The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-07-22
Bloodhounds from the Pulpit

Whoever listened last Thursday to the
Boston Grafton at the Music Hall in an i'm
partial and candid spirit must have felt the
hatred displayed towards our southern fell
low citizens to have been extremely unchris-
ton. One favorite term used repeatedly in
the discourse, "manhood," seems applicable
to human beings inclined to crowd and crush
the conquered and unresisting. The great
mass of people at the south fought bravely
for their independence, as our fathers of the
revolution did for theirs. Fortunately for
themselves as well as for US, they were not
successful, and, defeated, submit to the event
with better grace than could have been
expected. 1t is the part of magnanimity to
treat them tenderly.
If any day should be kept sacred to the
promotion of national fellowship, it is the
nativity of the American nation. In their
common declaration of independence of for
eign powers, they pledged each other to
constitute them one single nationality, as
| they long had been by common origin and
| common wrongs one people. 1t is the duty
of all good citizens to promote restoration
of this friendly feeling now disturbed, and
We listen witty adherence to sentiments from
| lips sanctihed by prayer encouraging ami
| mostly and persecution. This is not the path
| to reconstruction. The worm turns against
| the foot that treads upon it. Our want of
consideration for their condition is engender-
| ing in the southern people an evaporation
only waiting opportunity for outbreak
| What led to the war? Taunts, revilings,
recrimination. Angry words invariably
provoke blows, and woe to them through
whom offences come. We should help
southerners to subdue their angry passions
by example, forbearanee and gentle trust.
| Why should the clergy NEEDLE with poll
| ties ? They are set apart to teach morality
and religion. Do they do this as they might?
Judge by the results. Many of our people
are devout believers in and faithful followers of
the doctrines they profess. But if the elo-
| quence expended in stirring up political
| strife were confined to awakening a sense
of insutficiency and dependence on divine
aid, in developing charity and love, vast
numbers who now seof would not only be-
come better and wiser, but happier. Rem
| der unto Caesar the things that are Caesars.
President johnson has his duties and powers
from the constitution, and performs and ex-
| ercises them cOnscientIously, according to
his light. Are denunciations of the chief
magistrate by clergymen on any occasion
except as when John Knox denounced Mary
| Queen of Scots, or Savonarola, the Medicis
for sin, becoming or consistent -?
The bible teaches gentleness, humility
brotherly love, faith, hope and charity,-ant
the greatest of these is charity. These
should be included by clergymen in the pull
pits, and they should keep themselves aloot
from secular concerns, setting an example
of godly life. If they do not, they will just
ly forfeit the respect of the world, and being
found not only unless, but detrimental to tn,
cause of true religion, be abolished. The,
are an expensive institution; invaluable
they understand their vocation, not wortl
their salt if they meddle with politics. Whei
they cry havoc on an unresisting people, ant
would let loose the dogs of war on communi
ties so utterly folorn as private letters de
: scribe those at the south for the most part t,
be, they prove they know no more of christi
, anity than so many heather and meneaters
Instead of blood-thirsty clergymen it j
hoped that the fathers of the city in future vii
select for their discourses on the fourth, ora
tors of some more humane and christian
employment.-Boston Courier.