The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-09-24
TT IS "A DISGRACE.
PREACHERS BuLLDCZEO INTO LINE
BY REPUBLICANS.
Those Who Decline tn Abandon the Salvi-
ton of Souls and Become Republican
Campaign Shouters Risk the Penalty of
Dismissal from rheir FulpitS.

va" houtt hiS ~ tEh'ty Va
Dismissal from Their FulpitS.
National Democratic and Silver
Headquarters, Chicago, Sept. D., 1896
The most ~disgraceful article eve
pr" d imam American newspaper was
pub-----ed by the Chicago Evening
Post, tuesday. Sept. Is. 1t was pre-
pared by the Republican national com
mittee, and before being printed was
approved by Mr.. Hanna.
There was a day in our national his
tory when such an outrage would be
resented by the overwhelming major
ity of the American people. There was
q day when the author and publisher
OF such a sacrilegious screed would lie
pilloried by public opinion. and held
up to the scorn and derision of fut-
ure generations.
The ministers Of the gospel. the
preachers Of the word Of God, are to
be whipped and bulldozed into line In
order hat an English gold standard
may be permanently fastened upon the
people Of the United States. The pas
tor who refuses to convert the sacred
walls of his church into a political
club; who declines to abandon the sal
walton of souls and become a Repub-
lican campaign shouter, risks the PEN
atty Of dismissal and may count on
the lasting hatred of the wealthy hypo-
critics who have issued this edict.
Do you doubt this? Send for a copy
Of the paper and read the article on
the first page, headed, Fol- National
Honor" Before quoting from this
shameful article, let an u~ndisputed fact
be stated.
William Jennings Bryan Is q church
man. He Is a evout Christian, and
has put into practice those precepts
which Christ taught n which the
clergy are supposed to advocate. w.
J. Bryan is a man of spOtleSS reputa-
ton. Not a word Of suspicion has
ever been breathed against him. Not
q drop of intoxicating liquor ever
passed his lips. Never in his life did
he smoke, drink or swear. He Is a de-
voted husband, a ond n loving ia
Their. No word of malice has yet been
uttered by him against those whose
lying lips have charged him with trea-
son, reputation, Iishonor and anarchy.
He is the chosen lead Of an honest,
sincere and patriotic faction of the
American people who are attempting
to exercise their constitutional right
to settle a great public question by an
appeal to the ballot box.
Read what the Chicago Evening
Post says of w. j. Bryan n the
cause he represents:
1.-The threatened attack upon the
morals and hone of the country by the
reputation of honest deb following
the election of William j. Bryan has
aroused the guardians of the public con-
science. the ministers of the gospel, in
a manner that brings to memory the
noble fight made from the pulpit in
1861 against secession and slavery. So
strongly have the issues of the present
campaign appealed to the preacher
that all hesitation on ccount of the
relationship between church and state
has been overcome. No only will the
pulpits in every section of this city re-
sound with denunciation Of the Chi
cago platform, but preachers whose ell
oquence Is known throughout the ma
ton are going fearlessly into the arena
to battle for the moral welfare of the
country.
The scenes which ushered in the
terrible carnag of the civil war afford
the only parallel in the present century
when the preacher forsakes the pulpit
to employ his eloquenec before political
gatherings. Last Sunday the tocsin
was sounded by ministers from every
side of the city. and until the urgent is.
sues reach the climax next November
the pulpit will wage relentless wal
upon those who champion the debase.
ment of our coinage. To the individ'
ual who doubts the determination m
earnestness Of the ministers in this
campaign It would be an act Of charity
TO advise him to attend the regular
weekly meetings of the ministers ant
mark the forcible expressions agains
Bryan's efforts to provoke Class hatred
and foist a dishonest currency upOr
the people. 1t will be worth Will,
to watch the pulpit from now on. Thos'
who do not come out directly on pc
ltical issues will surprise their listen
ers with ''s%prinkling it in," to quot,
the pastor of the First Baptist church
Rev. P. s. Henson. But those VIII
want to hear the present issues dis
cussed from the pulpit without tn
sliSItNSk CIV NAio ctihi ~
language will have many places o
worship to choose from next Sunda,
and every succeeding Sunday until Nc
Kinley Is, elected and the free silve
craze throttled for all time"
Dc the Christian people OF the Unite
States approve of this? Has the churc
gone into competition with the barroor
as a forum for political discussion. I'm
agine St. Paul wildly swinging hi
erms and urging the crowds, who as
sembl to hear the words of God, I
tote against the debased silver none
If the Carthagenians. Picture Chris
asking tn poor and the sick and tn
manned who flocked around him
they believed in sound money.
But this Is not all. The good Chris
tians of the country must not complai
II the church doors are closed durin
h last weeks in the campaign. Her
IL the plan agreed on by Mark Ham
after a consultation with the wealth
parishioners OF Chicago:
aside from the broadsides whic
will be discharged from numerous pu
pits, a humble Of the most eloquer
preachers in the city have volunteers
IN ~ abroad and sf1nn thio N ca .,a