Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-07-08
MINISTER'S OF THE GOSPEL AS PoLIr-

ICAL OFFICE-HOLDERS-
10 tae EiQor II iss Rsgiaer.
For Congress Brooke county instructs
for the Rev. VIZ. Pendleton, d. D., the
eminent Campbellite divin !, nov Presidentof
Bethany College.
This suggests the query, so often dis
cussed, Is minister of the gospel, with his
sectarian attachments, suitable person to
represent free people in temporal legis-
latiye body?
Formerly the Virginia constitution con-
tanned a proviso disqualifying ministers
from being elected to the Legislature.
When this question was up for discussion
before the famous Virginia Constitutional
Convention of ls29-30. Mr. Rodney, OF
Dinwiddie. declared there were numerous
reasons which forbade the appearance of
ministers Of the. gospel in the political
arena. 1t was totally inconsistent with
their sacerdotal habits and sentiments; ev-
cry power of their mind ought to be- and ne
believed was, turned in different and oppo-
site directions from temporal legislation"
Mr.. Doddridge, of Brooke, while oppos-
ing the proviso as unnecessary, still an
nounced himself as disappearing the
election of ministers to legislative body"
Mr.. Coalter wished the clergy to remain
what he now believed them to be-he was
against. striking out the proviso. Their
Master had said that His Kingdom was not
of this world; He had commanded His
servants to render unto Caesar the things
which are Caesars, and unto God the
things which are Gods Christ had moth
ing to do with politics, and His servants
ought to have no more to do with them than
He"
Mr.. Moore Samuel McD.), of Rock
bridge, thought that any clergyman who
offered hims IF as candidate for seat in
the legislature showed himself unworthy to
be trusted anywhere. He considered their
habits and studies as totally uniting them
for politics. -,
Mr.. Randolph (Jack, of Roanoke), of
Charlotte, closed the discussion. In the
course of his remarks he said:
Il fearlessly pronounce that the admis-
sion of gentlemen of the cloth into your
legislative halls is ipSo .facto the union of
church and state. Sir, are there no other
considerations which weigh with US in
altering or in keeping the con-
stitutiOn as it is2 They (ministers) are
now excluded. Are there no other consid-
erations? None that every well regulated
mind belonging to the clerical profession
ought of itself to suggest?s have had the
pleasure e y to be acquainted with many
of them; with men of the most unaffected
e /, II 30 nd fol
and who, moreover, were clothed with that
humility which is the Alpha and Omega OF
the Christian character. Yes, sir, its all in
all, and / never knew ore of them who
dared to trust himself in such situation.
Not one, who if such an offer had been
made him, might not justly have said, lead
us not into temptation Sir, what are the
Offices of the clerical body? Do they not
mingle with all classes Of society? and
above all, in the domestic circle? Is not
their influence there paramount to that Of
all others? Is it not their duty to serve
master whose kingdom is not of this void?
As well to reprove as to console?
Figure to yourself, sir, a minister OF the
gospel Of peace, about TO reprove for his s'ps
a man OF wealth and influence in his coup-
ty, having at the same time desire himself
to represent that county. Sir, this is no
exclusion on account of the professions of
any opinions. 1t is an exclusion Of an oc-
cupation; of an occupation incompatible
with the discharge of the duties of mem
Der Of either branch of the Legislature. The
task of legislation is at war with the duties
of the pastor The two are utterly incom
patible. Sir, no man can busy himself in
eectioneering, (and in these times who can
be elected without it?) no man can mingle
in legislative cabals; | say no man can
touch that pitch without being defled. No
man can so employ himse If without being
disqualified for those sacred duties which
every minister of the gaspel takes upon
himself, and for which he is accountable
not to his constituents at home, but to the
God who made him, and who will call him
to a much more rigorous account than that
he renders to his Pensioners.
Sir there is an indecency in this thing.
We have heard much about the exclusion
of the ladies; but there is not greater indie
cency and incompatibiliiy in wOmans
thrusting herself into political assembly
and all its cabals than in clergymans un-
dertaking the same thing"
. If these sentiments were true when ut
tered, they are true to-day Many good
and pious members of both parties indorse
them.
It's significant fact that when the mo-
ton to strike out the proviso was put to the
convention, only twelve out of the ninety
six members of that eminent assemblage Of
Virginia statesmen rose to support it. Can
the Democrats of the First district risk
minister of the Gospel, though he be of emf
nent piety and distinguished intellectually,
as their nominee for Congress?
INQUIRER
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