The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-03-12
A QUEER POSITION.

The Abbeville Press and Banner, in an
editorial article headed "Should Kiln
Dried Deacons become Jadgss'" among
other things, says:
"On the ground that preachers or min
listers of the gospel are excused from
many of the public duties which ordina.
rily befall the good citizen, Ne think
intensely pious church deacons should
not be called upon to execute the laws OF
the country. Their lives no doubt beau
tiful and strict in their daily walk, is to
be admitted, aud their examples are ever
to be regarded, but when it comes to
placing them on the Bench to dispense
Justice between the State and sinner, the
saint and the wayward, we submit that
the intensity of their religious convic.-
tions must sway their judgment: and
make it next to impossible to hold the
scales in exact equipose., Their religion
cannot be forgotten, and under the super,
stitious belief that the Lord will reward
them for bearing down heavily upon the
sinner, they too often are excessive in
the punishment Of those who have
offended their Lord-apparently forget
ting that to Him only belongs vengeance.
We ask the reader To observe the rulings
of our Courts, and if the sentences and
acts of intensely pious Judges are not
more cruel and more dispropnrtioned to
the grimes than those of Judges whose
religion is only Of mild type then we
are mistaken. We say then that in-
tensely pious men, and kiln dried dea-
cons are and should be disqualified from
holding judicial positions, where saint
and sinner: may be compelled to apply
|; for equal and exact justice. We hope
our legislators may hereafter, exclude
from the Bench all such men as have
sought high position in the church, or
are ianatically religious. In ouropinion
their very enthusiasm on the subject
must at least to some extent iDcapacitate
them from q proper discharge of the
high and important trust. Let the
Church and the State forever remain
separate. Let politicians fill the offices
of the State, and let Christians 6ll the
Offices of Church. AS we'll ask a politi-
clan to fllthe Office of Church as to ask
the fanatically religious christian to fill
the Office of State. Let the Offices re-:
main separate and distinct, as we'll in
fact as in name. :.
The religion Of our brother of the
Press and Banner must be ola peculiar
kind, if it does not promote merciful
pity for the wayward and erring, and
teach hin the beauties Of justice and
forgiveness. No real Christian can be
otherwise than considerate and merciful
in the discharge of every duty in life,
and these qualities become conspicuous
lin proportion to the sincerity of their
piety. OF all the Offices, either in
Church or State, there is none in which
the real Christian man, is. needed 80
much as in the position of a Judge,
whose duty it is to hold the scales of
justice with equal hand. He has in .
large measure the control of the rights
Of person and Of property, and it is im.
possible to conceive that religion units
man for the proper exercise Of these
duties. In our opinion, the welfare of
the country would be promoted by the
elevation of none but pious, Christian
men, to stations of public power, and
therefore We take the opposite view of
this matter from the one presented by
the Press and Banner. The most dis.
tinguished Judges our State has ever had
were protesting Christians, and the State
has never yet had occasion to regret
committing any public trust to Christian
men. This does not lead to an estab.
lished church, which we agree would. be
much to be.deplored. In fact, it would
be subversive of otr- government, but it
would lead to having our government
directed by God fearing and God serving