Year: 1860

JnOB tnelr estate. 80 minister has no
right to preach politics, but only the gospel
in its application to political action. Take
the great political question OF the day, for
example, Slavery. The minister has no
right TO discuss in the pulpit the question
OF its relation to the Constitution of the
United States Of America whether the
Constitution recognizes it at oil or not ;
whether II carries it without legislative en-
actment into the territories or not whether
1t requires the present fugitive slave law or
not whether it sanctions the existing de.
csions Of the courts or not whether this
or that political measure is the truest ex.
ponent Of the Constitution. Neither is he
to discuss the financial bearings Of the in
stitution, nor to decide whether this mea.
sure or that accords with sound statesman
ship. or two political measures, both
claiming to be 10 the interest of freedom,
he is not to say which is expedient or which
true craftsmanship requires He is not to
expound the constitution, nor Jurisprudence
nor political economy, nor craftsmanship in
its application to the subject. That would
be preaching politics He is simply to ex.
pound the Bible in its application to the
subject he is to apply to the subject the
principles Of the gospel as it teaches. Love
thy neighbor as thyself" Garry out the
principles OF justice and equality to the
slaves keep buck no mans money and the
liberty. This is preaching the gospel in its
application to politics. When any action
of an individual, a party, or the govern
ment, when any course Of measures or any
existing institution overrates Gods law. de.
bAuches the public conscience, justifies and
strengthens oppression, then the minister
must proclaim these eternal principles as
the condemnation Of such action or iustitu-
tion. In doing this he makes no descent
to the level of party strife His stand is
still fast by the throne of God, his position
is still amid the light of eternity; his utter
ance is still the utterance of Gods word (;
he brings Gods law down on political acts
and causes the light Of eternity TO fash on
measures conceived in forgetfulness of God
and of responsibility to him. Identified
with no party, acknowledging allegiance to
no caucus or convention, he deals simply
with the truth Of God ; he recalls men i'm.
mersed in wordlineSs or maddened by am.
bitiou to remember their accountability to
q higher than earthly potentates he vIndi.
Gates Gods law he pleads for the weak
whom the mighty are ready to trampIe as
mire he pleads in the name Of God the
Judge of the poor, for the ensaved to whom
human law denies voice to plead for them
selves he pleads in behalf of the victims
of intemperance that they may be protect.
ed from unnecessary temptation; be pleads
for truth, and right and mercy; and before
people whose heart goeth after their
covetousneSs, who are occupied with mater.
ial good, he holds up the self.reuouncing law
of Christ the greater interests Of the world
unseen, the law, the redemption, the judg-
ment of the Eternal. Unworthy every
man to be called o christian minister whose
voice never pleads for the weak and the op
pressed against the strong, and never in the
lapse Of years quickens the conscience of a
hearer by any word that reminds him of his
political duties and his political sins. Who
breaches politics? Not the man who pro-
claims Gods truth, the same whether politi'
clans smile or frown he breaches the gos
pei, the same yesterday, to-day and forever
Who breaches politicsH 1t is he who
breaches when politicians bid, and is silent
when they forbid, and so echoes in his pull
pit incessant changes of political platforms


! have quoted the words Of Burke; Nc
sound ought to be heard in the church but
the healing VOICE of Christian charity
Surely the church is q place where ont
days truce ought to be allowed to the dis
sensions and animosites of mankind Ger
tanly in the church the animosity Of politi
cal strife is allowed no place there an har
angue conceived in the spirit Of party strife
and from the point Of worldly maxims ant
expedients is offensive and intolerable
Certainly the house of God should Away


lift us above the world the spirit of tn,
place should always hush the turbulence o
worldly passion, open the vista of eternity
breath around as the soothing influences o
heaven, pour on us the quickening aud en-
nobling thought of God and of his redeem
ing love. But it is a mistake that the gos
pei can be preached to an assembly Of sin
ners and produce no disturbing effect (;


mistake that the gospel preached is proves
to be pure by the very fact that it neve
disquets the Plaeidity of the hearers ;


mistake to suppose that the great interest
which agitatel the whole community au
arouse the stormiest passions during tn
week are to be quietly dropped out of a


notice in the house of God. We brin


thilher the ca es, the sorrows, the works
all the passionate interests of the week, t
lift them also into the light Of Gods love
n to see how our actions and our motive
look in that eternal light, to find quicker
ing guidance, strength, to meet again tn


struggle of life with more purity, more 81


renty, more love to man and more fdellt


to God.


once read a sermon published by an e.
centric minister, of which the text was,-
"NorHING." There Is some reason to col
lecture that this is extensively supposed
he the most appropriate text for sermons
that he is likely to be the most popult
. preacher who can best succeed in intereS
ing his audience and yet preach nothing
: But the words of preacher are not LII
blossoms breathing perishable sweets" b'
: "a two edged sword, ""a FIRE, and "a ban


mer that breaketh a rock in pieces"


} Another objection urged by Mr.: BurE
. is the ignorance of ministers. This is
very old and very common objection; Eve