Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1866-08-15

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Political Preaching.
We lately got hold of a cracked-up let
ter of jeremiah S. Black, a relict of Bu-
| chanan's cabinet of traitors, on Political
| Preaching, addressed to Rev Alfred Ne
vim, d. D. We had supposed, from what
we had heard of it, that itwas something
more than mere attorneys opinion; but
after reading it from Alpha to Omega, we
feel free to say it would no doubt meet
with cordial endorsement if submitted
to MOlOch and his coadjutOrs. No white
craVated maWWorm could more glibly in
culcate the doctrine of peace and good will
to all men than does Buchanan's Attor-
ney General; no copperhead during the
late war, could have more blandly advo-
Gated nOn-coercion; and no traitorous
sympathizer with Jef Davis could incul-
cate more tearfully the doctrine to let
that lamb of rebellion die natural death.
instead of expiating his crimes on the gal
lows. We have little room to devote to
the sophistry of this "peace convert, ," but
a few extracts will enable our readers to
see the drift of his argument. Hear him
on temperance:
If drunkenness be sin which easily
besets your congregation you may warn
them against 1t, and inasmuch as absti-
nence Is always easier than moderation.
you should advise them to taste not,
touch not, and handle not, but your posi-
ton gives you no authority to provoke
violent hOStilities against tavern keepers
liquor dealers or distillers."
This is no doubt intended as a hit at the
clergy who some years ago advised their
members to elect men to the Legislature
irrespective of party, who would Iegislate
on temperance principles. Next we have
fling at President Lincoln and all others
who aided in putting down the rebellion.
He says:
No man can serve two masters faith
fully for he must hate one if he loves the
other. y minister who admires and fol-
lows such men as those aUHO hare Lnfel,j
ruled and ruined this country must neces-
sarlly despise the character of Christ. If
he giorfleS the cruelty, rapacity and false
MOOD OF ms party leaders, he is compelled
by an intieXible law of human nature TO
deny the Lord who bought him."
We had thought that not only every
minister who loved his country, its free
dom of religious liberation. and its pen-
eral institutions, as well as the Christian
world, accorded to Abraham Lincoln a
noble heart, patriotism, and a desire to do
right, yet this GbelIer Of all that were
true to their country comes to the conclu-
sion that all ministers who supported our
country and its late rulers necessarily de-
spised the character of Christ! We SUD-
pose Blacks beau-ideal of a Christian
minister was the bloody-minded Bishop
General who met deserved fate while
preaching and practicing treason. Next
we are told
" The gospel is not vague, Indefinite or
nOn-committal upon the subjects of which
1t takes jurisdiction, and upon them Won
may preach as loudly as you please. But
L admit that in times of great public ex-
cltement-an important election or a civ
II War-men listen impatiently TO teach
ings of faith and repentance. A sermon
which tells them to do justice, love mer-
cy and walk humbly before God, is not
an entertainment to which they willingly
invite themselves. At such a time a cIpr-
gyman can vastly increase his personal
consequence, and win golden opinions
from MS audience, by pampering their
passions with highly seasoned discourse
on politics. The temptation to CRAFTY
them often becomes too strong for the viz
tue of the preacher
CIVIL WAR, it appears from this ex-
tract, is also political matter which a
preacher must not tOuch-in short. Mr.
Buchanan's Attorney General would in
culcate the idea that preachers ought only
to advise their hearers to bear with forti-
tude an invasion of rebels, see their store
houses robbed, their buildings CONSIGNED
to the flames, their sons murdered in cold
blood, their daughters pnaltreated, their
country and its institutions ruined. and
the people ground down with TYRANNY or
reduced TO slavery, but not to tell them
to resist, because to do so would make
them political preachers!
nsA- Five years ago the Charleston. s.
=. hreeaters resolved they had a right to
go out of the Union; two weeks ago the
i