New-York tribune., 1896-08-28
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL
CHURCHES AND THE SILVER QUESTION
THE REV DR.. McHEsNEy MAKES SOME IN
PORTRAIT SUGGESTIONS.

have read in to-day's Tribune additioha' e',u-
csms OF DR.. Tamages ambiguous anu %
optimistic utteranccs concerning ths sn'ei tusS L.
tion These criticisms seem to me 10 oe JUS -,
IS not a time for any one. TO whose "o''' -
,udes nav heed to take refuge In opscuri'' Vi
,oasor, ,.,oralities The issue is TOO plainly one
Of great moral import for anything of that sor' u
be admissible. .,u .hould
But is it not possible that the cr'''ciS",9 osa !,
be extended further than to TINS parucu'" -
Are the churches. through their appoin'e" - -
ers the preachers and the editors OF church Pape'
generally as plain and emphatic against '"i' t
and fana,ical and unrghteous scheme as ivy
shoud be? Certain cergymen OF great pron''e"0'
notably DR. Macarthur and Bishop newman
blown trumpet blasts Of no uncertain souhu' 49,
others have uttered their protests asaih9' '"
for, 70 hiring in an era Of confusion and fraud anu
dishonor Some of the editors or rehsiouS Jou' ',
have also struck the right note. But why snou'u '
ro, everv one whose business is to teach rehs'ouS
opd moral truth and TO awaken ana ehis"''"
conscience employ his powers to the utmoS' III
ssting this attack upon the prosperity anu '"O
alitv and life of our Nation! ,
~ = man is too obtuse 10 see the true inwaru'eS'
of This matter If he has read history sutcien'y
and acouainted himself well enough with the ~ d.
c"s of nolitical economy to know what "rohe 10 III"
,,olved In debasing a nations currency II ne n"'
not studied ethics with sufficient care 10 re",N' W
this silver scheme is In direct violation VI "o No
mandment Thou shalt not steal then "e " t
for the place of teacher of morals H. seeuis '7
wrong. he Is too timorous OF siussi'" "
also he Is unfit .h.
some may hesitate because Of an impression 'n"'
seems 10 exist that somehow polticai co"Ne,','o
has the prerogatiye of removing almost any a"o1,
from, puIpt or church discussion Let ""''
ooroe an issue between political parties immediate
" II is fancied by some that preachers ana eui'o'
,,,, rorars must hold themselves aloof from H.
,rd ,bero can he no doubt of the neXpedlehcy anu
unwis,lom and wrong even, in many cases i"'o''
in '.preaching politics" But 1t deserves u w ~
mombered that when political party PiOPo'
asure absolutely immoral, it Is not only the priv
iege but also the duty of preachers 10 Po'i,' o".
the immortality and to denounce It, lhe po"''c''"s
IN that case are the aggressors. They nave ih'"uV"
the realm of morals and must be repehed.
,rba silence or indefnteness or remarkape 'arui-
ness of some of the Church papers CANS o' N0''.
ment Probably a too strenuous desire 10 Keep o"'
Of politics has something to do with H. Inc 'aOa-
,,on season does not affect Church editors at the
same time or in the same way as II does preachers
From ouiet country places the editorials are sent
on and appear regularly through the heated weeks
of the summer. The retcence or deiay OF Sonle VI
the editors cannot be explained by the sed9o"' M
fact that the Church papers circulate "lueS oP"'
Coz ,bero , great opportunity. They go 10 states
,Dr , ,be eifaton is doubtful. They are read by
many who are i'm need of instruction upon the hoI al
,..', Of tbr silver question. They reach members
Of churches in large numbers VINO propose " w ~
conscientiously but ignorantly, for ulsiloics'; ~,
the most gigantic scale that has ever S tbi
country That have professed Chrislia Vi '. Ia,
character and probably by the thousahus: uoeS '''
speak well for our American 1hris.anthy If our
n is 70 be feared that some OF the preache VI Ui
conntry have been caught in the meshes OF social Social
ism There has ben aitosS1nf, Sonlisn @ and in one
way or another too much currency mas 81 pe, 5icai
to the notion that our existing ;,b the noyerty
and Ignorance and crime that purdeH Sooicts >, CO.
greater anxiety is shown by sonle 10 S neraf fe
lbola al L.
The individuals who compose society," II snVu5u 1d ~
surprise any to hnd preachers OF Una, hu ~, hp
Inc m he silver fad. Its sham pretensions 10 peinS
a movement of the masses against 1ne Iii he
class and us utter iapg n t of great prosperity
for the people make this the very rad LOT s"-"
B,,t well might they stop and inspect their com;
panv They are keeping step with ianaucs ;, aitu
Anarchsts and the dangerous classes oi socieIy
generally II is to be believed that such preacnSis
are not numerous Probably the fact that TINS
question was precpated upon the country at ur une
heeinninr OF the vacation season, when large NUN
hers Of the preachers absent from their pupi,s
fully explains why many OF them are stih h ~ eD ue
he" ri from The only thing that should De e eM
pectcd is that the preachers oil ths GouruE |bmrcES
arainst this stupendous folly and proposed wrong.
this silver craze should oe III, M as Et;ine ST2 M iii
II has disappeared forever. This preaching OF non
esty should not be left chiefly To Inc secular hc"S-
That the silver crusade in many parts Of the ,he
country has attempted 10 invest itself with me
sanctty of religion Is one OF the most se'io"'
SYMPTOMS Of the cr, 5imes. shor,d ne hailed as "a
new Messiah, that it should be declared ,h,n WITH
reference TO this popular madness tnat tnls ms
country has witnessed new Pentecost ana re
ceved new baptism Of fire. is enough TO ShRGk 8
~ should also awaken reflection. We must have
in what is called Christianity in this country less
emotiOnaliSm and sensatiOnalsm, ana more OF IN
,niirenrn and true conscientiousness. The Church
papers as well the pulpits have work set be.
fore them To do the work that Is now so urggnt ,gi
may give some offence and cost some suoscrlp-
tons But we must not he permitted TO tahcy
that for any such reason the utterdnces that are
needed will be postponed
II is not enough to deal in general discussions
Of the perls that threaten popular government
Every body knows that immortality and IN
diTerontism" and "fanatcism' are dangerous 10
society and particularly to society in this coun-
try.
In place of platiudes upon such topics, and long,
dra un-out truisrns there should be clear and
strong expositions bearing directly upon the pres
ent situation and the question uppernost in the
minds of the people ENSIGN NJ CHESNEY.
White Plains. y. Y. Aug. 20 1896.