The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-08-31
VOL. X.---NO. IS.

carried on for the purpose of giving to
political preachers in England possession
of the churches, cathedrals, glebe lands
and tythes which belong to the Irish
Catholics. The soldier was also rewarded
by confscation and plumber. The Church
and State hunted in couples, and Ireland
was the prey which they ran down TO-
gether.
Coming to our own country you find
Massachusetts, and Connecticut in ooloni-
al times under the sole domination of po-
litical preachers. Their treacherous wars
upon the Indians for purposes wholly
mercenary; their enslaving Of white per.
sons, as we'll as red ones, and selling them
abroad, or "swapping them for blacka-
m moons ), their whining. imnrisnnine and
killing Quakers and Baptists, for their
conscientious opinions; and their base
treatment of such men as Roger Williams
and his friends, will mark their govern
ment through all time as one of the cruel
less and meanest that ever existed.
Political preachers have not behaved
any better since the Revolution than be-
fore. About the commencement of the
present century they were busy in their
vile vocation all over New England and
continued it for many years. The wilful
and deliberate ISLANDERS habitually uttered
from the pulpit against Jefferson, Madi.
son, and the friends who supported them,
were disgrace to human nature. The
immediate effect of this was the Yankee
plot to secede from the Union, followed
by corrupt combinations with foreign
enemy to betray the liberties of the coun-
try. Its remoter consequences are seen
in the shameless rapaoity and bitter ma
lightly which, even at this moment, are
bowling for the property and blood of an
unarmed aud defenceless people.
You and both remember the political
preaching which ushered in and supported
the reign of the Know-Nothings, Blood
Tubs, and Plug Uglies; when Maria
Monk was Saint and Joe Barker was
Mayor Of Pittsburg; when pulpits re-
sounded every Sunday with the most in
furious falsehoods against Catholics; when
the public mind was debauched by the
incubation of hypocrisy and deception !;
when ministers met their political allies
in ssworn secresy to plot against the rights
of their fellow citizens. You cannot for.
get what came Of this-riot, murder,
church burning, lswless violence all over
the land, aud the subjugation of several
great States to the political rule of party
destitute alike of principle aud capacity.
| could easily prove that those clerical
politicians, who have tied their churches
to the tail of the Abolition party, are
criminal on grander scale than any of
their predecessors. But l forbear, partly
because [ have no time, and partly because
it may, for aught know, be sure sub.
joct with you, would not excite your
wrath, but rather "provoke you to good
works."
Apart from the general subject there
are two or three special ideas expressed
in your letter from which venture to dis.
sent.
You think that, though minister may
speak from the pulpit on politics, be ought
not to indicate what party he belongs to.
1t strikes me, that if he has party, and
wants to give it ecclesiastical aid or COM
fort, he should boldly avow himself to be
what he is, so that all men may know him.
Sincerity is the first of virtues. II is bad
to be wolf, but a wolf in sleeps cloth.
ing is infinitely worse.
You represent the Church as an unfia-
ished structure and the State as its scat
folding. think the church came perfect
from the hand of its divine Architect
built upon a rock, established, finished,
complete-and every one who comes into
it by the right door will find mansion
prepared for him. 1t needs no scaffold.
Its founder refused all connection with
human governments for soaffolding or any
other purpose.
You say Gin substanee) that, without
sometimes taking political subjects,
minister is in danger Of falling into
vague, indefinite and non-committal
style,'. which will do no good and bring
him no respect. The gospel is not vague,
indefinite or non-committal upon the sub
jeots of which it takes jurisdiction, and
upon them you may preach as loudly as
yOW PA0ooo' 1oo ouWio VunV ku 0hhAOc Va
great public exoitement-an important
election or civil war-meu listen impa-
tiently to the teachings of faith and re.
pentance. A sermon which tells them to
do justice, love mercy and walk humbly
before God, is not IN entertainment to
which they willingly invite themselves.
AT such time clergyman can vastly
increase his personal consequence, and
win golden opinions from his audience,
by pampering their passions with nigh
ly seasoned discourse on politics. The
temptation to crafty them often becomes
too strong for the virtue of the preacher.
l fear that you yourself are yielding to it.
As mere layman I have no right to ad-
wise Doctor of Divinity, but I hope I
am not over presumptuous when 1 warn
you against this speoious allurement of
Satan. All thoughts Of putting the Cos.
pei aside because it does not suit the de-