Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-10-13
tfrom the indianapolis Sentinel
Another Fallen Preacher.


Another Fallen Preacher.
The correspondent of the Cincinnati Com
npercidL writing about the proceedings OF
the Methodist Annual Conference at Troy,
Ohio thus notices a melancholy instanceoi
'faling from grace, OH the part OF prom
inent minister
.sThe examination Of character took place,
and the case of Allen T. Thompson was
taken up. This noted young minister met
with some misfortune In Cincinnati, In con-
nection with sister in the church, and was
tried by his members Ia court) and found
innocent. He resigned his pastorage OF
Wesley Chapel and went to Hillsb0ro to
take charge of female college. He sent
In his resignation to the Conference, ana
some unkind brother was in favor OF ex-
pelling him. There was deal of discus
sion about the matter, when the Rev. Con-
rey moved that he be allowed 10 wiCnuraw
under charges of immortality, which was
agreed TO. This decision of the Confer
eSce drew tears from the Bishop and almost
the entire congregation, for no young man
commenced career with as flattering pros
poets as Mr.. Thompson. He was young,
and strangely gifted as an orator. His
Intellectual abilities were very great, and
he soon became the idol of the church."
This Allen T. Thompson furnishes new
instance of the frailty of Gospel ministers
who leave their Masters work for the un-
clerical employment of politics and Satan's
devices. Thompson is man OF rare gifts
as speaker, and the Republicans, in and
about Hamilton county, Ohio, very soon
found that out, and put the poor creature
to the hard drudgery of preaching political
sermons to aid the cause of that party and
the negro. Who has not heard of the Rev.
Allen T. Thompson as a preacher and poll
tician? For every word uttered about
s.Christ and him crucified," the reverend
sinner uttered handred about the gram
deurs and glory of negro emancipation,
and the ''saving faith" of the party doc
trines held by the Radicals and Abolition
lists. He gave to the party and faction the
benefit of his talents, and has lost his place
in the Christian mir istry.i He has fallen.
The exact crime of this miserable man
can only be guessed or surmised. 1t Is
doubtless "the sin which so easily besets"
those who disregard their ministerial VOWS,
and go out among the unclean of the world.
No minister can be proof against the vices
which bad associations engender. These
ministers all profess that, being ''called" to
preach the Gospel, they have no concern
about the worlds secular affairs. To be
Republican politician-the associate OF, and
apologist for, the lying, cheating, plumber
ing and venal crew who have brought death
and sin upon the land-would have debased,
we fear, more refined nature than poor
Thompson possessed. His religious feelings
proved too weak for his political abasement,
and he followed into the worlds ranks the
thousands of poor fallen wretches who have
gone out of the ministry from the same
cause.
The Conference record is full of meaning.
That record is that Thompson might with
draw" from bis ministerial duties, "under
charges of immortality" The Conference
was both charitable and forbearing. 1t had
no desire to try Thompson, and expose both
himself and the Church to the scandals
which that trial would bring upon them.
So the whole thing Is hlShed up, and Thomp-
son "ean take charge of the College" at
Hillsboro, and educate, in his own pure and
spotless manner, the rising generation in
and around Hillsboro! These young collie
gians have bright prospect before them.
We are told by the correspondent of the
Commercial that Thompson's fall drew tears
from the Bishop and almost the entire con-
gregatiOn. That was creditable to the feel
ings of the Bishop and the audience, for
which they are entitled to honorable men,
tion. But the Bishop might have saved his
tears, and the Church the scandal of Thomp-
sons immortality, if he had forbidden this
young man from indulging in political SER
mons and other unhOly discussions, thus de-
parting from what that Church processes to
observe in its discipline and economy. But
he did not exercise that conceded authority,
nor have other Bishops of that Church done
SO, and hence the sore scandals which, here
and there, are rife in the land. Ministers of
the Gospel, of all denominations, with now
and then an honorable exception, have for
gotten their duty in this respect, and hence
there has been no time when loose morals
among the clergy has been more prevalent
than now. Thousands upon thousands of
anxious listeners are driven from the
churches of the land because of the practice
which has obtained-preaching politics at
one portion of the congregation for the
party advantage of the other portion. This
Is an insult to all the hearers, and what is
worse, an indignity to Gods house, and
sin which Heaven will punish. When
ministers devote themselves to the work to
which they profess to be ''called;n that is,
the preaching of the Gospel, there is a
strong presumption that the ''call' is from
Heaven, and that respect is due to them as
such; but when they devote themselves to
preaching the right of one political party
to govern the land against law, justice and
written Constitutions, then we must be al
lowed to declare that they are entitled to
no respect; neither as ministers or men.
Those agitators will find out very soon that
this sentiment is on the increase, and that
men and women of sense will otsubmit to
pulpit lectures on politics, and from q class
of men, too, who are the least qualified to inn
part information on the subject of human
government. They must abandon such in
g.. r.l
congregations. Modesty should prompt
them to pursue this course, and if they fail
to do so we may expect large increase of
Allen T.Thompsons in the ministry. The
nuisance will be corrected in this way if
no other. -