The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-03

lB
SENATOR PETER AT a MOODY AND SANKEY
MEETING.
soon as one begins to inquire and take a
poll of the two houses he finds a great
variety of unexpected difficulties, and.
as Champ Clark says, an article OH the
religion OF congressman might appropri-
atcly copy that famous chapter on the
species of snakes in Ireland, which coli
tanned six words-namely, "Thcrc are
no snakes i'll Ireland" 1t is true that
both houses open with prayer every day,
and the members present stand in most
rcverential attitudes, bordering proba-
bly, over the whacks they arc about to
give each other, but there is only too
much reason to believe that this cerc-
mony is pcrfunctory, like the prelimi-
nary handshallc Of pugilists in the ring,
which is simply pro forma before they
proceed to the real business of pounding
each others countcnanccs out of all re-
semblance to humanity
All tho clergy Of Washington have
had their laugh at Dan Voorhees,, and
his bad break may be taken as tolera-
bly, fair illustration Of the readiness of
statesmen in religious data When
Daniel was taken into the Episcopal
church at Tcrrc Hautc, there was a very
long line of converts admitted, and by
mere accident Daniel stood at one end
and Mt the other Hon. Bayless Hanna,
late minister to the Argentine Rcpuh-
lie. The well known antcccdents of both
men set the local wits at work, and tho
two were thereafter known as the 1.-TWO
end men" of the Episcopal church.
Hanna has since passed to the great ma
Jorlty. Mr.. Voorhees, was probably guilty
OF nothing worse than mere lapsus lin
gu1 when he moved that the senate adj
Journ over the first holy day in Lent,
''as 1t is Good Friday" but it gives
point to the wit of the clcrgymcn as to
an Episcopalian who does not know the
difference between Ash Wednesday and
Good Friday
Catholics In Congress.
There arc among older members many
"reminiscences of the so called Chris
tian statesmen" of tho Credit Mobilicr
era, and there is some real Indignation
over the statement recently made by a
very radical Protestant preacher that
tho Roman Catholics dominate every
department and control the appoint
ments, and that there arc about 100 Ro-
man Catholics Ill congress. The stu
pldlty OF this statement ought to be APP
parent to any one who will even look at
the directory. At least three fourths of
the congressman are from districts where
not in, n h,,,1rnl 90
is Catholic, and outside of three largo
cities there is not Catholic from the
whole south, save possibly Louisiana.
a careful poll shows that in both houses
the number of Catholics, counting oven
those nominally so, does not exceed 80,
being only onc1iftcenth of the whole
body instead Of nearly onc-fourth, as the
vehement preacher asserted. In fact,
the Roman Catholics being at least one
eighth OF our total population, it appears
that their representation in congress is
about only onehalf what they would be
justly entitled to ON % mere numerical
ratio
Active In Religious Work.
Laying MI opinions aside, it remains
to be said that several well known con
gressmen are locally as eminent for
plety and active religious work as they
are for their political opinions. Among
these is Senator PETER, who has had a
varied experience as q teacher, farmer
soldier and lawyer, but is ON occasion Il
very earnest and rather powerful preach
er as well as an editor and writer on re-
llgious and moral topics During the
Moody and Sanlcy meetings in this city
he took very active and effective part
leading in prrycr, oXhorting among the
congregation and otherwise working in
the interest of religion
1t is fact also worth noting at this
point that all our presidents save two
have made some kind Of religious pro.