Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-01-30
The Functions Of the Pulpit.

regarded the clergy as the religious teaen-
ers Of men, and had considered it their es-
pecisl duty TO lock after the public morals
We had thought it the function Of the Pul'
pit to denOunce every species Of wicked
ness and wrong, that found near 81
home, as we'll IS that existing bey Ond the
seas.
A glance ct Ecclesiastical history shows
that many of the clergy have mistaken
their work. While some have cOnfOunded
IL with that Of the pOliieisn, others have
made the equally serious mistake OfsinkinE
practical religion in speculative theology,
But we thought these matters were better
understood now, and that all sgree the
clergy were to preach as Paul preaesed'
nrishtsousness, temperance and judgement
to come" and if necessary, TO further I'm
its,e the Apostle in proclaiming it to FeiiI
himsslf We have found that our eOnclu
siOus were all grievous mistakes Sc the ef-
fort To found a "newp church proves
The necessity for the "Dew" church
crows ont of the fact that the clergy OF the
existing churches now preach against
slsvery and its abominations. To denOunce
oppression and tyranny, in the eyes Of the
new" church, is negleCtiDg the aPpro-
priats work Of the Pulpit and "meddhpg
in politics. The religion Of these new re
reiouists is very harmless one. 1t is to
be so organized that it will never come
into contact with the selhshness sne
wickedness Of human nature it will be
blade Of suoh celestial temper that it will
never answer to cut up by the roots the
sins Of men with it, so great will be the
danger Of bruising and dulling its edge.
In this is found its essential divergence
from the religion Of Christ. 1t is the glO
rycf his religion that it does no harm t'
soil it by every day use.
Now, to prove slavery a sin to an Ordi
nary cor science, is an easy work. II
prove it the most gigantic crime of thi'
country against God and man, is but littl
more diai.ult. We ask the reader to cas-
his eve across the Ohio river into Virgin
is-nOt the Virginia of to-day but Of th1e
vearsseo. Prom the mountains to the Be
the mest profitable and widely e1tende
business. is to breed men and women 70
the Southern marEeL as, in the Norti
cattle and swine are bred for the shan
bles. In some years this unparalleled em
grafton has reached the enormous numbe
of44 e0O-flliug the pockets Of the F.
with wealth.
WesnalI not follow these men and VI
msn to the eotton-fslds Of Mississippi, II
sugar plantations of Louisiana, nor SON
Of the latter to the brothels and barems
Mobile and New Orleans. The spectac
su.h a state Of things without horror an
inifgnstion unrestrsina6le, without ever
h5re Of his moral nature twinging, is tt
b,sottsd to be susceptible to mOraliDpre
sions.
Yet this the priests Of the order Of s
Oils and St. Medary are expected to Dc
No doubt they will be able to do it, as Il
illustrious founders Of the new order ha7
shown their ability to do it; and the cha
ayter Of q priesthood is moulded after tbs
OF its founder.
80 far, then, from the clergy going OIL
Of their way to oppose slavery, it is the
legitimate work.
We have known men who prided then
selves upon their dexterity in avoiding II
whole subject, We should like to wri
the epitaph Of all such. "Here lies ms
who prided himself upon the skilfulneI
he manifested in stunning the gIestei
sin Of his time and country" And hs'
ing chisled that deep into the marble
face, we would employ some " Old Norta
ity" to yearly polish the stone lest II
moss or the mould should Obiterate IL
inscription. Such 8 man is as ignorant
Christianity as Pagan, or else he lacE
the courage to speak his convictions.
either case we can cordially commend hi
70 the founders of the new priesthoe'
OF st. Olds and St. Medary we knO
nothing personally. We are willing
suppose they are, in the theological sens
Christians; that they have been baptize,
have gone through the school Of the cat
chumen up to the standing of "cOmmun
csnts;" but they are too much like Il
Athenisns Of Paulstine and the Phariset
Of Christs, to be followers of Jesus. The
have the too much /" superstition Of Il
one, and the disposition OF the other
sink the "Weightier matters Of the lav
justice, mercy and faith" in the Obser'
snee Of the "mint auise and cummin