St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-07
PREACHER POLITICIANS.

The propriety of a minister of the Cos
pei taking an active part in political af-
fairs has long been mooted, and much
discussion has taken place upon the
subject. 1t has been held chat the mis-
sion of the clergy is to rectify that
which is wrong, no matter where they
may find it; and, as many of the evils of
the present generation have their fount-
ain head in pernicious political sys-
tens, it is the duty of the clergy to en-
deayOr to reform those systems. As
the most effective method of combating
an evil is often to 90 in its midst, so the
clergy have held that the best plan for
reforming politics is to enter the arena
of political strife and there carry OH the
war of reformation.
But there seems TO be room for hon
estdifferences of opinion on this point.
1t Is held by maryland certainly not
without good reason-that there is
greater danger of the ministry becom
ing corrupted by association with polit-
zeal affairs than hope for the elevation
Of the politicians and political methods.
No man can handle fire without being
burned, nor can any one breathe the
atmosphere of political corruption and
escape contamination. We have had
many preacher politicians of late years
men who have laid aside their sancti-
fed robes to wallow i'll the pool of par
tisan strife-and with scarcely an eX-
ception they have been swept from
their mOOrings and carried away upon
the current towards the ocean beneath
whose waves thousands of regulations
have been buried. For time they may
have struggled to resist the tendency,
but resistance has been in vain. And
the fate of these political clerics has
been deplorable one. Unused to in
trigue, placing reliance upon the prom
Uses of politicians, believing in the
Righteousness of party purposes. they
have become piliablc dupes and CON-
PLEASANT tools in the carrying out of
policies reDugnant alike to Christian
precepts and moral obligations. They
have been as sheep among a pack of
wolves-frail banks upon the bosom of
a raging torrent. If the smile may be
pardoned, they went a-woolgathering
and came back shorn-if, indeed, they
came back at all.
The matter of ciergymen becoming
candidates for political Office came up
at the Methodist conference recently
held at Mason City. 10. A good brother,
referring to the acceptance of a political
nomination by clergyman. called at
tention to TWO questions which, on his
ordination, he had answered in the
affirmative. These were: Are you
resolved to devote yourself wholly to
God and his work?'' Are you deter
mined to employ all your time in the
work of God?'' Every Methodist un-
derstands that this means" said the
speaker, that a preacher shall be moth
ing else but a preacher in the active
work of the ministry so long as he is in
good health. The reverend doctor is
not in keeping with his word in making
the canvass for governor. His VOWS
ought 10 have kept him from accepting
the nomination. | cannot vote for a
man who violates the most sacred word
ecclesiastic for any civil office. 1t is
against the genius of our institutions"
This is a phase of the question that
affects the church polity. 1t will be
seen that, in addition to the improperly
of forsaking the pulpit for the stump,
clergyman violates a most solemn
| VOW. and in doing so places the stamp
Of inslncerity upon his own brow.
The evil has been grave one in che
past. but fortunately it is not growing
one. The i'll success of the preacher.
| politicians since the rancor engendered
| by the War of the Rebellion has passed
away has been sufficient to discourage
ventures of the sort. AS rule, clergy
men are poor politicians and Indifferent
officeholders. Their race is soon run
and they re compelled to seek other
fields of usefulness. Few return to the
ministry, for the associations of the
caucus and the convention have untitled
them for the sacred office. Having vic
| lated their vows and failed of their am
| billions in politics, they seek lowlier sta
! tons. and end their days regretting the
false step that precipitated them from {
station of influence and honor into thu
ranks Of the multitude OF disappointed
seekers for political preferment.