The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-05-14
PREACHERS IN POLITICS.

At meeting of the Baptist ministers
held here the other day the sensational
Go Lightly Morrill, announced his inten-
ton of entering politics to purify the
municipal administration. The little
mountebank has been dabbling in poll
tics and everything else while in the city
to such an extent that his name is by
word in the mouths of every decent citi-
zen. Some time ago he visited the vilest
resorts IN town for the purpose Of getting
material for a religio-political TRADE
against the Democratic administration,
just AS DR.. Parkhurst has recently done
in New York. Such preachers Of the
gospe! degrade their ministerial positions
and accomplish no good, for they are not
actuated by exalted Or pure motives.
They are merely the tools of corrupt poll
ticians who are anxious for the spells of
office When this city was in the hands
of the Republicans the self-same Go
Lightly made no attempt to purify the
municipal atmosphere. Everything
pleased him and he was happy in prais
ing the ''God and morality" party who
held the reins of government. And yet
the city under Republican mayors was
much worse than it is at present. You
may travel this country over from Lake
Superior to the Gulf and from the east
ern to the western coast and find no city
to equal Minneapolis in the cleanliness
of it's inhabitants, both from moral and
physical standpoint. Such men as Nor
rill are very indiscreet in magnifying
the evils that are sure to be found in a
cosmopolitan city of the magnitude of
Minneapolis. The Republican organs
that spread his defamations abroad are
guilty of injustice to the city that sup
ports them. The cause Of public moral
ity will not be advanced by the partici
patton of clergymen in the politics of
parties. If they keep aloof from party
politics and confne themselves to moral
suasion they can do much good. Let
them preach the gospel of Christianity,
pure and undefled, from their pulpits
and leave political work to the men in
their congregations. Every self-respect-
ing clergyman will do so. Men who can
not be reclaimed by moral arguments
cannot be reformed by political har-
argues from the pulpits. The reason
Catholics are influenced go much by the
of their priests is owing to the
fact that they abstain from meddling in
politics and never speak of it to their
hocks. In Ireland to-day the priests
figure conspicuously in political work,
being inspired by patriotic motives, and
their interference in politics is denounced
in severe language by the leaders of the
parnellite party. They are fast losing
their influence with the men in the oppo-
sition camp, and the less they say in de-
nunciation the more good they can &C
in the cause of religion. When
Mgr. Persico came directly from Bone
TO Investigate boycotting he was de-
nounced by the representative Catholics
Of Ireland Church and State must be |
kept separate and apart in this republic,
and our friend Go Lightly Morrill, is
showing great inconsistency in appearing !
il the role of politician after he has fire. |
1uently charged Catholic prelates of in
terfering in the political affairs of this
But it must be always remem-
bered that Go Lightly is chaplain of a
political organization, and that these men
will be glad to avail themselves of his !
services. They are the same fellows who
presented Chiniquy with gold-headed
cane for Illuminating his vile diatribes