attend to the interests of the souls of men,
and to cultivate the religions information and
knowledge and feeling of the people. He is
empowered lo use every faculty of his mind
and soul in the service of a Master whose
kingdom is not of this world. His duties are
exactly the opposite of those of a secular
character. His interests, his object, his
avowed purpose, the solemn obligation as-
sumed by him when he takes his vows; his
first duty is to contend against the world, as
well as the flesh and the devil. Now, I ask if
any one legitimate purpose for which a man
goes to the altar, and there solemnly by his
vows devotes himself exclusively to the ser-
vice of his God, and the salvation of the souls
of his fellowmen—I ask if one single purpose,
one solitary object, one possible end, to which
that vow and that devotion of his life com-
mits him, is accomplished by his becoming a
politician? The great business of his life is
to serve his Master, by extending the interest
of His kingdom to sinners. Does be accom-
plish that by quitting the field of this labor,
and engaging in the strifes which will neces-
sarily, not which may, accompany the posi-
tion of a politician? I think no man can
answer that question affirmatively.
And when, on the contrary, I ask, does not
the engaging in politics go to deteat every
object of his existence as a minister, go to
counteract every purpose to which he pro-
fesses to devote himself and his whole life;
does not an entry into politics necessarily
defeat to that extent every object which he
has thus promised to make the great object
of his life, what must be the answer? In the
first place what is he to do? He has to electioneer
for the place. I am not to be told
that he may or may not do it. We are to
take men precisely as we find them. A min-
ister of the gospel, when he lays aside his
ministerial character, is neither more nor less
than any other individual in society. When
he cease's to act in his character of minister
he becomes a common citizen,
I cannot now refer to the page of the re-
ports of the last Convention; but I had the
honor then to express my views on this sub-
ject. There was a minister from Baltimore
county, a highly respectable citizen, who sate
immediately in front of me. Immediately
alongside of him sate one of his co-delegates.
I allowed myself to make a little fancy sketch
of the clergyman and the layman going about
the district in an open buggy, with a bottle
of whiskey with them; the minister to talk
with the wives and children, while the lay-
man did the necessary politics with the bus-
bands and fathers. The morning afterwards
I had occasion to call at the room of the
minister, where I found some eight or ten
gentlemen assembled. As soon as the door
was opened I was met with the exclamation—
"Why, here he is now," showing; that they
had been talking about me. I did not un- |
derstand what was meant, and asked what
was the matter. One of them—Mr. Buchan-
an—came up tome and said—"Judge, did
anybody tell you about the minister and my-
self going about the county electioneering ?"
I said---"No." "Why," said he, "if you
had been present you could not have given a
more accurate description of what passed;
we thought somebody had told you the whole
story." Now, is not that a sad predicament
for a minister to be placed in ?
There would not be one instance in a
thousand when his clerical character would
not be lost sight of. A minister of the gos-
pel should live a life of purity, holiness, de-
votion to his duty, disregarding all secular
considerations, all collisions of sentiment, all
acts of engaging in politics; be can have
some other duty or employment, provided it
does not operate against the interest of his
flock. No time, occasion, or necessity should,
in his view, compare with the interests of
immortal souls intrusted to his care, and for
which he is accountable before God, for
which he must account at the great day, if
they are lost because he did not attend to
them, while he was devoting himself to other
matters. Aminister thus entitles himself to
respect, and will be respected everywhere.
But when he forgets his vocation and devotes
his time and attention to other matters, be
cannot but expect the natural consequence
to be that which awaits every man who mis-
employs his time and talents, and devotes
them to illegitimate purposes.
There are other considerations, however.
This is not the only thing a minister is re-
strained from. You restrain ministers from
receiving donations, because they have an
influence which other people have not; an
influence which they ought to have, not for
political purposes, but which controls the
minds and judgments and feelings of men.
I have no doubt at all the gentleman I al-
luded to in the last Convention had not been
in the county more than a year or so, and
yet he was the first man on the poll. Of
course every man that belonged to his church
voted for him. This influence necessarily
attached to him on account of his profession,
not in consequence of his political opinions
or capability.
There are, therefore, various objections to
striking out this provision. And unless I
perceive a feeling to second the very unreason-
able proposition of my friend from Baltimore
(Mr. Daniel,) I will decline for the present to
say more upon the subject, I have expressed
my views at large on another occasion, and
do not deem it necessary to repeat them now.
The reasons are so numerous and so palpable
that I deem it unnecessary to enlarge upon
the subject.
Mr. STIRLING. When this matter was un-
der consideration in the Committee upon the
Legislative Department, I was in favor of |
