The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-01-09
POLITICAL PREACHERS.

The Virginia City, (Montana) Dem
Ocrat takes the Legislature of Mon
tana to task for omitting to invite the
clergy to open their deliberations with
prayer. Fifteen or twenty years ago
we might have done the same thing.
We believe in religion, pure and un-
defled, and we would not Intentional
" speak or write word or sentence
that would weaken, in any respect
whatever, its hold and claims upon
mankind.
1t is possible, however, that the
Legislators of Montana have not yet
perpetrated the objectionable sin. 1t
is possible that there are no ministers
in the capital of Montana except
those who have defiled themselves,
and disgraced their pulpits by preach
ing politics instead of the gospel
The last Legislature of Oregon came
very near being guilty of the same
offence as that charged to the Legis-
lature of Montana; but it was not
from any disrespect to, or disbelief in
religion. But it was because the
country has been so cursed with po-
litical preachers that they were fear
full some of them might also polIute
the Legislative Hall by their presence.
Only this and nothing more.
If there is any class of men whom
we despise and spurn more than any
other it is those who disgrace their
calling by preaching politics from the
pulpit. They have no warrant for it
in the Scriptures, and the practice
cannot be defended ON scriptural
grounds. We have had debates with
several of them on this subject; and
we have never yet met one whom we
could not easily handle. All their ar
guments are specious and unsound /;
and the bubbles which they blow are
easily pricked. For instance: a pe-
litical preacher viii invariably come
at you with this argument: "AIin-
listers are nothing but men. They
have the, same rights as other men,
Now, fit be wrong for them to preach
politics, why is it not wrong for any
man to discuss them?n We will en-
Tighten you, most sapient divine
We admit ministers are men, subject
to like influences and passions as 9th
er men. We admit that they have
the same civil rights as other men,
They have the right to vote-and
they ought to vote. But it does not
therefore follow that they have a
right to preach politics. Politics
mean the science of government, and
hence there is nothing wrong in them
aside from their abuses. But it is not
everything that is right that may be
preached from the pulpit, The sci.
ence of agriculture is right. It is a
noble study and an ennobling occupa,
tion. But no one believes tnat min.
lister should deliver an agricultural
address on the Sabbath. The study
of the law is right-there is nothing
immoral in it; but what would be
thought of minister who would de.
liver LaW-lecture instead of preach.
ing the gospel? The study of medi
cine is right; but who, therefore, will
justify minister in preaching medi
cine on the Sabbath9 The truth is
politics are a secular study and the
minister who breaches politics on the
Sabbath is as recreant to duty. and Il
guilty of a greater moral wrong than
the man who chops wood all day SUI
day, or hunts, or shoVes the plane, 81
engages IN any other secular duty.
The minister's duty is to preach The
gospel, or as Paul expressed it, Jesus
Christ and him crucifed; and wher
he breaches on medicine, or agricul
ture, or civil Jurisprudence, or tn,
mechanic arts, or politics, he is not il