The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-01
THE SENSUAL SIMS OF THE CLERGY.


Curious Argument for n Religious Magazine.
From The Pulpit for November.]
We infer rom what we hear IN private CONVEX
sation, and what We read in the public journals.
that the public think it very marvellous that so
many of the clergy are wrecked upon the rock Of
sensualiiy. The astonishment is not astonishing.
People who do not make habit Of thinking, will
hardly be thoughtful enough TO know the fact with
no profession, class, or avocation, so exposed to
or tempted by the devil Of sensuaty as the min
istry. The very sanctity Of their Office is
an occasion Of their stumbling. The Office
is COMPOUNDED with its occupant The
sanctity Of the former is made the possession Of
the latter. Now, the Office is an invulnerable
myth; its occupant Is a man Of like passions with
other men. No temptation Is sufficient 20 over
the Office, while 30 stout-faithed an occupant
of II as Peter, the apostle may fall grevousiy at
the first approach Of the adversary Unthinking
women may seem to be only tempting the Office,
when they are unwttingly laying snares for its
occupant. by their persistent exhibition Of conf
denco in the Office they confding persisssntly
in its occupant. And so II came to pass In this
way that the minister, with all his flesh and blood
about him, has the door Of temptation thrown
open to him and then closed behind him.
Blind coniding on the one side, and I'M
guarded sociabiiity on the other lead to equivoca
circumstances as to both. No man in the world
has so few conditions imposed upon him at the
threshold OF society as the clergyman. His pass.
port 10 social life IL almost carte blanche. Wo-
men Of both states and all ages are his companions,
socially and professionally. The rules Of social
intercommunion between the sexes are in his case,
virtually suspended. What would be an indiscre-
ton with other men Ia matter OF course with him.
He shares or Is alternately admitted to the privacy
OF the sick room with the physician. Wherever
spiritual advice is called for, there he reigns alone
and unmolested. And he is q sedcntary man, Of
nervous-sangune temperament, and, like all men
Of this sort aud life. feels the law Of his
flesh warning against the law OF his religion. None
have such passions az those Of sedcntary life. In
proportion to the idleness of the muscles, Is the
activity OF the passions. The devil tempts the
indnstrous idle men tempt the devil. The
clergy should give more earnest heed to = muscular
Christianity" But not only In their life afflicted
with deficiency in bodily exercise, IL 10 addi-
tionaIy accurscd with the temptations that take
advantage Of this physical fcebleness. half the
crimes OF serHualiiy come Of physical feeble.
ness. Considering, then, this sandy haired
composition, this nervous COMPATIBILITY,
this superabundance Of sexual heat from Z
deficiency in physical excrtion and this extraordi.
nary exposure 10 the wiles Of the wicked, and the
insinuative influences OF unsuspicion, the marvel
nay, The miracle Is not that so many Bat 30 Jcc q
he clergy JaG into ne sins Of sensuQlsty: The
wonder 10, not that 20 many yield. bus tnas %
many stand firm. n sM.st
And 40 fsr from those clerical sins Of sensuality
bsisg The iasxplicabls apsss they are represented