The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-08-25

any warrant from bis example for " exert
ing their activities" at the primary meet
ings of politicians, or for preaching a
higher law" than the lower law" of the
country he lived in, to decide even "the
contest between liberty and slavery"
For even then it was an open question,
where He might well have meddled, if He
had only had the same piety and "loilty"
which some OF His latter-dsy progressed
political ministers possess in so eminent q
degree. But to every invitation OF sug-
gestion that He had better turn aside from
His single mission of preaching the gospel
to every living c. eature and "sail in" on
one or the other side of some political
question, His invariable answer was, my
kingdom is not OF this world"
When asked il it was proper to pay tri-
butte to Caesar, his answer was, strender to
Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to
God the things that sre Gods" How
non-committal and neutral, and yet they
are the words of the most decided charac-
ter the world has known in all matters of
religion. He took no sides in politics, but
always recommended obedience to "the
lower law" saying "the powers that be
ere ordained of God, "&c.
Living in an aye and q country and un-
Ger government recognizing and protect
i.ag slavery, and slavery of far more vir-
S.lent type than ours, as it gave the master
the power Of life and death over his slave,
you search the New Testament in vain to
find word or a syllable of his in favor of
=" freedom, "or against "slsvery." Can it
be possible that he was q pro-slavery
preacher" copperhead, /" "minion of
the slave power - Otherwise, why did
he not, like our Press " minister, g." Gre
cognize the obligation to instruct men
from the pulpit in regard to their political
responsibilities? and like him, ''exert his
activities " in favor of universal free
DOM
The sold theory" could hardly have been
abandoned tL.n, as now, nor could
"lower law diviree " have been at such
discount then as now. By doing 80,
and by hurting hi anathamas from Sab
bath to Sabbarh against " slavery and
"slave drivers, nd against the CLOVER
law" which prot ';5ed this "sum of all
villainies," and it, aiders and abettors, he
might have excite. such political preiu-
dices among those Sho differed with him.
as to endanger IL mission as gospel
preacher, and net ralize his influence -
but what of that, he could Only forward
the cause of universal freedom? "Hu-
manity," not divinity" is the proper
study for ''diviT--,' and hence Christ,
working under old theory" and be-
ing slower .vine,'i is greatly at
Discount I'M he present regime of
the Christian re N. And it is the duty
OF his ministers Low to "attend the pri-
mary meetings OF parties" and work "in
the interest OF God and humanity" with
6 ballots" since the ''old theory" OF
preaching the gospel is played out and
no longer potent as lever for the worlds
conversion, and for forwarding all good
causes that follow in the train OF q con.
verted world.
Now there are jus, two very great evils
to flow from this proposed mingling of
politics and religion. First, the ipiuring of
politics; second, the injuring OF religion.
Politics are injured because the whole
theory Of our government opposes the
uuion Of church and state; and the iufu.
zion Of Il sectarian bigctry into politics
must always end in hostile collisions be-
tween sects and all the old train OF perse-
cutions, racks, thumb screws, fagots, and
civil wars TO which the history of the world
bears such bloody testimony
Religion is injured because when its
holy orders cease to be 6 separate ~ they
cease to be holy-the word "holy mean
ing separate" and therefore they are no
longer the orscles OF God, and God no
}opger has holy religion in the world.
The sacredness Of the Office is secularized.
The bitterness Of party luminosity drives