Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-11-20


behest OF low-rate time-serving public
sentiment, and for no other reason than
that he has ascended into the high moral
attitude of interpreting Gods will to men
and his government over meus Ii there Is
any place on the footstool of Gods earth
where a man ought 10 feel that he Is a free
man it Is when standing upon the walls OF
Zion. proclaimlng Divine truth under the
shadow and protection of Almighty God.
No man graduates from the sphere OF his
political duties. until he gets beyond the
limits of human government, and becomes
the absolute subject Of Divine authority.
The higher his moral position, the weight
Ter becomes his responsibilities, and the
vaster his work and Influence.
No one who Is eonversant with the posi-
ton and influence OF the American Clergy,
prior TO and during our Revolutionary
struggle, can help sdmiring their noble stand
in defense Of the rights of the Colonies.
Indeed they formed 40 essential factor In
our national politics. and their powerful
arguments and patriotic appeals. did more
to arouse and shape public feeling than
even the speeches Of our most advanced
statesmen. Hadly, the historian. SAYS there
was one way iu which the Clergy OF New
Eugland acted directly aud systematically
on the popular judgment and heart In sus-
tanning the Revolution, in the Annual
Election sermon" as Il was called that " a.
preached before the Governor and House
OF Representatives in the election of his
NaJesty's Council. These sermons were
as much part OF the imposing ceremonies
as the election Itself The ablcst dvines
In the Colony were Invited to deliver them.
The profound thought aud uuswerablc
arguments found in these sermons show
that the Clergy were not a whit behind the
abiest statesmen Of the day In their knowl-
edge OF the science OF human government,
By order OF the assembly, these sermons
were published In pamphlet form. and
scattered abroad over the land clothed
with the sanction Of their high authors.
ant the endorsement, OF the Legislature.
They became the text book OF human rights
In every parish. The House OF Represeu-
tatlves OF Massachnsetts passed resolution.
requesting the Clergy To make the question
OF the rights OF the colonies topic OF the
pulpit on week day. They thus proclaimed
to all fnture time their solemn conv vlction
OF their dependence on the pulpit for that
patriotic feeling and smity OF action which
they knew 10 be Indispensable to success.
In 1873 the election sermon was preached
by Chaur, Igrnrr from Romans KILL
In which he meets the objection that min
ister. should not mcdde In politics. Text
For he il the minister OF God to thee tor
good. But Il thon do that which Is evil be
afraid for he bcareth not the sword IN vain ;
FOR he !. the minister Of God. rryengcr to
execute wrath upon him that doe,h evil "
In the course of his remarks he said when
the civil rights OF u country receive q
shock It may Justly render the minister OF
God deeply though htfui for the safety OF
sacred privileges, Tor rcl gious liberty j. so
blended with civil .ilberty, that Il one tails
tue other Will not coutiuur." And can
you pQni to period 10 our history since
the hrst refugee from religious apprehen-
sion pressed the soil of America, where
civil liberty wa, not threatened. II has not
only been threatened but outraged. right
In the very heart ot freedom itself and
under the shadow OF the American nag.
IL was outraged when slavery was casting
IL black shadow over four millions OF hu-
man beings. and they were crushed down
beneath the level OF the brute creation with
the sanction of what some had the efiron-
terry 10 designate Christianity. Civil Id
eTty j. violently outraged IN the South to-
day. when men are cooily shot down for
no other Prrtcusc than their political opiH-
Ions, or deprived OF their civil rights by
intimidation aud fraud.
Ana snail the American Clergy look
down from their lony moral heights with
religious resignation, and sealed lips upon
these bloody, barefaced crimes that shake
the pedestsls OF civilization, and east their
defiant, mocking shadow over every sanct-
uary In Christendom.
When John Brown. the uobleSt enbodi-
meut OF aggressive liberty which this coun-
try ever produced, swung from Virg mia
galiovs crowned MARTYR, "A glori1ed saint,
hundred pulpits IN Amerca burst forth
IN loity and eloquent eu.ogv on his noble
character His was the most rash and rad
icai blow that Abolishiouism ever struck
against human slavery on this continent,
aud yet the foremost pulpits in the North
dared to vindIcatc the character OF the old
man from the foul aspersons OF his enc
mics and place his name in mich Ia his
tory unoccupiei by any other American.
Now while civil liberty Is swingln. from
the galiows which Southern barberi,m has
erected for it-wcll-uigh strangled-isn't il
about time that the pulpit Of America
thunders forth the Judgment Of the Al
mg ghty against this most a.rocious % polit-
icil crimes!
The church that can't stand such politi-
cal preachiu. should fall. The sooner -uch
Insults 10 the Almighty are abolished the
better II viii be tor christianity and civlll-
zation. H.
Penobscot