assume what does not belong to them
are, for the greater part. ignorant both OF the
character they leave and o.; the character they
assume. Wholly unacqnainted with the world
in which they are so fond of meddling, and in
experienced in all its affairs on which they pro-
nounce with 50 much con6den, e. they hare
nothing Of politics but tn passions they ~ercite."