The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-10-09
Politics and the Churches.

1t has been asserted that the fate of the
temperance cause in Hartford depends upon
Republican success at the November election,
and some of the candidates Of that party are
trying to obtain the influence of the clergy
and the churches to give them votes.
Many persons are led to believe a moral
principle is at stake in this election; that
those who vote the Republican ticket vote in
favor of temperance. These persons are
looking TO the clergy, as friends of morality,
to hold temperance meetings" in their
churches before the election. This would be
equivalent to getting up boom in the
churches for the Republican ticket and an
tagonizing the Democrats. Some of the clergy
have done this, and at the same time assert
that they are independent of party politics.
No doubt they believe this, or they would
have kept out of it. But in the popular opin-
ion their meetings are partisan.
Some of the Republican candidates openly
claim that the clergy are helping them, and
they attend the temperance meetings as the
representatives of that cause. Those of the
clergy who stand aloof from these political
meetings are unjustly made to appear antag-
onistic to the cause of temperance.
The facts in the case are few and plain.
There are two party tickets before the people
seeking election in November. One is COM
posed of Democrats, the other of Republi.
cans. Every man on both tickets is party
man. Not one Of them is authorized to rep
resent any moral cause 1t is pure egotism
for any of them to pose before the public MS
embodying in themselves the cause of moral
ity. 1t is unwarranted assurance to say to
the public, "Vote for me and you vote for the
cause of temperance. Vote for the other man
and you vote against temperance" Every
candidate wants office for the reward, infu-
ence and money that are in it. 1t is hypoc-
risy to pretend otherwise.
Some of the men on both tickets are TEN.
perance men, in principle and habit, and
some are not The Republican party has not
monopoly of the temperance sentiment.
Else the local option law would not have
been enacted for the Republicans had not
majority in the county when the law was
passed. 1t could not have become a law
without Democratic votes.
This is not Il temperance campaign There
is no temperance ticket in the field The
temperance laws arc on our statute books,
and while they are there the men elected
can have no effect on them, one way or
another. This election does not decide
uJha bar IN hou
That is already decided. We haveit.
The men on the Republican ticket are
party men. They want office. The clergy
who help to elect them, by holding temper
ance meetings in their behalf, are helping
party men to office. The clergy represent
churches made up OF people of both political
parties AS corporations, the ecclesiastical
organizations are non partisan. They are not
Interested in the election of any of the can
didates. No moral question is on trial before
the community. Ministers who refuse to hold
such meetings in their churches, at this time,
would be right ia so doing They would he
right in keeping themselves out of politics
and in keeping politics out of their churches.
lHcy Chu lHuS pICFcuJ ulsIThCblOn among
their flocks, for the Democratic members of
their congregations might justly complain if
their churches were used in the interest of
their political opponents.
Ministers of the gospel, be not deceived.
AS you love the cause of temperance, suffer
It ITO lie prostiuted TO base purposes. Do
not lend it and yourselves with il to be used
by INSCRIPTIONS politicians, for partisan
ends. You have never failed to secure nu
merous and intelligent audiences-sympa-
thizers and heipers-from all shades of the
various political creeds. Do not say to your
people that no man can be an active worker
in the ranks of the temperance cause unless
he votes Republican ticket. Lend your aid
TO bring vioaters Of the local option law to
justice. if you will And now that the Christ
mas tide is approaching double your guards
10 prevent attacks, at That dangerous season,
upon the sobrieiy of your focks But your
hgh commission should exempt you from
participation as active leaders in the arena
of local politics. Let not the clergy be trans.
formed into gtump-speakers and the pulpits
pinto political platforms