Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1879-08-02

individually expressed their approval
of the movement to the committee.
At the suggestion Of this committee
ameeting of the ministers was called.
In this meeting it was definitely I'M
derstooi to be the expressed desire of
the merchants and clerks for the
ministers of the val ious churches in
this city to advocate the movement
from the sac ed des' This was de-
sired as it e. ears, in order to create
and foster a popular sentiment in
fa yor of the movement, and against
those opposed to it. By the pressure
thu bro,'9ht to bear from all the pull
pits Of the city it was hoped by the
f-iends Of the moyamel 1t that ths
sentiment in its ia D. wo I'd teccr7 >
universal, so that all the merchants of
the plH would lie co npelled to close
their business establishments at tho
hour designated.
The minist" g thus assembled com
posed an ecclesiastical body repre-
senting the Church Their action
must, therefore, of necessity be off
cial. They could not act in such an
assembly except in their min; aterial
capacity. So in the pulpit; the min
lister can speak only as the embassa-
cor of Christ. Here he is, in sense,
the oracle Ct God. What he says he
says as Gods messenger. For min
lister to advocate only worldly policy
from the sacred desk is both prosti-
tuition of his high and holy calling
aid a dissertation of the house Of
God. The minister that does this de.
grades beth himaelf and the Church
Of Christ. And vet this is too often
done--by some with evil designs; by
others from a want of the sense of
propriety. A tj'na-Serp5ag, political
and partisan ministry, is q bare to the
cause of Christ-a disgrace to the
Christian religion. On this subject
the learned DR.. Adam Clarke we'll
says:
The necessity Of keeping the doctrins O..
the gospel inc0rrupt is strongly iuculcated
i'll the caution to avoid the leavcn Of the
Pharisees and Of Herod; the doctrine of
the GLOSS must not Only be observed and
held inyiClate. but that doctrine must
never be mixed with worldly politics
Time Seyging is abominablc in the signt of
God it shows that the person has either
no ,ttred principle of religion or that he is
not under the aMtluen0e of any,
On the same subject the eloquent
Burke says:
No sound ought to DC lizard in tie cAurcA
bit The coice Of healing ch0rfy. y y + :
Those who quit their 2 eper character, to
assume what does not belong 10 them, are,
for the greater part, ignorant both OF the
character they leave, and of the character
they assume.
The case is plain. There need to
be no confusion of duties. A man s
prorogatives as a citizen are very diff
ferent from his fun ions as e minister
of the g. pei. Tux of minister
going to the POLLS on election day and
claiming his right to the elective
franchise by virtue Of his ministerial
office. Ee would be considered non
compoS maentjs by the thinking peo-
pie. lie sane would be thought of
the minister who advocates worldly
policies from the sacred desk. The
pulpit is not the place for such sub
jects. Even the editor himself, in
his adverse criticism ON the decision
Of the preachers meeting, is COM
PEELED to acknowledge the correct
ness Of said dscision. To him, he
says, it seems to be good as far as it
goes Here is an endorsement of
their decision. Reluctant it seens,
but never heless an endorsement. If
the ministers had gone farther in the
same direction The editor would doubt
less havs baen bett rla. ,sed. Why
then does he hold up The preachers to
public dunn for doing What they did,
when that "seems to be good in his
sight? Let him answer for himself.
He says "it i-plays dreadful want
CT consistency. Suppose it does.
Because men do wrong in some thing
is that any reason why they should
be condemned for doing good"
Where is the consistency in thi5?
But let us look into this dreadful
want of consistency" on the part Of
tie preachers. 1t is maintained 10 be
inconsistent for minister to decline
advocating from the sacred desk the
early closing of the stores of Frostburo