The record-union., 1897-01-31


organization in the United States.
Whatever its nationality or denomina-
tlon, IS a professed believer in the'ab-
stract proposition That righteousness
eAalteth a nation" The church mem
oership and following is sufficiently nu-
merous TO impose it's united will upon
any political or municipal party in any
city OF the United States. 1t could if
united and determined, set UP political
or municipal idea and compel politi-
cans of every party to conform TO il and
could so establish that ideal that all
men would in municipal affairs live up
to 1t. Like the lakes and the rivers of
the Pacific Slope the power is there
beautiful to look upon, full of blessing
to the earth, and yet from want of con-
centration, direction and impulse. large
ly unused in the practical affairs of
men. The power existing and being ad-
equate it becomes very practical prob
lem of sociological engineering to de-
termine how these reservoirs of moral
power shall be brought to bear upon
corrupt political traditions and ideals.
In the first place there is a churchly
tradition coming down from the dark
ages that the priest and minister must
not concern himself too much with
earthly affairs. This must be worn or
cut away and the priest and minister
ceasing to be of that tabled third sex
must become man of atfaHs ana Oh
the world He must place himself uh-
der his share of the political burden
and as a teacher of the truth must
speak fearlessIy and apply the truth
to modern conditions and necessities.
In the second place, the instinct or
self-preservation in the churches now
altogether too intense must give way 10
q righteous wrath against political evil
Minister. priest and church in the
march of present events must neceS-
sarily become less self-centered and
selfish, and must expect, II need pe' 10
be wasted and worn for other pur-
poses than that of the upbuilding ana
"a ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the church itself
1t is in the nature of power to mani
fest itself A Friedrich Wilhelm may
accumulate and train the battalions,
safely preserving them from war ana
damage, but after him shall inevita-
bly, come q Frederick the Great who
shall use them in some mighty war
fare The power of the church must
inevitably be used, and the disincli-
paths into the practical world must
in some way be overcome.
In the third place the church in po-
litical matters is too lethargic. 1t must
be made to understand how far short 1t
has come of doing its full duty in poll
teal and municipal matters. In me-
diaeyal times it went too far as aa or
ganization in controlling governmental
affairs. The natural reaction from this
expressed in the political maxim of to-
tai separation of church and state has
in more recent times carried it to the
other extreme. AS suggested before.
the church has a different standard of
morals from either the merchant or the
politician, and with this anomalous
condition of the three existing moral
standards the church is too we'll con-
tented. The political standard sane
tions bribery, corruption, theft and vio-
lence so long as they prevail, and holds
him a successful politician who so
adrOitly practices them as to keep out
of the penitentiary and carry the day.
and the church in practice as whol2
really holds the same view, and makes
no warfare upon it's influential pew
holders who govern their public lives
by such low maxims. Recognizing this
false standard to be in existence, rec
ognizing it's baleful influences. recog-
mzing it to be one of the great strong
holds of evil, the church is withheld
by man-made barriers from attack
ing it with full power. The priest
the minister and the church, except n
rare instances, ostentiOusly wash their
hands of the whole matter declare
that they have nothing to do with
politics, nothing to do with it's baleful
results or it's destruction of all that
is good and true, saying, Il am inno-
cent of the blood of this just person, see
ye to it,
These three barriers about the
church itself are in the way of its use
in the betterment of our municipal
conditions. That the reformation OF
our municipalities will be brought |
about whatever happens is almost in
evitable, for it is an economic, moral |
and political necessity, but it is Ger
tainly good engineering to control |
these great reservoirs of moral power |
and to SO use them as to bring back |
in some slight measure at Least the |
kingdom of God among men. Nor are |
there wanting very plain signs that |
the church is awakening to its mis- !
sion. In the movements of the last |
fifty years no modern sociological ten |
dency is more marked than that which |
has been going on within the churches |
tending to withdraw them from mere |
ly theoretical into practical Christian |
ity. There has been everywhere a |
wearing down of the barriers between |
the church and the world, and both |
have been gamers by the process. In |
every city priests and ministers of the |
Gospel have awakened to the truth |
that they are not monks, but living |
men, and the cause of municipal re-
form ranks amongst it's foremost |
many ministers who have |
braved old traditions and prejudices |
to strike q blow at the evil conditions |
that control so many of our American |
cities. The modern church member !
ship is alive to the new issues. and |
in their prayer and other meetings. |
subjects are being discussed looking |
to the reformation of social. political |
and economical conditions that tUentv
years ago would not even have been
spoken of within the sacred inclos-
ure. The Christian Endeavor Socie-
ties are taking up the subject and good |
meetings are now common. |
In this city of Portland, Or, before its |
asst municipal election a series of good
meetings We're held in the
iifferent churches, and immediately be-
,ore the election the ministers all Joined
heir congregations in one great meeting
FOR the discussion of the same subject.
The effect of these meetings was plainly
observable in the increased purity Of the