Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-08-22
Pa, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST %, 1866

thority to preach upon any subjects,
except those in which divine revela-
ton has given him IN infalible rule of
faith and practice and, even upon
them, he must speak always for the
edificationof his own hearers, brightly
dividing the word of truth" so as to
lead them IN the way Of righteousness
When he does more than this he goes
beyond his commission, he becomes
scurvy politician and his influence is
altogether pernicious.
The use Of the clerical Office for the
purpose Of propagating political doc
trines under any circumstances, or
with any excuse, is in my judgment
not only without authority, but it is
the highest crime that can can be com
mitted against the government of God
or man. Perhaps ought not to make
this broad assertion without giving
some additional reasons for it.
Ia the first place it is dishonest. /
employ you as a minister, pay your
salary and build you church because
| have confidence in your theological
doctrines. But you may be at the
same time wholly unfit for my politi-
cal leader. Now you are guilty of a
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. | have asked
for bread and you have given me
stone instead of the fish bargained
for, you put into my hands serpent
that stings and poisons me.
1t destroys the unity Of the church.
There is no room for national dispute
about the great truths Of Christianity;
but men will never agree upon politi-
cal subject, for human government
is at best but compromise ofselfish
interests and conflicting passions.
When you mix the two together you
break the church into fragments, and
instead of zone Lord, one faith and
one baptism" you create thousand
warning sects, and substitute the pro-
verbal bitterness ofthe odium Meotogi-
cum for the "charity which thinketh
no evil
No one viii deny that union of
Church and State is always the cause
of bad government, perverted religion
and corrupt morals | do not mean
merely that legal union which exists
in European countries That is bad
enough but you have less common
sense than give you credit for, you
do not see that this adulterous con-
nection assumes its most poluting form
when the church is voluntarily pros
I tituted by her own ministers to a
political party in popular govern
: ment.
The evil influence Of such connec
tions upon Church and Stateis easily
. accounted for. Both Of them in com
, bination will do what either would re
coil from if standing alone A poll
: tician, backed by the promise of the
clergy to sustain him, can safely defy
, honesty, and trample upon law, for dc
what be may, heis assured of clerica
support here and of heaven hereafter
Z The clergy on the other hand, anC
( those who are under their influence
easily acquire the habit of praisin,
e Unfortunately whatever is done by
e their public men. Acting and reactinl
/ on one another they go down to
+. gether in the direction of the pit tha
d S bottomless and both are found {,
i, have "a strange alacrity at sinking"
G No man can serve two masters faith
+ fully for he must hate one if he love
d the other. A minister, who admire
and follows such men as those wh
! have'lately ruled and ruined this cour
0 try, must necessarily depse the char
j. acter of Christ. If he glorifics tn
i cruelty, rapacity and ialsehood Q
c his party leaders, he is compelle 1 by a
i inhexible law of human nature t
h deny the Lord who bought him"
G The experience of fifteen centurie
s. proves that political preachers are tn
l. great curse of the world More tina
o half the bloody wars which at differ
It ent periods have desolated Christer
{ dom, were produced by their direc
e instigation and wherever they hav
l. thrust themselves into a contest con
e menced by others, they always Ell
&c venomed the strife and made it MOI
IS cruel, savage and uncompromisins
r The religious wars, so.called, ha
d nothing religious about them exceI
that they were hissed up by the clerg,
il Look back and see if this is not tru
II The Arian controversy (the fir
re great schism) was followed by wa
le in which millions of lives were lost
s, Do you suppose the real quarrel WI
rs for the insertion or omission of fli0qi
g. in that part of the creed which d
s,ri es the procession of the He
GhostY Did a homoousidn slaught
IN his brother because he was a hom0iou
rs idns No, it was not the ditferenC
N of n dinfhonp hut the nlunder of (