New-York tribune., 1894-10-29
POLITICS AND THE PULPIT
soMs SOUND WARNINGS BY DIR. VAN
DYKE.
cnA1sr FOR ARCHBISHOP IRELAND AND DIR.
pARKHuRsT-THE EVILS IN MUNICIPAL

c,.,sr FOR ARCHBISHOP IRELAND AND DR.
p.pXHr,RsT-THE EVILS IN MUNICIPAL
AFFAIRS.
r,or, his pulp, in the Brick Presbyterian Church
., EY,th ave and West Thirty-seventh-st the Kew
Dr Henry van Dyke. its pastor addressed his con-
c,eeation yesterday morning on Crime Cluzenship
md Christianity" In the course OF his sermon he
o, occasion TO praise Archbishop ireland. and to
ro.rd the work OF Dr. Parkhurst. DR.. van
Dyke said IN part , .
nd sufrage which commonly divide parties are
am anu essenaIy religious questions. They are matters
on which good men may diner without plane & Lney r
Rut when the preacher has said that he has dis
NO dyjne revelation on the subject OF political econ
nmv He knows no more about IT than ms hearers
and probably esS of parsan potcs into Tes
ion And that is It's necessary consequence, ,is W.
! hold with the noble sentiment lately expressed by
Archbishop ireland -, ,,.,, . .,,,A
own cause or to lower the cause OF It's opponents
mon him who launches II. The cry OF religious
ppreiuaice has unfortunately been raised and In II
q should be put down. American loyalty and fitness
for office-these must ever be. and these alone the
And l wish hat every Roman Catholic priest
would remember and indorse that sentiment: ,o,os,
the science of the prevention and punishment OF
crime There is sense in which it goes outside OF
Official qualification expert. AS a rule the
ssneclazing in the department of crime. once in a
While minister is driven by an inward force and
his call is genuine and divine he does the work of
a prophet at whose voice the august judge rembes
and the keepers Of the prison fall down as dead
men. a great city should thank God for one Dr.
Parkhurst but probably not for five hundred
We have no divine system OF politics; But we We
Christ. We declare unto you that If you give a
one: If you are unfaithfu to an office which has
been intr sted to you or If you help by action or
naction, 10 intrust Office to unfaithful men. you
but also to your citizenship in heaven,
Let look at things as they are here In our
upon public morals to see men appointed to Office
who have themselves been notorious breakers Of
the law? What influence do you suppose IT. has on
aged for the public good. but for party advan-
tage or private greed? For example the cleaning
laborers. They are paid nomnally. s50 per day
OF this amount the aborer gets 70 cents while
the padrone. the district boss and secret polit-
The only lasting reform Of political evils must
come through the awakened consciences of indi-
TO put unlimited faith in our institutions
of human nature. Republics have not received
from God charter Of perpetual safety. Here is
the curse OF country and our city. that the
ignorant classes sell the ballot and the educated
classes neglect it. The indifference of the men
OF its oppression by the men whom the city should
have expelled. In the block on which this church
stands. in Thirty-seventh-st.. between Fifth and
sixth aves.. there twenty-nine houses from
the last general election, That Is disgracetql
uct OF party. has been OF our most fruitful
sources Of corruDton 1t has given power ] again ga
ugly idol. the Boss. and that many headed mon
ster. the Ring Theonly. safeguard against this
citizens who admire honesty more than success
and love righteousness more than party