Year: 1862

much of the responsibility for the present


depiorab condition of tie country bell ny
Ell to tue churches. or rather tc political


priests who otficiate at the aItars Of some


OF the churches, it would slartle and alarm


the Christian world. The political dog


mas lnstilled into the minds of adults, and


children especially, from the pulpit have


produced revolution in public sentiment


which has resulted in the clash Of arms, a


broken Union and ruined people Men


clothed in clerical robes, have from week


to week poured the poisonous oil of Sec


tionalism into the minds of their hearers.


until they have uncaged the 6ercest and


most vindictive passions, and turned loose


upon the land conscciences educated to


blgotry and sectionaism. They tear men


as the devils of old did. They are roaring


lions going about seeking whome they


may devour. We say if the part PLAYED


by political priests in bringing about the


ruin which has befalen our beloved coun.


try, could be drawn truly and faithfully it


would startle those profaners of Gods sa-


cred desk, and cause them to shrink back


in horror at the work of their own hands


They have forgotten the Holy calling to


which they aspire. Instead of preaching


Christ and him crucified. as they are in


structed to do by their divine Master, they


are continually dabbling in the dirty polit


ical pool, until they have brought re


proach upon religion and destruction upon


the country. Many of them have no


doubt mistaken fanaticism for conviction
of duty, while others have been prompted


by sinister motives. Indeed. so far has


this evil progressed and so fearful are its


results upon the popular minds, in some


portions Of the country, that it is almost


dangerous for minister Of the Gospel TO


pursue his Legitimate calling. confning


himself strictly thereto. The populace de


mand that he shall make kna yn his politi


cal sentiments; his congreg lion requires


that he should enunciate those sentiments


from the sacred desk. If his opinions co


incide with theirs, and he expresses
them freely. they are content. If OH the
other hand, he dsagrees with them. they
dismiss him without ceremony or refuse
TO hear him preach. If this convictions
of duty teach him to be silent. regarding
his political opinions as his own private
property. to make display of which
would initiate with his mission, he is
suspected of disloyalty and demand IS
made for a confession or resignation


Ii he proclaims that his calling is to preach
the Gospel and to abstain from all secular
affairs, in imitation of Him who declared
his mission Was not of this world, he is
branded AS traitor or something worse by
fanatics. while these remarks are appli.
cable TO ministers of many of the churches.
we do but justice when we say there are
other churches comparatively free from
this great and fatal error There are also
good and pious men, occupying pupits OF
churches most afflicted with this plague, /
who have not forgotten their duty. and
who have steadfastiy set their faces
against it. Occasionally one Of these
pious men have the mar illness to rebuke |
their erring brethren and to hold up a
mirror before them that they may wit
ness their own deformiiy. The Rev. DR..
n. L. Rice. a distinguished divine of the
Old, School Presbyterian Church, has re
Gently delivered cermon on THE Pull
pit; it's relations to our National Crisis"
An excellent extract from which we find In
the Church Journal. AS his extract
truthfully portrays the terrible effects of
the course of folly which has been persist
ingly pursued, and the decentralization.
which accompanies tpem, we invite the
special attention of the reader to it:


'lfany:hing could be surprising. in such
a day as this, it would be-that principle
so manifestly true and Scriptural-princi-
pie admitted and asserted by the ablest
theological writers for three hudred years,
have met with an almost universal con-
lemnation by the religious Press. Why,
it was only the other day that saw. in
one of orr religious papers. the plain denial
that any line can be drawn between the
secular and the spiritual. Well. if Chris
tan ministers hold an Office without metes
and bounds, they may preach on all sub
ects. and ought to understand hem all
But the idea is absurd. No civil govern
ment could exist, if the functions of the
different Offices were not detuec and limi-
ed The ministerial office exerts on the
of man a wider influence than
any other. and as. within it's legitimate
sphere, it is an iuestimable blessing, 80
when prevented. it Is fearfully mischiev-