Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-03-21
DAVENPORT, IOWA. THURSDAY. MARCH 21. 1867



paigns were almost universally felt and Te |
sognzed in this country an argument on |
the subject would have been deemed - use
less q an attempt 20 prove or dispsovs an /!
axiom. II the statement did mot, bv reason
Of the strange degeaeracy OF The wonderful !
progress of TIE uoss, rather Weaksn than
fortify the position which nearly the whole |
people occupied on this subject, il might bs
said that the trainers sf eur Govsrnmsnt
knew somethine Of the evils resulting from
the union Of church and State, and sought
70 prevent their recurrence in any form in
this country BY constitutional provisions
against religious tests fee of1ce, and inhibi-
ting Congress from making any law rs-
specting the establishment Of any religion.
or prohibiting tho free exercise OF any par
ticulas religious faith. We do not, there
fore, refer to these provisions Of our Federal
Constitution as authority againss the doing
Of what we object to being done. but only
a. waif gathered up from the wreck Of that
instrument illustrative Of how our ancestors
regarded the subject under consideration
for. however odious our Constitution may
have become % an authority or lar, ws
suppose il may yet be quoted - history.
II is not. then, to the love Of law or revsr-
ence for Constitutions, that We would sp
peal here, but to that feeling among Christ.
iaus and moralists that causes them to sxult
in the prevalence among mankind Of an
elevated morality and . pure religion. We
think this should constrain every Christian
man 10 scsupulously avoid making issueA Of
purely moral OF religious nature in politi
eai campaigns.
But since the infuristed contest of tho
past few years has draped many of our pull
pits with political banners, and sprinkled the
altars Of religion with blood, there 10 but
little hope that more than small part Of
the protesting Christian world will yet lis.
ten 10 IN entreasy TO spare the cause in
which they arc professsdly engaged, the
rcproach which must inevitably result frem
an alliance with the demagoguery Of poll
tics aud poliicians. For during this fear>
ful period few will deny that many temples
which had been dedicated to the services
| Of religion were little else than political lec
ture rooms and club-h0uses, where the ad>
herencs to particular political principles and
| voting for particular candidates for office
have been enjoined as duties no less binding
than those Of religion itself. The fruits Of
the spirit Of religion, which have been 30
beautifully grouped ~ "love. joy. peace.
long suffering. gentlsnsss, goodness, faith,
| meekness, and temperance" were supplant
ed in the hearts Of many protesting Chris
tians BY Jealousy, malice, envy, hatred. in.
tolerance, rsvengs and the whole brood Of
furies which dssken the soul, and blight the
virtues and grsces Of Christianity.
Until the commencement Of our
civil dssensions. when the caucus
i thA nanVAneinn hhA haltnt and
the bayonet and bullet were invoked
to establish and maintain p0litico.
religious dogmas, mono more readily con-
ceded to politicians the sole direction Of
State affairs and manipulation Of party eau
cusss and conventions than the man of God
clothed in pries.ly robes. He felt that to
! preach and practice before his flock the
principles Of the Christian religion Was .
mission which Was fully equal 10 his utmost
powers and fully satisfied his highest am
bit;on. He remembered hat oil his Master
ever asked or required for himself or his
Apostles was the right to publish
the Gospel; that lie never sought
for himself or his disciples the privilege Of
welding the sceptrc or wearing the crown
OF temporal or political authority. He re-
fused to conc.de the inherent weakness oi
his religion by attempting to secure for j.
the patronage Of the great, the protection
Of government, or tho support Of force
Hence when lie was about to be betrayed
into the hands Of His enemies, aud one oi
His disciples drew . sword and smote Of
the ear of one of those who came armed
with swords and staves to take Him, Ht
said: Put up again thy sword into hii
place for oil they that take the sword
shall perish with the sword. Thinksst thou
that can not now pray TO my Father ant
he shall presently give me more thsn twelve
legions Of Angels!" Again, . politician o
Praises sought 10 entangls Him in the con
troversy as to the proper government Of The
Province by asking: "Is il lawful to Civ
tribute unto Caesar. or not p When at hi
request penny WAS brought Him and H.
asked whose image aud supcrscription i
! bore, and received for answer that il va
Crsar's. "Thsn saith He unto them, Rsn
J der therefore unto Caesar the things tha
are Casar's, and unto God the things tha
are Gods"
But many Of our latter dsv 70
ligionists, not satisfied with rendering unt
, Caesar simply what is his, and sendering
I God the things that are Gods, have sough
TO form an alliance Of Caesar and God. an,
first call on God to help Cesar and then tsl
to balance the account hy calling on Cessr
help God. So that II is now difficult in man
cases to say whether Minister Of the Cos
pei is more devoted to religion or politics.
I Their own ideas Of duty seem ~ much con
/. fused as their position is equivocal an
doubtful Hence it is not to be wondere
> at that they frequently mistake party ran
Cke;se:an ynal aud Eka 2a,sl n
! Tarsus, "breathe out threntenings On
slaughter against all who chance to enter
tain Political opinions different from thsi
own; Or tha, like him whom they shoul
: make il the business of their lives to b
r most unlike, they "go ur and down tn
earth like . roaring lion, seeking whom the
may devour," or crush. for opinions sake.
;. the name Of :" God and humanity" the
! ,mprecats upon their opponents in polite
1 pains and penalties which are worthy th
{ bloody era Of the Inquisition. History tell
Of no crueler or more revolving crimes cha
have been perpesrated in the name Of :,
: ligion and morality, BY people who hav
. added to tbs intolerance Of religious fanat
1 cisln the frenzy Of . partizan raucor, or Ii
/, bisotry Of proscsiptivs sectarianism.
: Christianity y dishonored and crippled j
ITS progress. 30 lar - men can diohonor j
= BY these political preachers Or religious pol
ticians dragging through the wsllowin
places Of peli,ieal dsasgeguss-" hammer
stolen from che sllers Of 0od," while the
y "alliss are eongreeated from the sbysses
hell" The best Christisns, it seoos 10 u
L ought 10 Oppose with most easasstnsss evsl
atteopt = placs sithst privals morals I
the Christian religion under The protectit
= Of govsrnaent, or 70 forn for them allial
!. CO. with political parties. Th4ee are inte
esls too sacred to the hsssts snc homes
!. mankind 10 b entrustsd to the caucus roo
Of political dsmagoguss, o. the lobby char
bsrs Of scarcely more respectable lsgisll
y tors, there to b hawksd about BY profa,
Q and obscene lips.
,l Too Mrcn or Coon TnfHG.-A stol
!. 10 told Of youth from the country who Z
:, rived il town about ten days ago, and e
;. pa'ssd d once 20 the house Of Islative,
d, lsdy who had married . gentleman II g
circumstances. They were Sa!d 10 80 hi
and told him to make their houee bic boz
1 a .. = - :.