Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-08-08


from the sea to the uttermOst ends of the
earth. But this will be accomplished only
by reforrning and elevating the individuals of
, whom society is composed ; not by exaspe-
rating communities against each other not
by any alliance with the governments of the
world not by any vulgar partnership with
politicians to kill and plunder their enemies.
Every time you reform bad man and
bring his character up to the standard of
Christian morality, you make an addition,
greater or less, to that righteousness which
exalteth a nation, and subtract an equal sum
from the sin which is a reproach to any peo-
pie. Sometimes single conversion is ex-
tremely important In its immediate effect
upon the public interest of whole nation.
No doubt the truth by DiOnysius the Areo-
pagite had much to do in moulding the sub
sequent laws and customs of Athens. The
conversion Of Constantine was followed by
the instant abrogation of all laws which fet-
tered the conscience. In the reign of The
odosius the people of Thessalonica rose
against the Roman garrison and killed its
commander. For this act of rebellion the
Emperor decreed against them the curse of
an indiscriminate war, in which the guilty
and the innocent were confounded together
in one general slaughter. His spiritual
guide, philosopher, and friend at the time
was Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan, who
boldly denounced hiscruelty, refused to give
him the sacrament, OF even to administer 1T
in his presence, compelled him to take his
seat among the penitents on the portico of
the church and induced him to humble his
diadem in the dust for eight months In sue
cession.. The conscience of the Emperor was
| thoroughly awakened his subsequent reign
was distinguished by justice and mercy, the
/ integrity of the empire was preserved in
peace, and the great Theodosian code, the
product ofthat bitter repentance, is stillread
and quoted for its admirable union of hu-
manity and policy. Ambrose produced these
consequences by acting in the true capacity
of Christian minister for he reformed the
criminal by direct appeal to his own heart.
A political preacher in the same circum-
stances would have inAamed the sanguinary
passions of the monarch by exaggerating the
treason of the Thessalonia counselling
the military execution of all who presumed
to sympathise in their sufferings
You will see, think, the distinction /
would make. A gospel preacher addresses
the conscience of his hearers for the honest
purpose of converting them from the error
of their ways; political preacher speaks to
one community, one party or one sect, and
his theme is the wickedness of another. The
latter effects no religious purpose whatever
but the chances are nlnety-nlne in hundred
that he excites the bad passions Of those who
are present, while he SANDERS the absent and
undefended. Both classes of preachers fire.
quently speak upon the same or similar sub
jects, but they do so with different objects
and aims
viii make my meaning more clear by
taking your own illustrations. You believe
in the first day of the week as Sabbath,
and so believing, your duty undoubtedly is
to exhort all persons under your charge to
II. 1,,k -
preach a crusade against the Jews and Sew
enth-day Baptists, to get intolerant laws en-
acted against them for keeping Saturday as
a day of rest If drunkenness be a sin
which easily besets your congregation, you
may warn them against, and inasmuch as
abstinence rs always easier than moderation,
you should advise them to taste not, touch
not, and handle not but your position gives
you no authority TO provoke violent hostili-
ties against tavern keepers liquor dealers or
distillers. If any of your hearers be igr.o-
rant or coarse enough to desire more wives
than one piece, you should certainly teach
them that polygamy is the worst feature of
Asiatic manners, inconslste,It with Christi
anity and dangerous to domestic happiness
but you cannot lawfrlly urge them to carry
fire and sword into the Territory of the Nor
mons merely Jecause some of the Mormons
are in this respect less holy than you. If the
holding of slaves or bOnd-servantS be prac-
tlc:i question among the members of your
church, know of nothing which forbids you
tO teach whatever you conscientiously believe
to be true on that subject. But in a COM
munity where slavery is not only unknown
but impossible, why should any preacher
make it the subject of his weekly vitupera
tion2 You do not improve the religion OF
the STAKEHOLDER by traducing his character,
! al ,oI Of
own people by making them thirst for the
blood of their fellow-men2
If any person, to whom the service of an
other is due by the laws of the State in which
he lives, shall need your instructions to reg
ulate his personal conduct towards the slave,
you ar bound in the first place to tell hIui,
that as long as that relaxation exists he
should behave with the utmost humanity and
kindness: for this you have the clear war
rant of the Apostolic example and precept.
In dealing with such person you may go as
much further as your own CONSCIENTIOUS In
! terpretation of the Bible will carry you. If
you are sure that the divine law does, under
| all circumstances, make the mere existence
of such a relation sinful on the part of the
master, you should induce him to dissolve 1t
| 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 scripture differently? What privilege
can you show for exciting servile insurrec-
! tion2 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 polit-
ica; such for instance, as the banking law,
tariff, railroad charters, State rights, the
naturalization laws, and negro suffrage
These are questions of mere political expe-
diency; religion takes no cognizance of them;
they come within the sole jurisdiction of the
statesman and the church has no more
| rirht To take sides upon them than the civil