Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-12-19
Preaching Politics.

1ho Rev. i. A. Beard hands No the follow
Ing reply 70 IN item which appeared in these
.eolunns last week. copied from The Little
Falls Transcript. 1t was our intentio n. in
quoting tho item, to reply to it editorisl'y, but
it was overlooked. 49, ,.E'.H
From an item in tho Tribune Of last week
taken frorh the Little Falls Transcript some
may wonder what should occasion such mon
ton. The item says: "Rev. R. A. Beard,
of Bfainerd, delivered political speech in tho
Congregational church in this village last Sun
day forenoon, md extolled the prominent mon
and measures of the Republican party in .
manner that excited intense enthusiasm among
the Republicans in his audience" Tho "po-
liticaI speech which am represented as de-
livering was sermon, Is had s"pposed. It
was the one which ''delivered" in this place
on Thanksgiving day. i.
In this ''political speech" endeavorsd to
recount God's blessings to us during the past
year, both as Nation and a. individuals.
And among the many things which recalled
as worthy to increase our gratitude to God, I
incidentally referred to two or thrce Of tho
most important commendabfeS political meas
ures of the past year. For the above REFER
enaes my sermon was styled = "political
speech" Call it "political speech" or what
you will, it is such political speech" - 1
deem appropriate for the most sacred day and
time.
The interests of the Notion 60 hand in hand
with the interests Of Christ's kingdom, and
| whatever measures help on the interests of the
nation it is the duty Of every public teacher,
regardless Of party preferences, to endorse.
I am aware that all the political measures
which l commended in my "poIiticaI speech
were Republican measures; but it should be
borne in mind that to find a thing We mus,
60 where it is.
ave differ from Mr.. Beard on political ia-
Sues" adds the writer of the item referred to.
think I can see from this the cause of the
"epistola eat stomach pleno.''
RIA. BEARD.
The above is taken from the Brainerd
Tribune of last week. Although the
Rev. Mr.. Beard seems to object to our
statement concerning the address he de-
livered in the Congregational church in
this village onSSunday forenoon, Nov
80, he virtually comedies all that was
stated or implied in the item we pub
lished. Webster defines speech as 6
formal DISCOURSE" and formal dis
course containing the political matte,
that Mr.. Beard comedies that his did, il
political speech. Mr.. Beard doubtless
expresses honestly his own impression
when he says that he incidentally re
ferred to two or three political matters
but we know that some of his hearers
went away with the impression that his
remarks were more of the nature of being
incidental when he referred to the Chris
tian religion and its Author than when
he referred to John Sherman and the
national finances: But be this as it NAV
no church teaches that it is an offense, in
consistent with the Christian religion, t.
be Democrat, Greenbacker or Re
publican; and every person who attends
church has the right to expect that thu
preacher will refrain from assuming tina
one political party is better than another
Political sentiment is not proper mat
ter for church discipline, and person.
who may he similar in religious faitt
and work may differ widely politically
Since no church assumes that mans 20
litical convictions conflict with, or have
any bearing whatever on his religion
it is evident that no preacher has thu
moral right to express in the pulpit hi
political views and preferences, either by
open assertion or implication. Such ut
terances would be entirely foreign to tn
work which the pulpit represents, and tt
his mission as preacher. We therefore
entirely differ with Mr. Beard on hi
view that an address containing politica
matter is Inappropriate for the most sacret
day and time," and we are firmly of thu
opinion that no day is common enough
to render it morally right, or make i
consistent with good taste, to deliver sucl
an address from the pulpit.
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