River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-07-10
The Pulpit and the Bar.
JOEL swARTZ, D. D.

Christian pulpit is never to discuss
partisan politics. This law has been
enacted by the Legislature of public
opinion, and is as tacitly and obedi-
emily accepted by the minister of the
Word as if affirmed by thus saith
the Lord. And yet text of this
import, with such high sanction, is
nowhere to be found. What is the
basis upon which this demand is SO
imperatively made and so unques-
t1onably accepted by the pulpit?
These two are the postulates:
l. Partisan politics is not the Cos
pei, and the minister must preach
the gospel. "Thereunto he is sent. {"
2. The people are divided on par
tisan politics. The very term i'm
plies that. If he shall discuss their
divisions he must expect to engen-
der strifes, and 1.-THE servant of the
Lord must not strive"
Additional to these two reasons an
other is given, not in the nature of a
principle, but of pleasure, viz: 1--WE,
the people, are vexed with politics
all the week, and want Sunday for
rest. We do not go to hear ser
mon for agitation, but for quiet"
Is there not here a mixture of
truth and error-a peace, peace,
where there is no peace? The true
part is, as assumed, Cd that a min
lister is preacher of righteousness,
of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and
not a secular orator, discussing
questions of mere temporal and ma
terial interest; CD that the preacher
is messenger of peace and good
will to all men, and not a strife
engendering polemic, doting about
questions which edify not. These
things are we'll understood, and the
law, written and unwritten, which
ed and duly reverenced.
But this law has it's limitations
and like other law is good, IF a
man use it lawfully" But suppose
a law of God is made party ques-
ton, how then? Suppose on the
question of Mormon po1ygamy, the
1egalization of Louisiana lottery, the
observance of the civil Sabbath, the
licensing of prostitution, of the sa-
loon, men were to array themselves
into two political parties, and stalk
ing their fortunes and lives on the
success or failure of the issues thus
raised, is the pulpit doomed TO ST.
lenee on these questions, because,
forsooth, they have become parti-
san? Suppose, further, it were to
become a party question as to
whether the pulpit itself ought not
to be suppressed. On the theory
that the pulpit is TO remain abso-
1utely non-partisan, it would be de-
MED the poor right of pleading, even
for it's own existence. Surely such
a theory of non-partisanship must
be absurd. If this extreme cannot
be allowed, where is the limit?
During the amendment campaign
in Pennsylvania we learned from a
number of clergymen the doctrine
that the pulpit has nothing to do
with questions of mere morality"
This profound and original teach
ing was much insisted upon in a
document circulated by the Liquor
League as being the word of an emf
nent preacher, and thus put forth,
it was promptly accepted by many
clergymen, some of them in high
repute for learning and e1oquence.
If this is so, then, of course, it fol-
lows that in the cases supposed
above the pulpit must remain silent.
Are we then TO accept the inevitable
conclusion that the gospel has
nothing to do with morality, and
that to believe and obey it men need
have no concern for their morals?
That is antinomianism with a
vengeance. Society and the church
could afford to let such pulpits re-
main silent on all questions.
1t is all folly to suppose that the
pulpit is to be bounded and fettered
by such varying and artificial limi-
tations as those of political parti-
sanship. The true limit is fixed by
the eternal principles of right and
wrong, of sin and righteousness, of
truth and falsehood. And he who
does not know that sin Is sin under
a political cloak as we'll as in the
devil himself, Is not well versed in
the ethics of the Word, And he
who for prudential or personal rea-
sons will not denounce it in the one
case as in the other, is wanting in
the highest moral courage. 1t is
about time we were done with the |
namby-pamby sentimentalism that
the pulpit must be non-partisan in
every case and under all circum-