Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-09-29

port OF IN oklottnR o0OloUtrotlOo - pan
Of their alleeiancs y @ 4" Several Syn.
DDS and other ecclesiastical bodies have col
emnly resolved seu eAhing 70 that erect
But thc1 1esgsa ulat whes paA adsissd -
simple submiasion, not active assistance. 70
Nero. The Christians Of that day did not
cndotsst Aie atbdiiss merely because he
was Me administration duly placed in pow.
epvs-=S9asy ~ 90 ~ wiaa bin - ehe the.
atfe. applaud his acting, or praise him in The
chWcheD vhsn he kidnapped tbsis breth
rem, set fire 10 city, or desolated prov
incc. Nor did they assist at his apotheoss
after his death. or pronounce funeral ser
mons TO show n n he was greater than
Scipio. more ,irluous than Cato. and more
eloquent thsn Cicero. Pohtica! preachers
would have ts ne this. but Paul and Peter
did no .uch thing.
There is nothing in the Scriptures
to Justify the Church in applying
t. discipline to any member for
ofie,ces purely pslitical, much les tor his
mere opinions or ceilings on public affairs
The clergy are without authority, as they
arc often without fitness. TO decide for their
congregations THAT u right or what is wrong
in the legislation e the county. They ara
tot called or scn, to propagate any kind Of
political doctrine. The Church and the
State are entirely sepsvstc and distinct in
their origin, th,Y object, and the sphere Of
their action; insomuch that the o. ganism Of
one can never be used for any purpose Of
the other without ifjury 70 both
Do therefore ssy thst the Christian re
ligion is to have no influence on the political
destiny Of man. Far from it. Notwieh.
standing the u, fai,hfulness Of many profess
ors, it has already changed the face Of hu
man society; and il will yet sccomplish iss
mlsAioa By appealing pssse. Independence.
truth, justice and liberty, regulated by Law,
from the sea to the uttermOst snds Of the
earth" Lat this y Ill 10 accomplished only
by rrlosmisg and elcvatins the individuals
Of whom society Is compOsed; not by sxas-
perating communities against each other -
lot by any alliance with the Governments
Of tho world not by any vulgar partnership
with politicians 10 Kill aud plumber thci en-
eMies,
livery time yon reform bad man AID
bring his character up TO the standard VI
Christian morality, you make addition.
greater .r less. to that right. ousness ~hlch
exa. teth a nation, aud subtract An equal sum
" VI MI N bNHtOhSu W oUy
people Sometimes single conve rsion is
,xtr mcly important in its immediate effect
upon the public interest Of = whole nation.
No DOUBT the acceptance Of truth by Dion
ysius the Aveopaei,e. had much to do in
moulding tho subsequent laws and customs
OF Athens The conve, sion ot Constantine
was followed by the instant abrogation Of oil
Law which fc,,ered the conscience. In the
reign e Theodo>ius the people Of ThessAlo-
nica rose agaius, tie Romon garrison aud
killed liz commander For this act Of rebel
lion the Emperor decrced against them the
curse Of an indiscriInnate war, in which the
puilty and tn iAnoceat were confounled to-
gethsr in one general slaughter. HE
spiritual "gu,dc, philosopher. and friend"
q, the time was Ambruse, A,chLish.
Up Of Milan, who holdly denounced
his cruelty, aud refused to give him
| the Sacrcmcnt, or even to administer it in
his prcs,nce, comp, He'd him to take his seat
among the pcuitents on the portico Of the
church aud induced him to humble hrs dia-
dem in the dust tor eight months in success
sion. The conscience Of the Emperor MAS
thoroughly awakened ibis subsequsat reign
was distinguished ny justicc and mercy, the
integrity Of the empire was preserved in
peace, and the great Theodosisn code, the
product Of that otter repentance. 1t still
read and quoted for its admiral union oG
humanity aud policy. Ambrose produced
these consequences Ivy acting in the true CO.
pseity oi . Chr,stian minister for he re-
formed the criminal by direct appeal to
his own heart. A political preacher IN the
same circumstances would have intiained
the sanguinary passions Of the monarch, by
.Naggerni,ng the treason Of the lhessalo.i-
aus. aud counseling the military execution
Of oil "l'o Ifesu'nes W sympath1e in their
snllcinrs
You will sec, think, the distinction |
wcull make. 4 t,ospcl preacher addresses
Tide conscience o, hi hearers for the homes,
purpose q. converting them ftom tho error
81 Their ways, political preacher speaks TO
,nc community, one party OF one acc and
as theme i The wick ra acrs Of another
Tt latte. 'i'cts no religious purpose what
ever; bit tie chances are nine'y nine in a
hundred Il o. he cNcIt,> the bad passions of
those who are present, while he ISLANDERS
the absent aud undciended. Both classes
m preachers frequently speak upon the same
or similar subjects. bu, they do so with diff
.crcnt objects and aims.
viii make ipy meaning more clear by
taking your own illustrations. You believe
in the first day Of the week as . Sabbath,
and ~ believing your duty undoubtedly 10
10 exh IT all persons under your charge TO
rqserve It strictly; but you have no right
10 preach crusade against the Jews and
Seventh day 3apt,sts. Go get intolerant laws
enacted against Thorn for keeping Saturday
xs day Of rest. II drunkenness be sin
which easily hesets Your congregation, you
may warn them avalnse il, and inasinuch
as abstinence 10 always easier thaH mod
Grafton, you shou 4 advise than to taste
net, 1nch not, and handle not, but your
position gives YOU no Authority to provoke
violent hostiiit.os against tavern keepcre,
liquor dealers. or dstillers. II any of your
hearers be ignorant or coarse enough TO de-
sire more wives than one apiece, you should
certainly teach thorn that pOlygamy 10 the
worst t.aturcof Asiatic manners, inconsist-
eat with Christianity. and dangerous to dc
nestle happiness; but you cannot Law fully
urge them 10 carry fire and sword into the
territory Of the Aormons, me, civ because
some Of the Mormons are in this respect
less holy than YOU Ii the ho!, ing Of slaves
Or bond scrvants be ura teal question
".'~s'e 49, ~sSsss~e'" VI VuA SuuICos ! KNOW
of nothing which forbids you 10 teach what
ever YIN consciensio asly believe 70 be true
on that subject. But IN a community where
>'avcry lsnot only unknown, but mpos ,ible.
why should any preacher make il the SUBJ
ct OF h. ~cskly vituperstion? You do
not Improve the religion Of the slave.holdsr
by trsduciog his character, nor mend the
spiritual condition Of your own people by
making them thirs; for the blood Of their
fellow >rncn
II my person, 70 whom the service Of IN
other Is due by the Laws Of the State in
which he lives. shah need your instructions
to regulate HE personal conduct towards The
slave, you are bound in ,hs first place to tell
h.n. that - lcng As that relation exists. he
should behave with the utmost humanity
aud kindness for this you havc the clear
warrant Of the Apostolic exampls and pre-
eept. In dealing with such . person vou
may 20 as much further a. your o~n COM
scicnuous Interpretation Of the Bible will
carry you. II you are surc that the divine
law dos, undes all circumstance.
mako the mere existence Of such . relation
s'n'ul on the par: Of the master, YOU should
induce him to dissoivs it ~ TIE immediate
EN- ncipation Of his slsves Cor thea ia trnah
20 you wh'c h you believe 70 bs true. I'M
where il the authority for preaching hatred
Of those Who unders'an the scripture differ.
entity! Wha, privilege can ycu show for
exciting sersils fnsurrcctioni Who gave