Maryland free press., 1866-08-16
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repentance is still read and quoted ior. Its admi-
fable ut m Of himanity and policy. AinbfSiss
produqed these consequences, ly scsnkin the tsye
capacity of Christian minister; for he reformed
dhe criminal BY 3idhect appeal To his o@fsfeaff2
A political preacher in the safae Ieirepmstances
wPuld have infamed the sangpinary passions of
tIe>monarch by exatgefating tlien ntreasoho ef the
Thessaloniape and cdunselling tho military exc
cution Of all who presume to sympathise Ia their
sufferings aoifc sfsit8s z ~ Aiit
You will See, / think the. distinction would
make, "A gospel preacher addresses the conscience
of his hearers or the honest purpose of convert
ing them from the error oftheir Why's; political
preacher speaks 70 one community, one party or
one sect and his theme In the wickeduess of an
other. The letter effects NO religious purpose
whatever;a but .the chances ara ninety.nine in q
hundred that he excites the bad passions ofthose
who are present while lie ISLANDERS the absent and
undetended. Both classes Of preachers frequent
~ speak upon the same or similar subjects but
they do 80 with different objects and aims. GO
will make my meaning more clear by taking
your own Illustrations You believe in the first
day of the week as Sabbath, and 30 believing
your duty undoubtedly is, TO ,exhort all persons
under your charge TO observe it strictly; but you
have no right to preach aicrusade against the
Jews and Seventh-day Baptists, to get intolerant
laws enacted against them for keeping Saturday
as q day of resi- if drunkenness be a sin which
=
them against IT. and inasmuch as abstinence is
always easier than moderation, you should advise
them to taste not, touch not aud handle not; but
your position gives you no authority to provoke
violent hostilities against tavern keepers liquor
dealers, or distllers any of your hearers be ig
norant or coarse enough 70 desire more wives than
one apiece, you should certainly teach them that
polygamy is the worst feature of Asiatic man
ners, inconsistent with Christianity. and danger
Gus to domestic happiness; but you cannot law
fully nrge them 10 carry fire and sword into, the
Territory of the Mormons merely because some of
the Mormons are in this respect less holy than
you. If the holding of slaves or bond-servants
your church, know Of nothing which forbids
you to teach whatever you const ientiously be-
lieve to be true on that subject. But in COM
munity where slavery is not only unknown, but
impossible why should any preacher make it the
subject of his weekly vituperation2 You do not
improve the religion of the stakeholder by ira
ducing his character, nor mend the spiritual con-
diton Sf your own geople by making them thirst
for the blood of their fellowmen?
Ifany person, to whom the scrv &C Of another
is due by the laws of the ate in " hi n he lives
shall need your instructions to rel ulaie his per
sonal conduct towards the slave, yIu are bound
in the first place to tell him, that as long that
relaxation exists, he should behave with the ut
most humanity and kindness for this you have
the clear warrant of the Apostolic example and
preccpt. In dealing with such person J GU may
90 as much further as your own conscientious in-
depreciation of the Bible will carry you. If You
sure that the divine law does, under all cir
cumstances, make the mere existence of such a re-
lation sinful the part of the MASTER you should
induce him to dissolve il by the immt diatc einan-
cipation of his slaves; for thai is truth to you
which you believe to be true. But where is the
nuthOtity for preaching hatred of those who unl
derstand the scripture differently What privi-
lege can you show for exciting seryile insurrec-
ton2 Who gave you the right to say that job n
Brown was better than any other thief or muir.
dercr, merely because his crimes were committed
against pro-slavery men I?
| think the minister in his pulpit discourses,
is forbidden to touch at al upon that class of sub
jects which are purely political; such for instance
as the banking law, tariff, RAILROAD charter:
State rights, the naturalization laws and negro
affrage. Tee are ~ stions of mere political
expedicncy; rel lion S no csgnizance of then
they con within the sole Jurisdiction of Tho
statesmen; and the church has no more right tt
take sides upon them than the civil government
has TO use its legislative, judicial or executive
power for the purpose of enforcing principle!
wholly religious. ,.s.' .Hr. s4a-.H.E .t
In short, if am not entirely mistaken aIChris
tian minister has no authority to preach upon any
subject except those in which divine revelation
has given him au nfaliblc rule ofEiith and prac
tice; and, even upon then. he must speak Away
fer the edifcation Of his own hearers, Brightly
divining the word of truth, SO rs to lead then
in the way of all righPousnt S. When he doe
more than this he goes beyond his commission
he becomes scurvy politician, and his influence
is altogether pernicious - ... H
Tie use of The Gle 'icai office for the purpose o
propagating the political doctrines under any cir
cumstanecs, or with any excuse, is in my judg
ment not only without authority, but it |. th'
highest crime that can be committed sgainst the
government of God or man. Perhaps | ough
not to make this broad assertion without giving
some additional reasons for it. .G N.i
In the first place it is grossly dishonest. cru
ploy you us a minister, pay your salary, ant
build you church because have confidence il
your theological doctrines. But youmay he at the
same time who y unfit for my political leader.
Now, you are guilty OF base fraud npon me, If
instead of preaching religion, you take advantage
OF the position have given you toyentilate you
crude and ignorant notions on State affairs.
have asked Tor bread and you give me stone
instead of the fish bargained for, yen put init
my hand serpent that stings and'poisohs me.
| IT destroys the unity of the church. There i
no room for rational dispute about the grea
truth of Christianity; but few men will ever a
gree upon political subjects, for human govern
ment is at best but compromise of selfish inter
ests and conflicting passions. When you mix tn
| two together, you break the church into frag
ments and instead of ''One Lord, one faith, an,
one baptism" you create o thousand warrini
sects, and substitute the proverbial bitterness o
the odium Meologicum for the ''charity whicl
| thinkcth no evil"
| No one will deny that union of Church ant
State is always the cause of bad government per
verted religion and corrupt morals. do nc
mean merely that legal union which exists in Eu
| ropean countries. That 10 bad enough, but yo
have less common sense than give you credi
for, if you do not see that this adulterous con
nexion assumes its most polluting form when tn
church is voluntarily prosti.u uted by her own min
listers to political party in popular govern
ment..r .F...' a.
The evil influence of such connexions upo
Church and State is easily accounted for. Bot
of them in combination will do what either woul
recoi from if standing alone. A politician back
ed by the promise of the clergy 10 sustain him ca
safely defy honesty and trample upon law, for d
what he may, lie is assured of clerical suppoi
here and in heaven hereafter. The clergy, on tf
other hand, and those who are under their intll
cnce, easily acquire the habit of praisiug indi.
criminately whatever is done by their public mer
Acting and rc-acting on one another they 6
down together in the direction Of the pit thu
is botomess; and both are found to have g
strange alacrty at sinking"
| M man can serve two masters faithfully; IL