The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-07-26
SERMONS ON THE STRIKE.

The Eastern papers, which have been
held back here and there en- route by the
interruption of railroad traffic, and are
now coming to hand in great bundles, are
full of sermons by clergymen of various
sects on the strike. 1t has always been
the fashion in this country for divines to
use current events as themes for dlscourses
to their congregations. The practice is
peculiarly American. 1t is not followed
largely in any other country, unless, per-
haps, it be Scotland. In most Protestant
countries it is regarded as improper TO de-
vote to mere sublunary and evanescent
controversies a period which should be
consecrated to hopes of eternal salvation.
The rule of the Catholic church reaches
the same end by a different road. Bishops
generally warn their rectOrs and curates
not to invade the field of secular politics
Their views are entertained by many per-
sons of all faiths in the United States, but
still large class insist on having the sub
ject which is nearest their heart treated in
their favorite pulpit.
1t is QuestiO enable whether anything Is
gained by the practice, either for politics
or for religion. or for sound social doc
triDe; but it prevails nevertheless, and
shows no sign Of going out of fashion.
Before the Civil War the divines of New
England. where religion always was liv-
ing force, took on their shoulders large
share of the business OF firing the Northern
heart against slavery, while at the South,
where religion is quite as general as any
where at the North, the clergy preached in
season and out of season on the divine
origin of human bondage, and demon
strated that an institution which had -four
ished in the time of Abraham and David
under theocratic government could not
be blameworthy to-day. So to-day avery
possible shade and color OF opinion on the
"Western strike" has found expression in
some Eastern pulpit.
The thing is the more curious as the
clergy are not specially fitted by education
and habits OF thought TO form sound judg-
ments on passing secular events. Clergy
men are not taught politics or social
science: in their schooling theology super
sedes everything else. From the habit of
Speaking without fear of being answered.
clergymen are liable to acquire loose and
illogical way of reasoning They take no
risk when putting forth statements which
a lawyer would not venture to utter, be-
cause be would dread the reply which
they would provoke. A popular preacher
may utter almost anything that comes into
his head, because his congregation will not
Join issue with him through respect for
his cloth. His normal unftness to deal
with class of subjects which are outside
of his pale, coupled with the infirmity Of
Judgment which is surely to follow undis-
puted argument, detracts from the value
his opinions may derive from his natural
truthfulness and his desire to do right. and
yet it is not to be questioned that, because
he is a clergyman, his utterances will
carry more weight than those of layman
The anomaly led TO something like Il
scandal in Chicago church the other day.
One of the most eloquent divines Of that
city delivered a sermon on the strike. As
he closed, one of his congregation, who is
a member in good standing of the same
church, rose, walked into the pulpit and
challenged the minister to demonstrate the
truth OF statements he had made in his
sermon. The reverend gentleman on a
point of theology would have crushed his
ouestioner to the wall, but of the facts
he had to creep out OF a very small hole
indeed. He had been betrayed by bis
ardent love of peace into talking about
things he did not understand, and the
Philistne had him on the hip.
The gain which the cause of truth de-
rives from the Intervention of the
churches In secular cOntrovei sizes bears no
proportion to the mischief that is done by
lowering the authority of ministers of the
gospel who mix in debates for which they
are not properly equipped. 1t is far bet
ter that religion and politics should be kept
apart. With his home!y wit and sturdy
common-sense Mr.. Lincoln expressed the
philosophy of the thing in a sentence
THE minister of my church." said he,
'prays for the success of the Union arms
and adjures the Almighty 10 protect the
Army of the Potomac, while the minister
of Mr.. Davis church, who is just as pious
| divine, prays for the success of the Con-
federate arms and adiures the Almieh ty
to give victory to the Army of Virginia
How is God going to answer both
prayers?"