Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-09-30
A SERMON
REV. ?. ?. PINNEY.
September 9Th, 1888
or the NJ. E Church, at Sharon

TExT. Tile burden Of Dunloh. He
caLletk 10 me out Of Tie Ser, UatchmaH, chat
Of tie nightl Fatehnlan, tchat Of the night
The aratcknian said, tie mOT1,ing e0meta, and
also tie night; # ye aoiH inquire, inquire ye;
return, le"-LSaiah 2lst, llh aud l2h.
A minister of some distinction was once
addressed by one OF his hearers, after this
manner: Il think" said he, you are
one of the best preachers | ever heard,
and. for this reason: YOU never meddle
with politics or religion" Now politics
and religion, We know, are both very eX-
citing Things, and a man, who is very
fearful OF agitation, had not better med
die too much, with them, for he might,
possibly disturb some ones equaninilty
and, besiues, If lac Is moderately skilltul
in suiting public taste, he can, aside from
these. arrange Il kind OF milk and water
dish, which Is very palatable, and has the
double benefit OF being very soothing to
the nerves, and promotlve Ot quiet slum-
bers. But if the minister wants to do his
duty. and deliver his own soul, he Will
find that he has something to do with
both OF these important things. Not the
| would convey the idea that politics are
euuall yimL Lortant with religion, or should
have with it an equal share in the dis
cussions Of the pulpit; but, l would rath-
er discard that ''old wives fable, that the
minister, as soon as ne gets into the pull
pit, is at once to forget, what country he
lives in, what laws govern him, what IN
sututlons surround him, and soar away to
some untrodden heig hts OF speculation,
where nobody ever lived or ever VIII 1--we.
! Let him come down rather and dwell
among men, and let HIM have his eyes
omen. and his heart alive TO what Is going
on around him, and to every subject OF
practical interest. The religion he preach
esis the most practical thing IN the world,
and IL has TO 40 with everything, that
concerns the interests and destiny OF man.
i It Is TOO late IN the day 10 attempt 10
restrain the utterances OF the pulpit IN
this respect, if 1t might ever have been
dome \ ct the IneXorable logic 'ot the
/ times has done away those restraints;
..ior there Is "a spirit IN man, and the in
spIraIion OF the Almighty giveth them
understanding" ''and II they refuse to
Il speak, the very stones would cry out.
/ And what Is politics, that 1t must be
4 excluded from the pulpit Webster de-
fines il 10 be that part OF morals which
refers 10 the regulation oi State oI ma
tion" Aud II a part OF morals, The pull
pit has something To do with II, or ought
| 10 have | suspect the reason men are so
sensitive upon this subject, Is because
with them, politics, rather, Is part OF
Immorlls; il means either slavery or trea-
SON; and for botn of these The pulpit has
a voice of rebuke. Is the field Ot politics,
then, wholly outside the boundaries oi
religion! Is IL a fenced enclosure, where
Christianity, with ali her genial lnfiu-
snces may not enterl 4 klnu Oi pasture
ground, where SIN and Satan can roam at
large. unchecked and Tree! Ii 1t be, the
Lord pity the field and those VINO Wolk
III It, Inc devil IS not overscrupulous as
10 what field he labors IA. lie can assume
all angels garb or II political mantle. lie
a often sounds trumpet before HIM, which
mas u very solemn religious tone, and
which proclaIms, Ministers must not
meddle with politics. anu when he thinks
he has them well lIndoctrlnated, he dons his
political mantle, and goes on with his
political deYIllsm. ! lave SAID this much,
as predatory, and as reason tor dwelling
upon the themes We shall contemplate
themes concerning which, nave no
doubt some Will say, with mock sdnctl-
mony, and with hands uplItted, III KIND
OF holy horror, II aroHdsr n he Is not going
to preach pol,tics.
The prophecy contained IN cur text 81
by all comentarys confessed 10 be very
obscure one; both from the uncertainty
OF the occasion upon which 1t was uttered,
and its extreme brevlty. Or. Adam
i Clark supposes, that the Edomltes ana
!, Jews were both in subjeclion to Babylon;
that the Edomites inquire of the watch
man, how long this su0Jecilon Will last, or
now long the night will continue. 1he
Watchman replies That the jews VIII be
delivered, but the EdomItes will Iemaln
IN bondage. Hence he says, tine morn
ing comeLn, anu also the night, VIZ. the
morning to the Jews, the night TO the
Edomites. 1t Is thought this question
might have been raised, either tauntlngiy,
or seriously. The Jews were looking Tor
deliverance, and they might, IN scepu-
cal sense, have inquired, where are the
signs of his coming" or they might nave
been disposed to seriously inquire OF the
= Lord, through his prophets. Hence, ne
says, If We will inquire" II you Will serl-
ously come TO God 1or direction, inquire
ye; return, come" But however OBSCURE
: the original import OF the passage may
be, ii Is sufficiently plain In lis Application
TO present circumstances, and tUr The use
We lnLeQO 10 UldhS VI H. liz ANASSh@O~@
here raised, is one that has been anxious
Iy raised all through the history OF the
a past. 1t has gone up in solemn earnest
!. ness, from despondIng church to those
who have stood as watchmen upon the
walls of Zion. 1t has been shouted out,
: with profane ribaldry and mocking de-
d rision, by the infdel and the scotfer, as IN
q the hour of darkness, they have predicted
= the downfall OF Christianity. 1t has been
more especially raised in times OF pecu-
liar trial. AS the night has gathered
b down with more solemn gloom, as great
{ moral, social or political changes have
swept over the world, affecting materially
the destiny of thousands, how anxiously,
now intently, have the multitudes looked
: ont into dense darkness and inquired,
r f..What of the night?" When Will this
Z darkness be Illuminated" When will
the morning dawn?" No question finds
a more responsive echo from thousands Of
hearts. full of the most dread suspense
Like the ships crew hemmed in by dark
s ness and stornatessed tumultuously by
wind and wave, how anxiously do they
watch for the morning. How joyfully dc
they hail the first omens OF its approach
So society, tossed 10 and fro by the more
a tumultuous fury of human passions, oui
i upon the sea of fearful revolutions, sur
: rounded BY q night OF deepest gloom