The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-09-04
Z = = = = - = 2 : = 2
Friday Morning, September 4, 1868.
ssPOlitical Priests.'s

This cry, which was the watchword of
certain political fraternity few years since,
when party issues turned upon the principles
of the Maine Law, is now being re-rung by
devotee Of the great Red Dragon of secession
In this city. a4
Then, as now, our clergymen, in obedience
to a divine injunction to preach righteous
ness, temperance and judgment, did much to
promote the interest of that party that was
laboring for the suppression of vice and crime,
and of course said much to offend party that
was welded to sef-interest and self-ndulgence.
Not that our ministers descended from their
high and holy calling to pull the wires of base
election campaign, but because, in the course
of events, political issues embraced the legti-
mate objects of christian ministration, and in
the discharge Of their sacred duty to reprove
the world OF sin, they inadvertently trod upon
the gouty toes of the anti-temperance party,
who rose In wrath, and denounced them as
profane blasphemers and political priests.
They had some show of reason for being of
Tended at this alleged interference of the
christian ministry. They considered the NOR
al aspect of the politics of that time from
their own base aud groveling standpoint of
vision, and while no one would deny that a
christian minister laboring to promote the in
terests OF the rum-loving community would
richly merit the opprobrium of the whole civ
ilized world, they on their part, blinded with
infatuation, could not see why it was not
equally profane for the pulpit to favor the 9TH
er side Of the question. Stupendous foolsl
To-day the great political issues have again
over-lapped most broadly the Gospel domain
To-day there are but two great political par
ties-the party for Union, Democracy, Liberty
and Cover nment, and the party for Treason,
Anarchy and War. Our clergymen are found
as ever on the side of mercy and justice and
truth; and the great party for the right de-
pends much upon the instructive sermons and
prevailing prayers of our host Of united chris
tlan ministers, to bring back to our distressed
country the blessing of union and peace. Hence
the avowed discomfort of these Judas Iscariots,
who would. fain for thirty pieces of silver, see
this Republic smoldering in the ashes of utter
demolition. No wonder that the hideous
structure of treason and revolt shudders with
apprehension to the very foundation, at the
advance Of the valiant Gospel army. We have
truly noble christian ministry upon the soil
OF America, in whose veins still flows the
brave blood Of their Puritan sires, and they
dare to stand up for truth forever, though the
heavens fall and the earth be removed. They
still revere and cherish the example of an an
cient preacher, who dared to stand boldly be-
fore the king and teach him the words of
truth-and among whose numerous and in
structiye writings appears the following re-
markable specimen of political preaching:
"Let every soul be subject unto the higher
powers. For there is no power but of God:
and the powers that be are ordained of God
Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, re-
sisteth the ordinance of God and they that
resist receive unto themselves damnation
For rulers are not terror to the good works,
but to the evil"
We find that it has ever been the party al
lied to base selfinterest and moral evil that
raises this hue and cry of political preaching
and persecutes the church for daring to uphold
the good and to oppose the wickedness of
these political schemes. 1t was so in the
days Of Christ and it is SO to-day. And this
10 why vile traitors raise their polluted heads
from the loathsome slime of treason and Sc
cession and hiss at the sacred ministers of
Christ No doubt the old serpent, the king of
all the Copperheads, felt much the same emo
ton wnen ne saw the Star in the East, which
proclaimed the birth of a Prince beneath
whose power all the kingdoms of sin and
( darkness shall finally crumble to the dust, and
the reign of the Gospel of Peace fill the whole
earth. gov Josr