New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-01
THE PULPIT ~ Politics.

nrop,;so' orouscd the conscience of the North
and drove the great body of the clergy by the
very force of their professions ana In inc cNcr-
else of their proper and legitimate functions 10
what was called by Democrats Ill de
rision preaching politics and mixing
notifies with religion" The Tribune hailed
their accession 10 the gathering FORCES
then being arraycd on the side OF righteous
ness and morality. of truth and justice. IL
gave TO the pulpit utteranccs Of that period Inc
advantage Of the larger usefulness and extend
cd influence which its circulation afforded th'li'
With the close of the long struggle then ihl'l-
ated and the opening Of a period in which po-
Iitical questions ceased In some degree 10 ap-
peal to the moral sense and conscience OF the
pcoplc. the clergy withdrew in mcas'ir" from
the discussion of current politics in the pulpit.
Dut during the last two or three years there
has arisen in our own city and State politics
an emergency not unlike in IFS bearing upon
public morals that of forty years ago. The con
science Of the people has again been aroused 10y
the contempt which the same party has shown
for the OBLIGATIONS OF honor. the principles 81
morality and the prescriptions Of law. Again
the voice If the clergy has been heard ana Inc
columns of The Tribune have attcst,d week
after week that IL had no uncertain s"uhd. IS
hostility 10 rogue rule and 10 the Boss rule
which alone make, rogue rule possible has b'ci
constant. outspokcn and effective. To the over
throw Of the Tammany organization in TINS
town II has been powerful conirihul"ry cause
for which il Is entitled 10 and enjoys he grlil-
ludc of all good citizens
In almost all the sermons preached since The
election In which the uppcrmosi subject IN me
public mind has been touched there has been
besides the natural expressions of JOY over the
victory n note Of warning and apprehension lest
the results might be lost In some politicians
deal. which would end In substituting one
Boss" for another instead II oycrthrowing the
system of "Bossisn" Most outspokcn IN this
line. and not unhaturally in the circumstances
most conspicuous Of all the clergy has been the
Rev Dr. Parkhurst. With The drcctncss 81 pur
nose which has characterized all his efforts In
the great crusade which he has led with such
success he has not hcsitatcd 10 point out *
piicitly and call by name the private citizen
who in the minds Of the vast majority Of cit-
zens stands for the principle Of "Bosssm' In the
Republican party, and Is believed 10 he con
irving 10 establish 1t In place Of the Iammany
"Rossism" which has been Oycrhrown, with
himself In the place II Boss There Is no
reason to distrust the sincerity OF DR.. Parkhhrs'
when he saws that he has no personal feeling
toward Mr. Thomas {. Plat. but IL actuhtru
solely by the desire 10 prevent the dcicat ol ihe
peoplc's will a. lately expressed. Moreover, IL
* 10 be remembered that Or Parkhurst has
given the most ndubtabe proofs within the last
three years that he does not Indulge III ground
less suspicious make charges That Cannot W.
fully substantiated In short, he mas strongly
impressed this community with me CONVICTION
that he knows what he Is talking about lie
has not SKINNED the surface OF the system oi
misgovernment long dominant III ms cliy'
but has probcd it TO its depths. lie knows not
only the relations 10 IL Of the now dlscrcdI'cd
Tammany Bosses" but those rs well OF The Ike
publican bosses who have Intrigued ana par
gained with them. And when he says mat the
influence OF Mr.. Plat In the victorious party
seriously impcrils the cause for which me We
tory was gained he Is not indulging III loose
vchcmcncc Of speech, but speaks by the card
and from personal knowledge. If this be not
so Mr. Plat should call him to account ana
demand proofs. For this the LeAow committee
furnishes ample opportunity
We observe however, that on Thanksgiving
Day the Rev. Mr. Dixon, preaching in AsSocla-
tion Hail. took occasion 10 dissent from Dr.
Parklurst's views Oh this subject, and express
! his high admiration for Mr. Patt. whom he de-
scribed AS "a born leader who has brains
| land capacity and Is in close touch and sym
"pathy with the masses" His parsanshp
said Mr. Dixon, is honest, and he sacrifices his
time ease and life 10 the cause of his party
Warming up with the subject. lie proceeded TO
denounce DR.. Parkhurst himself Il Boss
because that gcntlcmans leadership dried up
the individuality" Of several other clcrgymen
who had "loyally followed him; among others
1.-THE humble pastor Of this church" "llc has
no right" saws Mr. Dixon, Ito say 10 Mr.. Plat,
".Get off the earth Such stuff Is the cackle
"of fools. Ii is the hysiera Of the novice in
politics swcllcd up by the din Of Il first vie
G.tory." "All the fuss about Mr.. Platt," he con
tinues. lis the twaddlc Of fools and the brayne
.of partisan rivals All this cackle is over the
Solemn fact that Mr. Plat is leader Of the
.Republican party" 1t will be observed that
Mr. Dixon has the Gift Of lluency. Also that his
language is not wanting in warmth He Is OF
Southern birth. we believe, and il may be that
| the breezy freedom Of his discourse Is partl!
duc TO the feeling of relief from the constrnint
which in his native cline sometimes hindcrs III,
free use of language which might provoke re
sentiment Aside from the suggestion conveyed
by Mr. DiXon's reference To the fact that Or
Parkhurst's leadership has dried up the indi
viduality Of the humble pastor OF this church,
which might convey to the minds OF the IN
charitable a suspicion Of jealousy, we see nc
reason to doubt his sincerity. He manlfestly
has great confidence In and admiration for Mr.
Plat, and we checrfully publish the above OK
tracts as showing that that gentleman has one
friend in the pulpit We venture to sugges
to Mr. Dixon however, that all the newspaper