The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-03

| Ono Of the speakers at the meeting Of
Tuesday night in behalf Of the clerical ticket
| for the next municipal election, declared that
| he disagrecs with those who think that
clergymen are not as capable OF coping with
| practical politics as persons whose expert
ence s limited to handing out drinks across
n bar"
Very probably the gentleman Is right In
so believing. We see no reason why tho
clergy should not become expert practical
politicians after little practice at the bust
ness. They arc accustomed to taking tho
lead in church affairs, and their manage
mcnt frequently brings into play the quail
ties and capacities which are required for
successful political strategy. The only
trouble is that they are sometimes a little
unquiet under opposition from laymen, for
In the church their function is to expound
the Inv as teachers, while their congregations
sit at their feet as disciples Any one OF
their hearers who rose to dispute tho ar
guments OF sermon would be put out of
tho assembly as a disturber Of the peace or
downright lunatic. His proper business
is to listen to the utterances from the pulpit
and not to controvert them. Yet, in their
political conventions, the clergy may not
suffer any practical Inconvenience, because
OF this professional disposition; and when
they come to electionecring from the pulpit
it may be service to them.
But. as we have before shown, to carry
out the project properly, and to test whether
the clergy are as good at politics as they
are in spiritual economy, the ticket should
itself be made up OF clergymen, represen-
tative OF tho different religious commun-
ions. Then it would have a substantial
backing, and, besides. it would possess the
charm OF novelty. 1t would be a new de-
parture in politics. and il 1t were success
full 1t would bring about startling polit-
cal transformation. Churches, consistories,
presbyteries, conferences, diocesan convcn-
tions. theological seminaries. monasterles,
Sunday schools, and prayer meetings would
be turned into electioneering camps, and
the terrible no less than the amiable power
OF the clergy could be enlisted on the side
OF the ticket
Our German contemporary, the Stddts-
Zeitung, thinks that the public would resent
such an appearance OF the clergy as pro-
fession in politics. But that IS all the better.
Let tho clergy test popular sentiment as to
the new departure. Only in that way will
they find out whether they are fitted for tho
business OF practical craftsmanship and are
likely to be successful at it. The lesson will
be valuable to them in the future, though it
will be severe for tho moment; for, OF
course, the ticket elected will be the ticket
Of tho united Democracy, rcsolutc in their
determination that Church and State shall
be forever separated in this republic.
Yet we trust that tho clergy will get prof
liable experience from their experiment, and
as they are the honest men OF the Windsor
Hotel movement, they deserve at least as
much as that. Perhaps, too, in the course
of their practical politics they will discover
the humbug OF the political Adventures who
are hiding behind their robes. and that
knowledge will be worth to them the pain
of defeat