RELIGION AND POLITICS

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 2, 1856

RELIGION AND POLITICS.

THE following sad picture of the part which nominal religion is acting in our days, is presented by the Presbyterian Herald.

"There seems never to have been a time in the history of our country when questions of religious and political science were so mingled together as at the present. When we open a paper it is often hard to tell at the first glance whether it is a political or religious journal. In all parts of our land, but especially in the northern portions, the platform and the stump give excited utterance to theological dogmas while the pulpit thunders forth political harangues. To what all this will grow we have not the prophetic ken by which we might foretell. But in the midst of all the commotion and confusion we can see one lamentable reversal of the order of matters and the order of truth. Christians, supposing they are carrying their religion into the sphere of their earthly interests, are in fact bringing their politics and worldly matters into the serene and elevated sphere of their religion. This is a course as unnatural and irrational as it is disastrous to the best interests of humanity.

"Religion is a pure, heaven-born maid, of noble mien and serene countenance. She stands upon a lofty elevation of truth and goodness and love; and thence she surveys with tender interest the scenes of turmoil and strife, of sin, and woe which human affairs present to her pitying gaze. From her height, whence she beholds at one glance the whole of the confused and troubled sea, she interposes with gentleness and love, she reaches forth her hand to soothe and calm, to restrain and guide. She brings order out of confusion, turns wrath and strife to peace and love, and sheds a benign and heavenly influence over the raging and tossing sea of human passions.

"In her closest mingling with the world and its conflicts, she still maintains her own elevation, and keeps her garments all unspotted from the contact. She is in the world, yet not of it. She lives and moves and works a mighty work of love in the very midst of the world's commotion. Yet is she above the world with all her aspirations toward heaven and eternity.

"Such is the position of religion, and such her relation to politics and all other earthly things. But of late we have seen her descend into the heated arena, lose herself in the surging and tossing crowd, and when next she emerges, or rather, when her position is again occupied, 'tis no longer herself, but a drunken drab, wild with excitement, raves and retches and belches forth words of strife and scorn, bloodshed and bitterness, adding fuel to the flames of hatred and envy, and mocking heaven with daring blasphemy—essaying even to wield the thunders of Jehovah. When such a scene meets our troubled vision, we cry, Surely religion has been trodden in the streets, truth and righteousness lie bleeding in the dust. Alas alas! has she perished forever? Shall we never more behold her beauty and feel her sweet attractions? Yes, she shall yet come forth. Religion is of heavenly birth; she is immortal as the days of Jehovah. God, her author, lives and reigns, and this is our comfort in these days of darkness, that the Lord reigneth. The earth may therefore rejoice, and the multitudes of the isles be glad thereof."