The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-30
RELIGIOUS READING.
SHOULD cLERaYMES 90 INTO POLITICS.

SHOULD CLERaYMES 60 INTO POLITICS.
The Boston Globe recently printed a SYM
postum on the above subject. Hon. Elijah A.
Morse, NJ. c., from Massachusetts, In discuss.
ing the question said: IF by that you mean
should they take an active interest in public
affairs, should they speak and preach upon
great moral issues which are under consider
alton by the sa ate legislature or by Congress,
should they attend the caucuses and go to
the polls and vote? 1unswer most certainly
yes.
Surely the watchman on the walls of Zion
should love his country. should love his flag,
should be jealous of her honor. should desire
her prosperity and advancement. And GER
tainly when great moral issues are at stake,
as they very often are in state and national
legislation, he should not fail to initiate the
prophet OF Israel. and lift up his voice like
trumphet and cry aloud and spare not.
During our revolutionary struggle, when
the whole country was in dire distress, and
when the people made great sacrifice, no
men were more interested in our political
welfare, and in the success of the American
arms, or had more to do with shaping the
policy and destiny OF the young republic
than the clergymen Of New England.
In the early history of New England the
minister Of the town or city was the adviser
and councillor in al the affairs OF the people.
And it was the practice Of the legislature.
which was continued down to recent time,
before entering upon their duties to so to the
house of God and hear what was known as
the election sermon. And on that occasion
the legislator learned from the man Of God
to legislate in his fear, and that all political
and human laws should be based on divine
commands.
And who shall say that Massachusetts, the
mother OF states, does not owe her preemi-
nence and her wise and just laws to the politl.
cal influence OF her clergy.
And in our later history. during the great
struggle for the union, which resulted in the
overthrow of slavery, the adoption OF the
amendments to the constitution guaranteeing
civil rights, the clery of the country bore no
mean or unimportant part
On the other hand, ii your question asks,
shall the clergyman go on the stump during
political campaigns. and discuss the tariff
and finance and purely business questions
I should say no. He had better leave that
field to public men known as politicians.
In short, the pulpit and the clergy are not
supposed to have to do directly with candi-
dates and with business questions. The
Clergyman parishioners are divided on these
questions, and he cannot take sides on them
without giving offense, resulting In division
and discord In the church. But on great
moral questions, like antl-slaVery,t temperance
Mormonist, anti-lottery, laws regulating
marriage and divorce, the defense
of the free unsecretarian public schools,
laws for the protection OF chas-
tity, for the suppression of gambling and
lotteries, laws to promote the settlement OF
disputes by arbitration, the enforcement OF
law and order, showing respect for and en-
couraging public officials in the discharge OF
their duties on all these questions the pulpit
and the man Of God can and should speak
with no uncertain sound.