The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-10


in the case Of Chile she has no other interest
but that Of trade in copper. But that little
business in copper settles the question for the
great missionary. No British trade was par
ticulariy injured in the European outrage, and
Denmark could go TO the dogs. British trade Is
injured In Chile, and the indignation of Eng
land rises against the injustice Of Spain. VIII
not PsmcA give ~ . picture Of the British lion
in white cravatf
Psaatacal ChristianAsy In tho United
The old style Of Christians Methodists, Bap-
fists, Episoopalians. Catholics and Presbyte-
rians-were much concerned for the moral con-
duct and spiritual welfare Of their fellow SIN
ners. They worked earnestly in the world to
keep down the devil They wanted to make
men better. They preached crusades, but they
were crusades against sin-against those sins
particularly that are forbidden in the deca-
logue. They recognized distinctly that that
was the true sphere Of the Christian lsborer,
and they would have regarded any disposition
in their own minds to leave that sphere and TO
divert the attention of men to any other sub
ject than ths salvation Of their souls as bold
temptation from the father of ali evil. They
left to others the discussions Of public ques-
lions; the pride and ambition Of the former
they looked upon as little vanity; and, with
the humble earnestness commanded by their
Divine Master, they labored to mako men love
one another and to deal honestly. They adj
4 t, kaov~ al rrhf hot
growth of Christian civilization, the human
conscience. And all the good that was ever
done in the world by religion was done by the
agency of such men.
But that race is nearly extinct. Now there
is another kind Of Christian rampant among U.s.
This is the political Christian, who repudiates
tho sphere and labor Of the old-fashioned Chris
tian as something contemplate and beneath
his abilities. He cannot lend his lofty spirit TO
such little affairs a. looking after the sins that
weigh on the conscience Of every psltry
fellow. He oanaot pray over human weak
and inculcate lessons Of charity and
love- He considers that his sphere is to regu-
late the politics OF the nation-to make the
pulpit as much like the stump as possible in
its passion and profanity, and to utter fierce
harangues Of denunciatory hate against all
who hold opinions unlike his. Good speci-
mems of this kind of Christian are Mr.. Cheever,
Of this city, and Beecher, Of Brooklyn. The
three thousand clergymen who made them
selves notorious as Kansas shriekers are Of
this class and the same denomination il rep
resented by the ten Massachusetts, parsons
who have abandoned their focks to 90 to the
State Legislature. This kind Of Christianity
originated in New England. but Is now spread
pretty well over the whole country, and its
inevitable effects are becoming apparent.
Political Christianity regards the pulpit not
as place from which men are to be taught
that there are other things to do in the world
| than those they have been doing in the last
busy six days; 1t regards it, on the contrary, as
. position OF influence point from which q
| political schemer may get at the people and
surround. his candidate or his theory with all
| the sanctity Of the church, and make the people
believe that TO hold the one or to vote for the
| other is to do the will Of God. It realizes the
story Of the Golden Legend. II is told that
once when the parson was tempted out of the
| way the devil got possession Of the pulpit Did
he preach the Christian doctrines Of humility,
| patience, charity, love, and warn his hearers
against the allurements Of sin! No. He
preached pride, ambition, strife, dissension,
malice, murder, glory, war; He anticipated
| political Christianity. He rode the hobbies OF
| the day, and II abolition had been one Of them
| he would have ridden that Political Chris
tianity literally fills ell the points Of this pro-
phetic old story. II has led tho psrson out Of
the way, out Of the pulpit, and put the devil In
his place to preach doctrines that are the very
essence Of anti Christ.
| What is the practical consequence Of this
Simply that the functions Of the real Christian
parson are sbdicated, and the devil il having
his own way in our midst with the moral nature
| Of man and woman. Hence public and private
morality is on the wsne; our theatres can inn
pudently parade before the public night after
night, plays for which indecency is . mild
term; our courts have to adjudicats constantly
divorce cases based on adultery; and murder
| il 80 constant that Il is at length hardly n.y.
perbole to say that "the heart Is merely q strop
for tho knife Political Christianity 10, In short
carrying us just where philosophical Chris
tiauity carried France and Germany. In the
whole Rhine country virtue 10 not known, and
throusbout France IL is sneered ct. Il will be
| the same with MS II there is not change The
political parsons have done tho work Of the
| fiend in the legend and taken the place Of the
real Christian in the pulpit, and the only hope
for public dscsncy 10 that they shall be driven