The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-08-25
The Clergy Of Europe Admonished.

a writer In one of the reigiousl. papers
of this city-the Portland Advertiser, tie or
gan of the "dirine institution" and the de-
fender of the gospel according TO st. Bludg-
eon-recently contained an extraordinary ar
ticle aimed at Rev. DIR. Massie, OF London, and
through him at $50 French Protestant clergy
men and 1900 non-coniormist clergymen, of
England, Scotland and Ireland. The article Is
signed "A Churchman," aud referring 10 Or.
Massie, deals in such high church language as
the following:
He harangued the audience for more than an hour.
In the fullest black vomii style OF our bisskcst
aud chu rchcs He made reference to the political
hastings of the previous day as conducted BY Davis
sabbath evening meeting Of his own calculated TO
further the cause Of the republican politicians TO
whom he had listened.
The only allusion to the City Hall meeting
made by DR.. Massie was in saying that in the
meetings of the common people-the mechan-
les aud laborers-o London, Manchester and
other cities, to express sympathy for our 10y
al people, he had heard remarks rs logical, as
eloquent and as effective as any he heard in
our large hall the day previous.
But this "Churchman," whose copperhead
nerves seem to have been so much disturbed,
is anxious lest the cause of religion should
suffer at the hands of this noble representa-
tive of ALSO British and French clergymen.
He says:
And have we come to such pass thisy Are
ministers and churches, and sanctuaries, and Sab
baths to be used for political purposes and to further
A.. 49, fAl
party. Are our clergy change the pulpit into the
stump and in their prayers(g and sermonsy)to de-
claim to the worshppers in regard to which party
platform they shall adopt and supporty If So then
farewell to the visible church with all its forms and
organizations until the day when in its purely spir-
itnaf character it shall be made coextensive with
the world, and Christ shall be the only King. Let
them attend to their own official business in con-
nection with the church of Christ which is seeking
the eternal salvation of souls, among all parties and
all nations. They have no message given them In
their commission which they cannot as will deliver
in England as America in New Orleans as in Port
land. When nations. or parts OF nation are at war
the church has still the same work 10 do alike for all
Shame lasting, burning shame on any one
claiming to be a man, who can disgrace the
name of an american churchman by language
like this. According to this sanity copper
head, the ministers Of religion are to feel no
interest in patriotism, and should be rs ready
to serve and feel as easy under JEFF Davis, the
tyrant and usurper, as under the powers or
dained of God. Thank Heaven, such are not
the American ideas of religious duty. Our
clergymen are patriots, and hence the con-
slant venom and slang poured out upon them
by copperheads and rebels. They believe
with their Master, not in going into cloisters,
In shutting themselves up closely in somber
churches, but in going about doing good"
They believe in going down among the bruis-
ed, the broken and sin-sick, taking them by the
hand and leading them to ahigher life. They
believe their path Of duty leads where SIMS do
ing its blasting work. Religion with them is not
resentment, but practical principle christian
ity is not a mere badge, but holy life; and
they believe that no traitor is or can be, ex-
cept by repentance and reformation, chris
tian, or fit to belong to any church of Christ.
This sanity rebel puts forth the idea that a
that he cannot as well deliver in New Orleans
as Portland; meaning that the minister has no
message that may not be performed with eqral
facility, and be met by equal welcome, in re-
bellious cities as in the most loyal that the
mission of christian disciple is simply to
enunciate those common platitudes which can
offend no one because they mean nothing, and
scatter perfumed words as priest does holy
water upon men whose hands are red with
riot and blood. Evidently this churchman
has not learned in the school of Jesus, for he
said to the rulers of his day, 'Wo unto you
Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for we pay
1.-THE of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have
omitted the ,ceightier matters of the law,
Judgment, mercy and faith"
He has not learned Of Paul's experience, for
when he went into certain place with his
message, he was mobbed by those who, "mov-
ed with envy took unto themselves certain
lewd fellows Of the baser Sort and gathered a
company, and set all the city in an ,uproar,
and assaulted" the houses of his friends, and
cried, like the copperheads Of to-day, "Those
that have turned the world upside down have
come hther also" We leave this church cop
perhead-a lneal descendant no doubt of the
coppersmith of old-commending TO his atten-
ton the words OF one Peter, with whose his
tory we infer he is entirely unacquainted.
When this dauntless old apostle was seized for
his free speech as a minister of Christ, he
said to the rulers, elders and scribcs, before
whom he was arraigned, whether it be right
in the sight OF God to hearken unto We more
than God, judge We; for VIC cannot but speak
the things which we have seen and heard.'