National Republican., 1881-07-18
POWERS POLEMIC
AND OTHER RELIGIOUS DOCTRINES.
The Pastor Of the Presidents Church breaches a
VERY nl.Tlmed Sermon -Diseourses by Rev.
Sherman Merrill and Bishop
Pinckney.

Nnfie the shocking crime of the at
tempted assassination Of Nations President has
served to soften the bitterness OF political strife
generally, and in all the papers which are called
"stalwart" only the tendorest expressions OF
sympathy have been made, II seems to have been
reserved for the clergyman Of the church Of which
the President was member to endeavor to fan
into blaze the smouderng embers of factional
feeling. In his sermon, preached in the Christlan
Church yesterday, the Rev Fred. d. Power appeared
| to lay oil the blame of Guiteau's crime upon the
Stalwart wing Of the Republican party. His
discourse created profound sensation through.
out the city on account Of its In
temperate tone, and II was telegraphed
extensively by the correspondents of Newspaper
Row. Il is not believed that the Rev Power is the
entire keeper OF the presidential conscience or
that he reflects the sentiments of the distinguished
| invalid, who happens to be member Of the
CHRISTIAN CHURCH
The Christian Church was crowded yes
terday morning, the announcement having been
made that the pastor, Rev. Mr. Power, would
preach on Guleau's crime He preached longer
and with possibly more feeling than usual
and his congregation were much pleased
with the sermon The sermon first
dwelt on the bitterness of political factions
and the assaults on the character Of public men,
This was handled In thorough manner. Then
the freedom Of the press and that Of public speech
was taken up and commented on with intelli-
gence. He deprecated the publication Of innam-
matory articles, which, he said, influences such
men as Gulteau to commit terrible crimes,
lie said there was safety for public men as
long as this unlicensed freedom of the press was
tolerated, and ofwhich Guiteau's crime was lcgiti
matcly the product He contended If
there had been no Stalwart faction In po-
ltcal circles there would not have been
any attack made on the President 1t
was the fruits of the spoils system the work of
| plnppmpu and thp rntinu a ali gpagpd nOlitipnl
atmosphere. lie spoke of the assassin a5 n brute
In human form, and his crime as that OF drmc-
nncal wretch. lie next dwelt on the namby
pamby sentiment Of society, which is
now so ready to condone the crime, TO
excuse the eilcnse, which is born Of weak .kneed
and spurious charity, and desire to put senu.
ment in force instead Of allowing the law to take
its way. God alone spared this church from the
scene which Gutcau had planned when he in
tended to shoot the President while within
its sacred walls. He insisted that Guicau
resi- Tonsiblc, and should be held so by the law.
In conclusion, he deprecated the making of gal.
lows saints by the scafOld, and the idea Of enter.
ing Heaven by the aid Of hungman's rope, as Is
claimed by those preachers who preach an ems
calatcd gospel. He warned NIL TO remember that
the wages of sin was death, and that there was 10
safety in committing sin all through life aud the
asking pardon for 1t when expiating crimes on the
scanold.
Rev Sherman Merrill, D. D., delivered a power.
ful and effective discourse Mt the Metropolitan n.
l.. Church yesterday upon the subject Of i" The
Christian Statesman: His Relation to the Charac.
ter and Ultimate Destiny of the Republic" lie
took his text from Proverbs xiv, 3" When the
righteous are In authority the people rejoice, but
when the wicked beareth rule the people mourn" ;"
Every age, or rather every period in human his
tory, has its leading idea, and its prominent char
actcrs or types significant of that idea, Thus
at one period In the series We have
what may be denominated the theocratc
idea with priest and prophet; then physical
element when men of might and muscle are the
railing spirits, then the intellectual era when phil
osophys divining rod becomes the insignia of the
worlds life The Ptoemnic period of Egypt, the
Grcclan the Augustan era Of Rome the italian
epoch of Leo and the successive periods of French
German. and English civilization are representa-
tive OF the last named period. To these that
have passed may now be added another, which
may be denomnated the Anglo-Saxon or Anglo.
, American period, the great leading form giving
idea OF which Is political. Civil government is the
central thought both of the philosopher and the
artisan. Political philosophy Is no longer mystery
but has pa, scd into the multitude. Who is the
representative of this political period? Not thu
priest, not the poet, nor the philosopher, but tn
statesman. He 1t is who will live in the future o.
the enduring memorial of period passed away
He then skctched at length and in
most graphic manner the high duties an,
responsibilities of that highest type In tn,
political world - the Christian statesman
who wiclds the collected and concentrated ener
gies OF the highest form of human organization
lie should be true man, of scrupuous honor, ant
distinguished not so much for capabilities of minC
as for moral excellence and purity Of character
The true statesman will look beyond the form ant
symbol to the real nature of the political system
will make wide difference between that shan
, Repubicanism which is but thing in name and
; the genuine reality, which is n vigorous ant
vital principle existing in the .inncrmos
life of a people and developing itsel
in silent underground of freedom. Tn,
various responsibilities of the Christian states
man to himsef-to his fellow w-man, to his imme
; diate constituency, to that broader constituency
his country and to that higher power his God-wcr
= then discussed. II Is cause for alarm when mel
high in political circles call In question the palpa
= bic mct that the statesman Is bound by the law o
: God. lie then drew n contrast between the rcSut
I of the deliberations OF the French Assembly with
Napoleon as the first consul, and of the body 0
men who gave 70 this country our Constitution,
concluded by saying: "And now shall c0untr,
Ii Ike this, whose first articuate voice Of existenc
c was poured out in nm invocation TO Heaven oi
r Plymouth Rock, whose freedom from iorcgi
n dominion wns won by trusting appeal TO tn
i q cd of the Universe, whose entire history has bee
II marked by the fast showerng blessings Of Heaven
= shall career of rapid advancement and pros
Il perty unparalleled in the history Of State
It SO madden this Nation with the delirium of sue
Il that II can 10 longer recognize its dcpendcnc
s upon Almighty power? Desolate and desccratc
: are those national halls whose altar fires are ou
Is and whose indwelling divinity has fled. BY com
5. mon consent the Christian statesman is awarded
? the highest place In the Pantheon of the world
J, honor 1t is true the acknowledgment is oittimC
}, Nrdy but II is sure to come at last though 1t bring
@ its Offering Of remembrance to the shrine Of the dc
v parted. Where fame its brightest halo throws
@ while death lies cold below True and Ion
sovcreigns are they-Natures high nobility
IT bearing the titles Of no earthly monarch and III
n sceptre OF no limited dominion In their bus
r. walks the gems of law and liberty, empire All
q science. Theirs are the names the world will nC
II Willingly let die. Ages to come will give theI
n audience and future generations rise UP and ca
II them blessed. PoSterity will throw around thoI
Q her protecting Wgls and erect for them Il mausc
IS leum Of eternal duration. Glory of arms sha
be forgot The recollection of conquest shall pei
i, ish. The memories Of hard won trophies wi
a linger dmly IN flding tradition, But the memor
n of the true statesman will still survive in the fresh
a ness and fragrance OF eternal youth, and 'eyC
a brighter grow when vlctors' wrGaths and nor
10 archs gems are crumbed into dust"
:, RIGHT REV. BISHOP PISCKSEY.
20 The Right Roy. Bishop Pinckney, of the EpiscC
a. pal Church. yesterday delivered an impressive sci
a, mon ut the Emanuel Church, union,own. His di
\ course was especially directed TO the recent a
70 tempted assassination of His Excellcncy Presider
IN Garfield. The moral lessons 70 be drawn therefor
A. were eOquently depleted and he urged the congr'
nj CATION TO continue In most fcrvcnt prayers for Il
VI recovery of the victim of the would-be assassi
,c and the temporary welfare of his afflicted famil
a. He lilatpd Mt length upon the horoism of MI