New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-07
LET TIE TRUTH BE TOLD.

All t.utl " AIce
breaches from Presbyterian pulpit in the
city of New Orleans, agrees with us that
the clergy in the South pay too little atten-
ton 10 public matters III their minlstra
tons before the people; but he is inclined
to the apprehension that this fault can not
BE renelied without introducing the oppO-
site evil OF too much pulpit politics. This
is a feeling that prevails very widely, and
the rcaliest answer to it is the same
that has been made in every case
where the rights OF privileges Of the
people have been enlarged that there
is more danger in confirming truth than
there is in charging error. II it is better
to suppress the discussion Of great social
question, in Tie pulpit, because weak
preachers may Peryert the text, then It is
dangerous to debate any matter freely, for
weak men are at liberty to abuse tie Gues-
ton with all sorts of irrelevant conceits.
This is assuming that both speech and
hearing ought to be kept under surveillance,
for, if we can not discuss because the weak
may outtalll us. then We ought certainly to
be deprived of the power to listen, because
the result Is the same if We are niole1 or if
We miolead. This is the blind leading the
blind. which the world is full OF, notwith-
| standing the silence Of the clerical orators.
The true line is for the preachers to
separate moral and physical polite, from
each other, and to give the former to lis
congregation in full doses, and to keep the
latter for himself The first concerns man
kind in general, the latter concerns man
alone. Every preacher can say to his con-
| gregution that the duty OF the citizen Is Il
| part OF his religion, and that when this
| duty directs him to vote, and to vote reg,,-
| larly, honestly, intelligently and consciel-
tiou,ly. he is bound to do this duty at the
| peril OF committing a notable sin. The
minister can say, and have large influence
! III enforcing, that the barter Of votes for
| favor OF friendship is a grievoj1s wrong. for
| the ballot Is not mans private property,
! any more than his mushcti,. Hei, charged
| as a voter with the anne duties tlat h. is
a, soldier; to be vicilant discreet, wise
| and lrreproacAable in protecting thr body
! polite tToln any accident, ignorance, f,ice-
| hood, corruption or betrayal He can say
| that the highest act ola mans litc IS tn ca
pablo disposal Of his Influence il securing
the best men for Office that are to
| he found; and the next highest is
! in pursuing with punishment all those who
violate the local law. Dunkennes, an /
it. kindred vices he may and should repro
bate with untiring speech, because they
ar a rtproach 10 the State, an injury t.
the people and a temptation to his own
congregation and to his own senses. Hay-
| iug done these things, and reproy2d all
who neglect their duties either to God,
| to themselves or their ncighbors. the
| preacher can safely rest himself for now
he has nothing else to DO but to attend t.
his own duties. which constitute the physi-
cal part Of politics. Herein he must de
termine whether he is in favor of tariff
whether lie would grant the public lands
to railroads. subsidize ocean steamers.
elect the President for one term or two
increase salaries. or 90 any of the other
thousand and one things that are not
affected by the conscience. This marks
the dividing line. The preacher who would
mix up tariff, or grants Of land with rrli-
zion is d fool ; the one that would separate
capacity in office from religion is another
Our suggestion that the pulpit should |
concern itself with the action of the peo-
pie in a political sense is made in this
regard, that all the preachers are bound |
to declare the whole duty OF man, and TO |
enforce it. Ii, III doing this, the evil |
arises that incompetent or wicked men |
abuse the ministry to their own useses, |
this must be submitted to as we submit to |
see any and every good thing perverted |
Our belief is that what is good can be |
told anywhere and at any time and that
neither error nor stupidity can ever cloak |
themselves under its folds so as to outrlln |
It IN beneficence.