Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-08-22
POLITICAL PREACHING.
re Black in Reply to Rev. Alfred
Neyin, D. D.

oms time ago Rev. Alfred Nevin, of Philadel-
d, conversation with Judge Black boldly
. ,,o,si his belief that preachers should discuss
al Affairs in the pulpit To this the Judge
,.-ed The conversation was continued for
3 IA time in an earnest but friendly manner br.
N having expressed wish to continue the
AZ ..ion through the newspaper press, Judge
(. !, took up his challenge without hesitation.
(. first letter Of Dr. Nevin appeared in the Phil
al mi, Ersniag Bullsfin few days ago. The
x. wing is the able and crushing reply Of Judge
d. 1.ek.-Laneasier InteilsgeHeer.
II the Rev. Alfred Neuin, d. ID.
BY DEAR SIR: Your letter address
III TO me through the Philadelphia
Eening Bulletin disappoints me be-
muse | did not expect it to come in
In way. and because it does not COW
the subject in issue between us.
IN if am silent your friends will
with some show of reason, that
have indicated " Political Preach
so triumphantly that all opposi.
#n is confounded. | must therefore
&eak freely in reply. In doing so, |
liant to say nothing inconsistent with
"A great respect for your high char
&ter in the Church and in the world.
Ye admirable style and temper of
Mur own communication deserves to
initiated.
~ i fully coneede the right you claim
kr clergymen to select their own
hemes and handle them as they
lease. You say truly, that neither
Awyers, nor physicians, nor any 9TH
Il order of men have the least author
to control you in these particulars.
Eut YOU will not deny that this is a
rvilege which may be abused you
kpressly admit that some clergymen
A ADs abused it, sand BY doing so did
4 bre than any other class Of men q
4 ameHce and continue the late rebel
While, therefore, we can as
4 rt no power to dictate your conduct
&Dch less to force you, we are surely
hi wrong when we eHtredt you tC
tnpose upon yourselves those restric-
Hons, which reason and revelation
lave shown to be necessary for the
hood of the Church and the safety o.
fvil society.
/ acknowledge that your commits
Non is a very broad one. You mus
fdeclare the whole counsel of God,
n the end that sinners may be con
Minced and converts built up in theil
host holy faith. Truth, justice, TEN
Perance, humility, mercy, peace, broth
krly kindness, charity-the whole cir
BE OF the Christian virtues-must b.
tssiduously taught TO your hearers
nd if any Of them be inclined to tn
opposite vices, you are to denouhc
hem without fear, by private admoni
bon, by open rebuke, or by q genera
Aivery of the law which condemn
IL EN-. You are not bound to paus
il the performance of this duty be
eanse it may offend a powerful rule
ora strong political party. Nor shoul
you shrink from il when bad men, TO
their own purposes, approve what yo
dol Elevate the moral character, er
n1bten the darkness, and purify tn
hsarts of those who are under you
spiEitual charge, at all hazards; fo
this is the work which your grei
Iaskmaker has given you to do, an
He will admit no excuse for neglec
ing it.
But this is precisely what the p
itical preacher is not in the habit
doing He directs the attention
bis hearers away from their own siI
fo the sins, real or imputed, of 9TH
people. By teaching his congregatic
hat they are better than other me
he fills their hearts with selfconcei
6gotry, spiritual pride, envy, hatre
malice, and all uncharitableness. i
stead of the exhortation, which the
Need, to take the beam out of the
own eve, he incites them to pluck u
mote from their brothers. He do
Not tell them what they shall do to
saved, but instructs them very cal
fhlly how they shall act for the d
ssruction of others. He rouses al
encourages to the utmost of his abilit
those brutal passions which result
riot, bloodshed, spoilation, civil W
and general corruption of morals.
You commit a grievous error
supposing that politics and religi
are so mingled together that you ca
not preach one without Introduce
4 the other. Christ and His apost
kept them perfectly separate. Th
announced the great facts Of the u
pei to each individual whom they
dressed. When these were accept
the believer was told to repent a
be baptized for the remission Of
sins, and afterwards to regulate
own life by the rules of a pure a
perfect morality They expressed
preference for one form Of governms
over another, they provoked no po
ical rqvolufionc ond thax, saronoeod