Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-10-24

The Religious Part of the Cam raign,
This campaign seems to be one in
which the Importance of the preacher
is recognized in politics, Good Mr.,
Ball began it.. He did signal loud
thing when he started the Halpin
scandal, and, not quite like Byron,
awoke one morning and found himself
infamous. Very few people knew Ball
previous to that, and none knew any
good of him, If published reports of his
past achievements are true; but he
bounded at once upon the public like
the clown who darts into the ring with
his familiar, well, here we are
again" and at once he was known
as largely as Blaine or Cleve-
land. Yet, though the clerical profess
sion is conspicuously arrayed on both
sides of the contending partisans,
few or none Of them have cared to puT-
chase notoriety at the price paid by
Mr.. Ball. In general the par Is they
take are mild and pacific, as becomes
their calling, and they have been
dragged into the fray to give character
to the many who sadly want it..
Beecher, the best known ecclesiastlc
in the country, if not in the world
Excepting, perhaps, Pere Hyacinthe),
is the most ardent champion ofCleve.
land and Is now preparing to take the
stump in his behalf--a thing that is
anything but comforting to Republi'
can feeling, Talmage has not yet
, committed himself strongly, but
will very likely do so before
the opportunity is past, and in a man
r ner to beat Beecher by the sensation
= of his pronouncement. Behind thes,
: two are hundreds of lesser reputation
: all, according to their several abilities
= doing what their hands may find L
l. do, in proper way, for the cause tina
they have espoused,
Well, why shouldn't preachers TAX
r. part in politics? In war they act q
n chaplalns; and politicians are lik
It enough to need them as much as sol
r diers. Just so they keep their polite
o out of the pulpit, and can keep them
l. selves clear OF the more questionabl
d practices of politicians, it is hard to Sc
T. what there is wrong about then
80 actively engaging in politics, am
their congregations have not muc
ground for complaint. AS good cit
a zens, they may want to add their bel
he to the cause Of pure government, an
Al nobody should venture to stop then
's or course they cannot all see clearl!
being but men and subject to the pa
t. sions, prejudices and blindness
Ia mankind, and some of them are al
ne to make mistakes and conceive Thu
as the cause of good government is repr
scented by Blaine and Logan; but I,
this they ought not 10 be blamed Il
as heavily. TO err is human, says Il
III proverb, and error is not col
al fined to the laity. In the heat an
ne noise of battle there is little time f
as reflection, and many good men wi
IL no doubt be carried away by Il
IS. shouts and hurrahs of sinners for the
re- candidate; but when IT is all owe
and Cleveland is happily elected, al
In reason rules again, these ministers
re- God will repent and be glad that II
lot SO, and not as they wished and stroy
10. We say let the preachers do the
on duty as citizens and patriots, and II
he only vote but work for the men
Of their choice, so that they do 1t in /
ch coming manner. A little selashnc
las may be bound up in this feeling
Set TEE GAZETTE, knowing as It does tn
zoe the participation OF holy and uprig
ess men in the campaign will be large
M TO the advantage OF Cleveland. Sll
Blaine will have strong help fro
some ofthem, for do we not read
70 anti.Christ that che shall deceive t
MS very elect'? Where so many are
zen the side Of right, wrong cannot wi
'ef, 40 we reneat let the nrpaphara On