North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-07-13
AN AWFUL REBUKE TO THE
CLERGY.

Apostate Church." the Presbyterian deal
some terrible blows at the head of the bloody
infflel minister of the United States, who
have literally turned our churches into den.
of there's. 1t says:
We londly thought that, poised upon tht
truth animated by the grace, and obliged by
the commands Of her glorious Head. the
Church would have proved bulwark against
tnc rushing tide of evil. We thought she
| would be an oasis in the desert, where wea
ry travellers might refresh themselves we
| thought she would be an island in the stLr.
my sea, where shpwrecked mariners might
| find safety and shelter. We did not expect
to hear in her solemn assemblies the voice
of human anger, much less of satanic malice
We believed that in the hour of civil commo-
ton, when States were sundered, and armies
met in the shock Of battle, she would lift up
holy hands without wrath and doubling, and
mplore her Master to drop from heaven the
olive branch OF peace that she would gath
er her sons and her daughters about her and
say to them "My children love one another"
that she would lay one hand upon Ephram
and the other upon Manassah, and bless
them both. We need not say how sadly we
have been disappointed. In spite of her
boasted conservatism and fidelity to princi-
pie, this once venerated body, at one 5ou nd
broke every bond Of truth and charity, in
effect renounced her allegiance to her great
Head, and allied herself with his arch enemy.
Size has turned aside from her Master swork
and through her highest courts, and through
hundreds of her pulpts, is engaged in propo-
eating political ideas and in sounding the
dread tocsiu of war Her rncient schools of
1he prophets-where linger The memories
and repose the ashes of IlIustrious dead
have been perverted to the advocacy of a
cruel war, and of a goddess and inhuman
Abctionism. Her most widely circulated
newspaper, that used TO howl so frantically
whenever an Episcopalan was appointed to
chaplaincy in the army or navy, is now the
whining slave of the power that lords it over
Gods heritage. and is rejected in disgust by
Christian and loyal men, on the ground that
it is no longer a religious paper. Her old
est quarterly Review now receives its iRspi-
ration from disappointed military command
ers, who failing of success in the field, have
become "the communicating intelligence" Of
absurd politics and lmpracticable campaiSns.
He clergy in many instances vie with each
other not in fidelity to God and the souls of
men but in devotion to party and in zeal for
the carnage of battle.
Amid this furious babble Of politics and
war, we look in vain fer the Magma Charta
of the annuncia ton, GLORY to God in the
highest !; On earth peace, and good will to
men, 1t is appalling to ace the Church of
God spue from her mouth the Gospel of
peace, and bawl herself hoarse in stimuIat
ing the ferocious passions of men, and caro-
nlzing the red-handed fend of the battle,
field Where is her former hatred of Abo-
litionisIn, now that she is causing her own
children to pass through the fire of Moloch,
and in gloating over the prospect to servile
insurrection What shall we say of the
distinguished clergymen, who 80 loudly
applauded Mr.. Van Dykes sermon on that
sagject, and who now lift up their hands and
roll their eyes in pious horror at the sin Of
slavery2 Shall we say as the world says of
them, that they have either been practicirg
gross deception all their lives, or are yield
ing TO unmanly fcar2 Shall we adopt the
humiliatng charge so freely made, that as
body the clergo of this countrG have been
less reliable, more unwilling to sacrafcetheir
positions to principle, more shutting and
cowardly, and blood-thirsty, than any other
class of men in it? Shall we repeat the
sneer, that rather than give up their places
and their salaries, they will preach and pray
under the dlctatl ION of turbulent faction Of
their churches, or the bitter taunt of the SOL
der, who on being reproved by one of them
for swearing, replied, 4" will not be rebuked
by you. sir have exposed my life for
three years in the war and but for preachers
there would have been no war !" We de-
sire TO bring no railsng accusations, neither
to jude any man, but by their fruits shall ye
know them, and the frditS of all their labors
$ that they, ohe Church, ond religion itself
are brougt into contempt among men. The
Lord Jesus seems to have averted His face,
and the Spirit of Grace to have departed
from the scene Of strife and fanaticism, and
bound in the tolls of the devil, and exposed
to the hooting of the world, nothing is left
to us bnt a 'sEead Faith and an Apostate
Church"
A STRIKING Contrast Mr.. Chase and
the State of New Jersey asked for loan at
the same time. Both loans were for six pei
cent, but with this difference, that Mr..
| Chase's interest was payable in gold, thus
being twice as valuable as the other. MIR
] lyhacr rart of his taken al nremeums