, 1869-01-01
The Time for Ministers to Give Up Political
Preaching.


satisfied that a majority Of those pastors who
have mixed politics with their theology in
proportions of nine to one, for some years
back, have done it against their better judg-
ment. They have yielded to the fashion Of
the times, to the example of powerful and
successful preachers to the real or supposed }
irresistible current of feeling of their con.
gregatons. We have always held them, as
a class, to be above the sordid aims of politi,
clans. They have not preached politics for
money, nor for vulgar applause but Because
they had not sufficient moral strength to
resist the tremendous pressure which was
brought to bear upon them by church con-
ventions and assemblies, and by active and
influential occupants of pews- In some in
stances the pressure from the pew was not
real, but imaginary. The pastor, observing
the tendencies in other churches, sought to
anticipate it in his own, with unnecessary
precipitation, put himself at the head of his
flock aud led into politics. Still, as gener,
al rule, the motive power, when it did not
originate outside Of the church, came from
the pews and forced the pastor to write poll,
tical addresses under the name of sermons,
and pray for the success of a party more than
for the coming of Christ's kingdom. Their
Bible was their text book-their point of
departure, chiefly in the sense that they de-
parted from it-but their body of theology
was too often taken from newspaper editor
ials or from the platforms of excited public
meetings held during the previous week.
Many preachers reflected the varying shades
Of radical sentiment so truthfully that by
stepping into their churches on Sunday a
person could learn the condition Of the poll
tlcal atmosphere as FROM barometer There
was little garniture of religion in the read
ing Of the scriptures (noI always selected
with reference to topics of the day) in the
short prayer possibly, and in the formal
benedictiOu, beyond any doubt, but these
were merely trimmings to the huge HOTPOINT
OF pure politics, at which the preacher cut
and came again. This preaching has been the
shame and scandal of Christ's Church. 1t
has been the prolific cause of infdelity, not
only outside Of the Church. but within its
pale; not only in the pews, but in the pull
pits. AT first it was a curious novelty, and
BoS'Oio AOOhN bhOll OOhSlOSublOuo luCE6dS6u,
perhaps a hundred fold. Men hocked to
the political churches as they went to the
opera, the theatre, or the circus to be exeit-
ed aud amused. They could applaud and
they could lau yh there at every smart politi-
cal hit, freel and without rebuke It,was
religion made easy, and, like virtue made
easy, there was very little of it left when
you came to look for it. Newspapers were to
advertise those political sermons 10 advance
Partisan journals published the sermons the
next day, not emitting the cheers and laughs
ter where they properly came in, and Aatter-
ed the preachers in editorial articles. A
great deal of the hard work Of the campaign
was put upon their shoulders Some of
them talked politics not only two or three
times every Sunday, but odd evenings dur
ing the week. They were too willing to
work, they were too Jealous in their new
cause, aud they over did it. Safety in the
congregations soon followed excess in preach
ing. The outside attendance fell off, many
of the pew owners who had liked the thing
while it was new, got sick of it at last. and
these preachers finally found themselves in
the condition of men who, having taken a
false position, feel compelled, out of regard
to consistency, to maintain it at all hazards
In this resolve theythave been encouraged
and sustained by small but active knots of
politicians, who give the tone to many of our
churches. There are clergymen who have
seen their AOcks scattered beyond recall,
aud Their churches sold out or turned into
places of amusement before they would con-
sent to retrace their steps to religion pure
and unde6led.
Now is the time for ministers to weed out
politics from their religion. The political
reaction, of which we see the signs all around
US, is protest against political preaching
and numerous other errors and fallacies
The reactionary feeling affects all classes of
society, in all their relations We believe
that, if a show of hands were called for the
churches next Suudy, a majority of votes
would be found in favor of excluding poll
tics from the pulpit, or, if the sentiments of
the church members should be equally di,
vided, we believe that there would be an
almost general acquiescence 10 the pastors
determination to eschew politics for the fu>
ture. Pastors would be surprised to discov'
er how cheerfully their peoole would now
follow their lead out of the mirv path of poll
tics back to the ancient trodden ways They
must, by this time, be satisfied that it is i'm
possible to get out of radical politics by
going to the end of it-for it has no esa
The possible chrOchets of the radical mind
are infinite. Political preachers never can
say that their work is done, and lay of their
harness. Excelsior is still the cry and
always will be, of the frantic agitators who
occupy the vau of radical moeements. They
care nothing for the church, except as it aids
them in their dangerous ventures. While
they use it, they despise it. This fact is
made very clear in the last number of Wen
dell Phillips organ, which says-'Churches
and the clergy are, as formerly, for the most
part, make weights or positive drag where
they should be foremost in leading the ma
tion iu the light of immutable, fundamental
Christian principles through its present
difficult and dangerous pass This is the
gratitude which the political clergy receive
from those who have sought to dictate their