The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-09-04

The Preaching Of Politics. /
The Courier is afflicted with dis
ossc common at this time 20 Butter.
nut papers~-political prcathing. It,
ire, which Is terrible, was awakened
By sermon preached at the NJ. d.
Church, by Rev. Meeks, Pastor ofthe
fresoyteriHn Church. on the OCCASION
CT the National Thanksgiving; which
sermon it styles political" Mr.. d.
Aleeks did not in that sermon (nor
has he IN any other) Introduce any
thing that the most s nsitive partisan
conid construe into partizanism. lie
showed the canse of the rebellion-its
consequences-and did what the Cour-
ier has never done--denounced the
originators Of it, and the sympathizers
with it. Is this matter unfit to be in
troduccd into the pulpit Is It the
introduction of such matters that of
fends the Vallandigham party of Han
cock? We thank the Courier for this
acknowledgment OF what we have
charged--that its sympathies were
with the South entirely. 1fthey were
with the Government It would do as
the audience there assembled did--say
amen, to his able defence of his Gov
Iernment, and his denunciation of its
assailants.
The Copperhead fraternity, if they
had the remoddcling of the church
would make beautiful and extremely
useful institution of it. They would
exclude politics from it entirely. Let
us see how that would work. We
will suppose that intemperance be.
comes prevalent--that is using tho
community and State. The press
/. opens upon the cvil-the pulpit turns
its thunders upon it--public opinion
is awakened. Presently it is decided
to petition the Legislature for Pro
hibitory Law. The press advocates
1.-THE pulpit-stop! Temperance is
now purely political question. 1t
lenters into the elections There is a
party for and party against Prohib-
itioD-hands Off Clergy must never
ldrag the sacerdotal robes in the muddy
pool ofpolitics. So with laws against
Sabbath breaking, disappearing, gam
ing, prostitution or what not. JUS
the moment that a question takes The
shape Of law--just when the pulpit
can accomplish good it must stop.
The real reason for all this howl is
that the churches, nearly all of them
have taken a stand against slavery
the same rs against other crime:
against God and man--and what Il
worse they arc loyal to the Govern
ment, under whose sway the land hai
heen dotted with churches and school
houses. We can see no reason VIII,
the church should not denounce i
now just as vehemently as did Yves
ley. South of the Ohio are 1000, ,00J
1 of people living in state of as com
plete heathenism as can be found il
e Africa. Surrounded with churches
and denied the privilege of perusing
the word of God In the midst o
0 civilization and denied the marriag,
rite In the heart of a people boast
ing of morality and religion, and fe
males bought and sold for concu
bines-wives torn from husbands
children from parents--and sold lik,
cattle in the market place. Tn,
/, church saw this heathenism not onl,
o destroying its black victims, but max
inga race OF despots, sensualists, gam
blers, and murlerers OF the still NOR
unfortunate whites who were curse,
with it. Dramatically opposed to re
ligion, they could do no less than at
: tack it; and following in the footsteps
of Wesley they did. Politics for
sooth! Is crime any the less crime
l. because it has the sanction of time
Is an unjust law any the less unjus
e because it is a law? Gambling anC
a prostitution are evils rs old as slavery
and in some countries they are legal
; ized---must the church close its moutl
: because these vices are ancient anC
+ legalized? If legislature makes
S law legalizing wee, is it not tn
province of the pulpit to attack tn,
u law that fosters it? "Go We into al
e the world and preach my gospel,
l. is a divine command, and they mus
obey. AS Carolina and niggers ar
not excepted in this injunction, sha
% the Clergy say nothing against Sout
Garnlina which hnnoS fbnnn for nraac