The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-11-20
POLITICS IN THE PULPIT.

there is opposed to the "God and morality
party, an organization which approves
human bondage and rebellion against Tree
il institutions" Of course this is not only
true in itself, but ia abundant excuse 'or
political harrangue to q ram OF mourners a.
funeral, provided the officiating minister
sbopld bappep 70 think it his duty to the
"God and norRlity' that he worships in
nolt;cn The fact that Southern people ,
boaght out the financial interest of New
England in the African race in this country |
when that race ceased to be Of any adyan
tage or profit to their importers, and were
so devihsh in their obliquity as to think it
not Just fair or decent for those very people
to turn round and demand the right to man
unit them and make them the masters
instead Of the servants of the whites, we say
this fact has come to be regarded as asutii.
cient excuse for any improperly, mifde'
meanor or crime Of which Republican
may be guilty. Ifa par erce'lence loyalis'
runs his hand beyond the legal depth into
the public purse, and a complaint is offered,
the excuse is ready: it never would have
occurred if there had been no Internal slave
holders rebellion, aud perfect magazine
explosion of loyalty follows, which satifes
anybody by disgusting him.
The astute apologist Of Rev. Burnett,
feeling that possibly something is due TO
| Democrats whose hearts may be sufficiently
turned away from their naturally wicked
bent, to 90 to church, condescends to say
"Real political sermons such as are OF
strictly partizan character aside from their
national significance, no one approves" We
are lefs to conjecture what this means, but
guess the writer would have people con
clude that he is opposed to preachers de-
voting the whole OF their pulpit diseourses
TO politics, unless they treat OF national pol
itics. To discuss national politics and in
dulge in coarse abuse of the highest officer.
in the nation is all right, provided Republ
cans do the abusing and Democrats tht
listening; but to speak of local politics
aueh On patching the saloons where som'
very loyal good people get their supplies
into the river, s of questionable propriety
Is this the idea?
After doundonug through considerable,
obscurity, the Union breaks forth in this lu
miuous and triumphant paragraph:
But why mnn should be politically pad
. locked because he happens TO be n preacher
we never could understand. Is he not still
citizen and voter2 Has he not still al
interest III public affairs? Has he not still
the same freedom Of thought and speech a
the balance of us? Must he forget that h
il an American when he enters the sacre
. desk? Itstrikes us that the "politics' whic
t won't mix with religion is very questionab,
. politics at best, and can safely be discarded
Nobody opposes preacher having poll
:. icsl convictions, if the study of party pol
= tics is eongenial to him. TO the minds {
most people, however, there is dtiercnc
! between having opinions and improperI
. thrustiug them into the face of somebod
to whom they are known to be Offensive
. There are times for all things. Any ma
d in social gathering who would introduC
>. as topic OF conversation subject upo
= which be knew those present widely and '
olently differed, aud insist upon forcing h
= opinions upon the party, would be consi
d cred not only bore, but unit for the 8
in clety Of gentlemen, and would III some pl
y oes be booted from the presence Of tho
- whom he had offended. This sort OF viol
he ton of the rules Of good breeding is Il
IN treated as offensive merely by those wi
= differ from the offender III opinion, but we
or bred men who agree with him and mig
d. applaud him at the proper time and plac
= take oilense Only few months ago, VII
IN quet, when Gen Blair, in responding -
'F toast, made some complimentary
lusons to the bearing and galIau
ry upon the field Of some of the militia
i cheftains of the South in the late war
ca He was at once ruled out of order, as d
~ cussiug a question about which the gent
rd men present differed radically, and one n
ID in keeping with the proprieties Of the ocC
10 sion. II might be said that no msgnar
nous or gallant victor ought to object
~ kindly or complimentary illusions to b
vanquished foes III arms; but that assum,
N everything and leaves nothing to ditferenc
If there we're present those to whom, for al
reason or purpose, ignoble or otherwis
the mention Of such things was ofe
sve, and Gen. Blair knew it, he was gull
of breach of propriety and good breedil
D. for which his expulsion from the hall wou
IN not have been too great punishment. In t
case of preachers there are ceartainly gre
er reasons why they should demesn the
selves in an noffensive manner. Tht
N usefulness depends upon it. And as it
their mission to preach against sin and |
ia godliness, there can be no reason dra'
ct. from a good heart, why they should obtru
nd upon their congregations their individual {
ions on political questions, about which IN
may differ without Sin. If the Rev. Burn
a. or his apologiSt will take the position Il
'ro man cannot endorse the administration
sd, Andrew Johnson or oppose that of Ora
W without sin against God, or that he cam
eH favor high tariff without offending GC
60 or cannot oppose the 18th amendment wi
| ont being puiIty of sim then there NAV