Selections: Political Action

PoUtinil Creed oj ffiólítÜtiM-i. Vori'. KOR ÑO MAX WHO VGT1ÏS ACiAINST l.lur.KTV2. Nkvkr bk bkiurü y. Í5XPEDÍENOY ■ ro m;(;i,i;ct an opi'uutu.níty voTíng AÖ MN.-.T ei.AYP.KY. 'Iu:itniucli ás ye did it not unto one óf ihf : least of tliese i'ny trotliren, ye did it not unii i me." lf we reully felt ns thon'gti onr incarnu'p ', Soviorwas in felters ut ihe Sonlfi, wo eluuild I tiot ornit improviny an opportonity to voté ! igalnst slavery, llirougl) futir f Ül3cl)lgf:n ■ our polilicnl party, or defeiitin uur frii-qíile : policy ni nspnct to n Sub-'l'redsury, a TarifF, )r a NatiorinI Bank! Cut tfie Savior leus us ]-ti)ci]y ihat when tve omit reüevin tho oast oCiúo brotiiren, ve unit him. And lio tclls us lilcewisc, hat for tliis sin of úmission, vcry many ut llie ast day wíl! be condemned. "Bot thiiy' says llie objector, "U minrrlinjí eligion wit i) polines And re!iLo;i and poliicssiionld alvvays be kept diítüiot." Wbat do yon mean by inm linjj religión wiih politicsT - If yon mean to say ihal religious Becls uvight not to teek spetarian ojjgrancfizemcht, or exclusive ndvuntnged by political luovements-T-that one sectonght not to be estüblished by law to the proscriptio of anotiier eect - tlmt religimi ouht nol Jo be made tbe stalklng horso for sellisíi poliiiciang to ride jntp power upój, tlien you aro correct: and Uicie i notliing m Uie política] acüon proposed by abolrionistf, nor ín ihe rcligiout-motives urgéd in Us tuvo:, whicli íooks hké ;my of tliese tlungs. But if yo mean, lo say thtu poÜtical offairs onght not to be conúuctod occordinp t0 th principies of irue religión, ihen yon say piiuical aíinirs ougiit not lo be cuiiductcd upon the principies ofoqui'y an.l juslice - the principies of honesty and lionor - tlie principies of merey ar.d huiiid.uily - ilie principies uf eternn! trutb and righteoiisncss - t tic principies of equalily nnd human rijihts! For all these principios are nmong llie fundamental principies ol' true religión. Tlie objection, if it nva! anylhing fur tlie purpose for which it iá ndduced, is available for olhor purpo-es of llie sume kind. If it be a good reason, why there ahould bo no poütical aclion against man Htealing, tlien it is a jood reason yfhy there shnu'd be no polilicnl aciion agamsl horse-steahng. The argument runs thus: Religión forbuls ull thefc. And "leügion must nol be n.ingled with politics." Therefore we must not vote again t thefi! Reüginn furbidd ndullery. And "religión must nol be mmgled with politics." Therefore we must cot volé for kws against adu] terv !Religión forbids gambling. And "religión must not be mingled wilh poüf'cs." Thefeforu we musí not vote Jor lavvs aainst gainbiing! Rsligio:i forbidd perj'iry, bribe ry, arson, pi racy, murder, and high treason. Arjd "religión must not be mingled wilh poltlics."' - Flierefure we must nat vota f'ur laws Rgairját ! perjury, biibcry, arson. pirucy, tnurder and high Ireaj-üii. Religión forbids slavery; in olher words il forbids t heft, robbei y, mnn-slealing, piracy, ndultery and nmrdcr. For tlavery consisls of these, nnd is ":he surn of all vtllninies.' lint 'religión must not be minglcd"with politics!'" Thcrefore we mu&t vote for no laws .-igainst slavery! Religión forbids the enslavement of tiio white laborera of ti;e North, for (hé same resson tlmt it forbids tbu enslavenient of the colorad laborers at thr. Souih. Uut ''religión musí not be mingled willi politics.' And so if !awg sIiodIo he mode to ens!av them, (nccordiiig to he prediction pf M'Duffit') we must not vote for lawa lo eíiiancip;ite U;h white liiborers of the Nortli! If the doctrine of the ol.jecti'in bc worth anyihing at all, for the purposo tbr whish it is adduced, then it is as good in the caso of ulule t-!avc as it is bl tho case of colored ones. Uut who beliév'ea one word of tiiis 'ogic wlien npplied to white peijle? No ono. And therefore, no one in his senses, cm believe it vhn ap piied to the cafe of o'.her poople. T.'ie notion that men rnu-t not act accordinoto the principies of icligion in poütical affairs, is the sRine, in subslance, wilh tfin! which hypocriles act upon wlio mike irreal profeísions of religión, bnt nver let religión mingle itself wiMi their socuiar afla.rs so uiucb as to be iroverned by pnuciulis of Imnnsty. jnstico ant! nierr-y, in their de&Iing's wi'.b ti:e;r fellow iiisn! Whn woulJ nt J:pie such u religión as liiit? Let the objectur !;imselfbe pointod to a profe.-sor of religión who is nororiously ilishonest in ail UU dwiHoga wilh hte ncighbor?, dUKönéSt in his policical nianngeinput, dUlioneit in lus politica! pró(WJiiüi)f, di.shoncst in his political promiáe, and w!ia'. would ho say? Wou!d he èxiuèe i' nll because religión ''inuál nol be niingled with p-jlitic?' No. lie would iiiterly condeom the man who could tftilfi by aM(ie dis religión when nttendmg lo iNe concerns of politici - He would brnr.cl him as a liypocrite, (ft oüco, becani-ñ his iciiyioii ihi not control and govern his poliiics. And'ho would judge i'ightTo mingla icligion wiffa politici, nu abolitioniíts propone, is noilnng mure nor lees tiian being goyerned by the puro principleí o.nnrality and reli;ioi', of honosty and justice. and ncting from motivos of disinteresied good wil] to man, and obedrence to God, in all nur political conduct. What honeet man would object to this? And ho bui knaves and designmg men will be troubled bccauso rcligioo is thusminjled with poü;ica.