Maryland free press., 1866-08-16

Il -
~ ~, io os1sailgGs 9U d=A@l4l A1AeStt o
e,,,ow.a hv wars u which millions NJ lives.
NJ inJtS hi, & ti,e re,f N srr,, ,yas
Ca H. IN ~ 'o,,l;IS;.n .e,6Io5n, i'm that-
- ,I,a rsaad Lii. Sesnr;h.s AZ nroc.sson
riF tbs HoIv Chosty ff1ds Sy, sia iauubfsr
I,is brothe. because me wisr Aouoionse,. g. Ne.
IL ,vas NOT ,be l;ffsrsnce az !. d;ntbono Int he
sin rdar fsT ma ttcS cs,ght ,rg Itlvas
the nol;tics of sba oh, schno; hsr rcligian, that
k;nfnris,ed the mrfies and converted men into
aemons ii issF5Iolaf saII1 1915 1U70s 70 Il
~. mn. ,,.u,,,,~ -. ..e.,
n.aI - rs "". ~ AZ .,s"d,,n soI,, =.
uppo'.u ., y i'se iil % Tss,st;'i,s
."e rs ;olS S;s:,nnn,,.a. e,,ss
...s. Sr a., ~ -. ,o.s - g a. o,,
i. s .o; " .ne Ts y -.
non =, 'nsr ~ IN : s.uv,o. .n1a -. s.,,
E;p,ss,f comnsiIsd b o.;vos merely relic IONS IN
naIa ~ s.,;S;s ~ t;aisai;na;n,
.s ior .,,;s 80 ,,an
IN, -, !, ,,,;ast. =. s'. So ,ha, jnn', IL
.hs' ns oe touuu IN 'ns .nro .,.a,ssaa
"a na We,t,; ie N,,ai, - protasa n,. vse,e
6alhGna -, I'll. -.
II is utterly impossible To believe that the cler-
nv of England and Scotland, ,if they had not been
politicians, would have thouptt of wagiuG bloody
wars to settle questions of election and reproba-
| ton, fate, fore knowledge free-will, and other
points of metaphysical theology. Nor would
they, apart from their politics, have encouraged
and committed the other horrid crimes of which
thee.were guilty iu the name of religion. z5G
Can you think that the Irish were invaded and
and oppressed, and murdered and robbed for
centuries merely because the English loved and
believed in the Protestant religion i suppose you
know that those brutal atrocities were carried on
for the purpose of giving to political preachers in
England possession of the churches cathedrals,
glebe lands and tythes which belsng to the Irish
Catholics. The soldier was also rewarded by con-
fiscations and punder The Church and the State
hunted in couples, and Ireland was the prey which
they ran down together. .i. t.rfe lli.H .
. Coming to our own country you find Massa-
chusetts and Connecticut in colonial times under
the sole domination of political preachers. Their
| treachesens wars upon the Indians for purpose
wholly merceaary their enslavng of white per-
| sons as well us red ones and selling them abroad
or "swapping them for backamoors their whip
ping, imprisoning and killing Quakers and Bap
lists, for their conscientious opinions; and their
base treatment ofs such men as Roger Williams
| and his friends, will mark their government
through all time as one of the cruetest and mean
| est that ever existed. w. ="gs"@rp- 90. 1~
Political preacbors have mot behaved any better
s;ncn tho RavnIution th.p bes,r. Abnut the com
meneement of the present century thew were busy
| in their vile vocation ali over New England and
continued Il for many wears. The willful and
dejiberate slanders bshituaIIv uttered from the
pulpit AGAINST Jefferson. Madison and the friends
who Summarized him ,yerc a disorace to human
na,.,re The Immediate efIict af tb;s was the
Yankee plot IN seccde from the ITnion fnllowed
nv corrint Combinations with n toreion enemy
to betrav the liberties of tbe country It's remoter
| conseouences are seen in the sbameless eupaci-
| ty and bitter malipnity which. even at this mo-
ment are Lowliup for ibe property and blood of
an unarmed and delenselcss people.
| You and both remember the political preach
ing which ushured in and supported the reign of
|
when Maria Monk was a Saint and Joe Barker
was Mayor of Pittsburp; when pulpits resounded
every Sunday with the most iniuri ,us falschoods
! against Catholics when the public mind was de-
bauched by the Incubation Of hypocrisy and de-
ception; when ministers met their political allies
in secresy to plot rgainst the rights of their
fellow citizens You cannot forget W hat came OF
this-riot, murder church-burning, llwless, ,vio-
lence all over the land, and the subjugalion oi
several great States to the political rule Of par
ty destitute alike of princiI I,al aud Capacity.
could easily prove that those clerical poti-
cians who have tied thoir churches to the tail Of
the Abolition party, are criminal on a grander
scale than any Of their predecessors But forbear
partly because have no time, and partly because
1t may, for aught know, be d sore subject with
you. | would not excite your wrath, but rather
''provokc you to good works"
Apart from the general subject there are two
or three special ideas expressed in your letter from
which venture to dissent.
i You think that, though minister may speak
from the pulpit ON politics he ought not TO indi-
cate what party he belongs to. 1t strikes me,
that if he has a party, and wants 10 give it esce-
ststical aid or comfort, he should boldly avow
himself to be what he is, 50 that all men may
: know him. Sincerity IS the first of virtues. II
is bad to be wolf but wolf insheep's clothing
10 infinitely worse. .. -..- w.. d. ,..
You represent the Church as IN unfinished struc-
ture and the State AS its scafolding. think the
church came perfect from the hand of its divine
Architect-built upon rock, established, finish.
ed, compete-and every one who comes into il
by the right door will find mansion prepared
for him. 1t needs no scaffold. 1t founder refu-
scatiolding or any other purpose. l.L -
taking poiiiical subjects a minister is in dance,
of G,liinv into t,vnguc indrlinitc and non-com