ELECTION OF CHAPLAINS. (Beebe) 1839

 ELECTION OF CHAPLAINS.

Please insert the following judicious extract of a letter from one of the Washington Letter Writers. The conduct of some of the Ministers who were candidates for the Chaplaincy cannot be too highly reprobated. Such a prostitution of things holy should be discountenanced by a moral community. The writer of the subjoined gives a merited hit at one of the offenders, over the shoulders of his clerical brother.

‘As I was proceeding to the Capitol to take my seat once more, on the “stool of repentance,” which the Speaker has assigned me, I was accosted by a gentleman, with ‘good morning, sir; it is a very dusty day.’ I admitted the fact. ‘The city is somewhat disagreeable at this time!’ Precisely so. You elect your Chaplain today! Yes, sir. What State do you come from, sir, if I may be so bold? From the State of Massachusetts. Indeed, sir! The clergy from your State has a high reputation for talent! I am not at liberty to respond to that, sir: if I replied in the affirmative, I should be guilty of gross egotism. Excuse me, sir; I am a candid, plain man, unacquainted with flattery, and above deceit. I do not doubt the fact, sir. By the bye, sir, may I be permitted to enquire if you are committed on the subject of the Chaplaincy? I am not, sir. Mr. Cushing from your State has said that he will probably give me his vote! He is an able man, is he not, sir? Yes, sir. Mr. Cushing, as a man of talent and education, has but few equals and no superiors in this country. Well, sir, may I be allowed to ask you for your vote! Certainly, sir. Can I depend upon it? Undoubtedly. Thank you, sir; I think that our Methodist friends have monopolized the office long enough. Such may be the fact, sir. The Rev. Mr. Slicer was elected as a parson by the Senate. He is a violent loco foco, and was the means of getting the Rev. Mr. Fox of New Jersey, on the loco foco ticket of that state; and in fact was the author of all the difficulties that ensued! Ah! Sir! I was not aware of all those important facts! Were you not, indeed! Why, I thought that everybody knew them. I suppose, sir, from your appearance, you are a professing Christian! I am, sir. Of what denomination, sir? The Paedo-Baptist. Ah, indeed! I always had a near fellowship for the Baptists; I, sir, am of the —— Church; that denomination has never had a Chaplain in Congress. I am no politician, but am an anti-Mason. I, am a mason, but that will not deter me from doing justice to a good man. O, sir, I am not a proscriptionist anti-Mason; I think there are many good men among the Masonic order! I believe such to be the fact, and admire your liberality! Thank you; then I may depend upon your vote! Yes, sir, you shall have my vote, and all the influence I possess. Having arrived at the steps of the Capitol, I left the pious clerical office-hunter, knowing about as much of my individuality, place of home-residence, and the exact relations I hold to Congress, as he did the day before he came into this breathing world—He will have my vote.’

Another Washington Letter Writer says:—

‘Tomorrow is set apart for the election of a Chaplain for each branch of Congress, and as only forty-one disinterested gentlemen are at this hour registered as candidates for the holy office of spiritual guide to the impenitent and incorruptible, it looks as if we should have a very short election.

No man, who has a proper regard for that religion which alone can console us in the hour of sickness and of sorrow, and light the dark passage to the tomb, could be willing to see the national councils deprived of the instruction which a pious Chaplain always will impart, and when I reflect on this, I am cheered by the acknowledged fact, that forty-one disinterested and holy men should be induced to come to Washington for the purpose,—for the sole and pious purpose of winning sinners to salvation.

I do not believe that it ever occurred to one of the candidates that a Congressional Chaplain gets seven hundred hard dollars for praying once in twenty-four hours for the health, happiness, and glory of the American Congress, and therefore their pious labors of love should be appreciated and lauded by every saint dwelling between Nova Scotia and Japan. What encomiums would be deemed too strong to be awarded to the man who could be induced by patriotism and the love of souls, to abandon his own little flock to the buffetings of Beelzebub, and, after, having pocketed a year’s salary, start for Washington to spend a winter to save the souls of Congress, at the pitiful rate of two hundred and thirty nine dollars the month. Such disinterested devotion to the cause of religion is entitled to all praise!’—Alex. Gazette.

REMARKS.

The above extracts present a striking comment on the constitutional provision of our government for the support of a form of popery, which, when viewed in its most favorable light, is a gross burlesque upon the very name of religion.

From the time that Micah, the thief who stole his mother’s money, hired the young struggling Levite for the stipulated salary of Ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and his victuals, (see Judges xvii. 10,) to be his priest or chaplain, to the present day, the fashion of chaplains has prevailed in the kingdom of Satan.—Old Ahab and his wife Jezebel had also hundreds of chaplains supported on government pap. The pagan world has ever been famous in making legislative provisions for their priesthood; and the sable shades of papal superstition were remarkable for the number of popish chaplains for their legislative halls, and also for their armies, navies, families, etc. And finally, the States of our great Republic, jointly and severally, have gone into the same heathenish practice! They also must have their chaplains to keep off the witches! Congress has patronized almost every description of religious sects, but we seriously doubt whether they have ever employed a minister of Jesus Christ. The greedy wolves of antichrist, of course, monopolize the business; for the Lord’s ministers’ hearts and hands are fully occupied in feeding the flock of God over which the Holy Ghost has made them overseers.

The New York State Legislature, a few years since, abolished this anti-democratic provision for chaplains, and invited the professed ministers of the gospel, in Albany, to visit them as formerly and pray for them, and trust, for remuneration for their prayers, to private contributions of the members; but the pious clergy held a council on the subject, and unitedly refused to comply with the invitation. All true christians will pray for their rulers, and for their country, in their closets, in their pulpits, or even, if necessary, in the legislative halls, without fee or reward.