The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-09-22

which easily besets your congregation,
you may warn them against it, and inas-
much as abstinence il always easier than
moderation, you should advise them to
touch hot, taste not, handle not; but your
position gives you no authority to provoke
violent hostilities against tavern keepers,
liquor dealers or distillers. If any of
your hearers be ignorant or course enough
to desire more wives than one piece, you
should certainly teach them that polyga-
my is the worst feature Of Asiatic man
ners, inconsistent with Christianity and
dangerous to domestic happiness but
you cannot lawfully urge them to 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 be practical question
among the members of your church,
know of nothing which forbids you to
teach whatever you conscicntiously be-
licve to be true on that subject. But in
community where slavery is not only
unknown but impossible, why should any
preacher make it the subject Of his week.
ly yitupcration You do not improve
the religion of the STAKEHOLDER by traduc-
ing his character, nor mend them thirst
for the blood Of their fclow-men?
If any person, to whom the service Of
another is due by the laws of the State
in which he lives, shall need your instruc-
tions to regulate his personal conduct to-
| wards the slave, you are bound in the
first place to tell him, that as long as that
relation exists, he should behave with the
utmost humanity and kindness for this
you have the clear warrant of the Apos-
tolic example and preccpt. In dealing
with such person you may 90 as much
further as your own conscientious inter
probation Of the Bible will carry you If
you arc sure that the Divine Law does,
under all circumstances, make the mere
existence Of such n relation sinful on the
part of the master, you should induce
him to dissolve in by the immediate
emancipation Of his slaves for that is
truth to you which you believe TO be
true. But where is the authority for
preaching hatred Of those who understand
the Scriptures differently? What priyil-
ege can you show for exciting crvile in
surrcction Who gave you the right to
say that John Brown was better than any
other thief or murderer. merely because
his crimes were committed against pro-
slavery men?
think the minister, in his pulpit dis
courses, is forbidden to touch at all upon
that class of subjects which are purely
political such, for instance. as tie bank
ing law, tariff, railroad charters, State
rights, the naturalization laws and negro
suffrage. These are questions Of mere
political cxpedieucy; religion takes no
cognizancc of them they come within
the sole jurisdiction Of the statesman
and the Church has no more right TO take
sides upon them than the civil govern
mcut has 10 use It's legislative, judicial or
executive power for the purpose of enforc-
ing principles wholly religious.
In short, if am not entirely mistaken
Christian minister has no authority 10
preach upon any subjects except those in
which Divine revelation has given him an
infallablc rule of faith and practice and
even upon them, he must speak always
for the cdiication Of his own hearers,
rightly dividing the word of truth" SO
as TO lead them in the way of all right.
eousncss. When he does more than this,
he goes beyond his commission, he be.
comes n scurvy politician, and his infu.
cnce is altogether pernicious
The use Of the clerical Office for the
purpose Of propagating political doctrines
under any circumstances, or with any cx.
cuse, is in my judgment not only without
authority, but it is the highest crime that
can be committed against the government
Of God or man.
Perhaps ! ought not to make this
broad assertion without giving some addi
tional reasons for it.
In the first place it is grossly dishonest,
| employ you as a minister, pay your sal
airy and build you church because
have confidence in your theological doc
trines. But you may be at the same time
wholly unfit for my political leader. Now
you are guilty Of base fraud upon me
if, instead of preaching religion, you take
advantage Of the position have given
you to ventilate your crude and ignorant
notions on State affairs. l have asked
for bread and you give me q stone in.
stead of the fish bargained for, you put
into my hands a serpent that stings and
poisons me.
1t destroys the unity of the church
There is no room for rational dispute about
the great truths of Christianity but mer
will never agree upon political subjects
for human government is at best but 9
compromise of selfish interests and con
ficting passions. When you mix the
two together you break the church intC
fragments, and instead of zone Lord, one
faith and one baptism" you create /;
thousand warning sects, and substitute the
proverbial bitterness of the odiun, heo
logicun for the charity which thinketE
no evil."
No one will deny thata union ofchurcl
and state is always the cause of bad gov
ernment, perverted religion and corrup
morals. [ do not mean merely that le
gal union which exists in European coun
tries. That is bad enough; but you
have less common sense than give yor
credit for, if you do not see, that thi'
adulterous connexion assumes its mos
polluting form when the church is volun
tarily prostituted by her own ministers tt
political party in popular government
The evil influence of such connection
upon Church and State is easily account
ed for. Both of them in combination
will do what either would recoil from j