Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-04-16

threatens immense evil to the Church OF God, and IL
require their minister IN the r 10 give pu6ciiy to
nry political sentiment hensy cntersn, 10 deiy
himself with ally political question IN the State but on
the contrary that in his public mnsrn,ons he be guided
by tue word OF God In presenting the Gospel OF Christ
and IN no way iayor on alliance Of Church and state,
aud that every minister equally with the lsymen, is
perfectly irse TO esrain aud exercise his private poit
cai opinions but should no, any way intro luce en
Into his public mi<tf aiions passed by the
~. Cleirsvillc Prsbyier,, q. =,
When public bodies make public their
doings-whcn they meddle with public po
litical affairs Of partisan character--when
they pass resolutions giving aid and comfort
to political sympathizere with rebellion
against the Government, and insul: loyal
people--when they deal in chicanery, du.
plici'y, innuendo, h play off the willy Jesuit,
and faunt these in the face OF the public
through the public prints--then their pub.
lie acts become public property, aHd the le.
climate subject of public animadversion.
SANDER by innuend0 is the basest kind. 1t
is unmanly and cowardly. The brave never
throw stones from behind the hedge The
noble Christian declares the right and the
truth openly, and meets squarely the respon
sibility Of his utterances. .t .F.
Did the congregation Of Kirkwood ''re-
qnirs" their pastor to 'Japor IN alliance
10Th Church and .State"f No one believes
such absurd SANDER. But so the resolution
OF the Presbytery insinuates. Did tho con.
gregation require" thoir pastor from the
pulpit to give publicity to sentiment merely
political, and not warranted by the word Of
God'H Did the congregation require
their pastor to give public expression to his
private political opinionsp In the sense the
Presbytery use these terms they, and every
body else, know there is no truth in them.
They are simply slanderous iunuendo.
There is quite smack of Jesuitism in the
resolution. While seeming TO express, by
loose and equiyocal terms, one thing, It
evidently means another II means that
the ministry must not be expected to preach
or pray about this war waged to suppress
rebellion. They must not teach the people
its moral character as right or wrong. They
must not commit themselves to the cause of
the government, now struggling to put
down iDsurrectiOn and treason against its
authority, or teach the people the duty of
loyalty when the Government needs hearty,
conscientious and practical allegiance and
aid TO preserve its very existence. Such
things they call-''poiiticml sentiD,ent'-
spoliticat qusstioa III the .State',--.Jaror al
lance of church and .ytafe"i
Again-and worse. This resolution is
steeped i'm dislovalty--is fnll of cop,fort 70
with tb;s slauahnIders' % rohal u
liop' Not one Of the rebeIs in tbs somth vv
nor one Of their dear kin in the North hay.
ing for them fellow feeling, but will say.
resolution Uence ,ba roIl;na "c M =.
lectable deliverance as sweet norsel under
their tongues and as the spreading out Of
their highest glory this finds an issue in
semi-traitorous Journals. Not one nrofsne
drunken, negro. .hater. swavger;ng |. .bo"t ,ho
streets on the Lords dav' wh;le rood o;,;
zens and Christians are attending mon the
ordinances OF religion. and who can "donn
tie Niger. but can in the same hreoth h ard
in the same spirit shout. Hurrah m the;r
pious resolution The men who make n
business of denoupcinr politic.l nre,ch;no
and care no more about presoh;np ,han ~
horse or mule--the men who ara rem times
in the groe shop for once in the ch,r.,h~
the men whose bible ia some seoosh nro.
slavery, profane. living newsnaner Thasa
are the men who aIoat ovsr s,,"h d;sloSsl
and cold. hearted resolutions. Should TINT
this resolution would secure them a rccsn'
ton, without any other mass Hs tnows
their Copperhend ring--be Lnows ,ba;r ~
Slavery UnlWub--ne KNOWS their auakIn0
dove peace cooinp. nnd would oman ~ ,haSS,
his windows, and under his winr wonld % thev
find genial shelter. Jeff would enterts;n
no fears in regard to their svmnrthv viii
the corner stone" of his Sonthern 1oncsd'
eracy. I...'-'-. 800, - ',''''''
But, again, and still worse. Al the
Buckeye Farmer, honest and unsonhisti
Gated man, has said-this presbyterial de.
liveronce is "a desecrat,on Of thsir oMo, and
treason against God" Il declares author.
itatively, in court of Christ. that sin the
pulpit the ministry must not give publicitv
TO ANY political sentiment" Christ saws
in the commission given to his ministry
Teaching them to observe oil things what.
soever | have commanded you.' Tbe Pres.
byterian Church declares, in bor Confession
oil Faith, that ''civil government i an ordi.
nance Of God--that L is lawful for Chris
tians to accept and execute the Office of n
magistrates NAV lawfnllv
now under the New TestameDt WACO war
upon just and necessary asious-a1d that
il is the duty Of the people to prav for mse. |
istrates, to honor thoir persons nav them
tribute and other dues--obey their lawful |
and be subject TO their Authority
for oonscience sake" These doctrines thsy
prove by many quotations. from The RibIs
A nd tbesa doct r;,o. ,,,;n;s,.. !. -