The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-14
OUR CLERGYMEN.
To What Extent Should They Inter-
est Themselves in City AffairsF
The Rev. Floyd W. Tomkins Discusses
Topic al the Ministers Meeting.

gogcrnmentf IL so, how far and with what
end in viewY The Row Floyd W. Tomkins
Jr.. of Grace Episcopal church very clearly
defined tho position of a clergyman in such
matters nc the union ministers meeting 40
tho Y. NJ G. A. this morning. There was n
goodly number present nearly filing Lycoum
hall, Tepi osenting all the leadin, churches OF
Providence and vicinity. Mr.. TomlSns pre-
sentod the paper of the day upon the subject
specified above He spoke principally as fol-
lows:
In tho preaching Of the gospel. while there
are exceptions, AS in all other such considera'
tions, the main object should bo to tou' h
upon the relationship of the soul 10 its
Creator-in other words the Gospel IN its ABB
soluto purity. This i consider the peculiar
province Of tho sermon. For this reason l
have never yet preached sermon upon Sab
bath observance although there is no more
jealous believer in the theory Of Sunday ces-
saton from labor than myself. These other
matters in general are 10 be. brought into the
discourse OF n preacher by way Of apt and
pointed illustrations. Therefore l lay down
as my first principle that minister must
perform the work Of the Gospel in his own
church.
Now, 10 consider tho question of outside
work. DO ] mean TO say that the minister
must absolutely cut himself asunder from all
political Ties and sentiments? .By no means
But the interest we are to take In matters
when involve polidcs. but no distinct prin.
oipe at stake, we are 20 undertake not as rec
tors and pastors but as men. There is a com
mon and popular belief that ministers as u
class are lazy men and are morbidly inactive.
G,nh o . A. al .k,. rba.-
are an intensely active and busy class. and IL
IL principally due 10 this fact that there are
many olergymen who have no time TO interest
themselves in municipal matters. Again,
thon, would say that the average minister
has no time which he can conscientiously give
10 any question which does not involve a
moral issue. l may be Republican or a
Democrat, but there is no reason why /, as a
clergyman, should rs such advocate the prin-
ciples OF either party from the pulpit. More
than that, could not feel that could preach
a sermon on such question with propriety.
but thore are issues ON which IL is the duty
of man TO make his voice heard, not as
ministor but IA n citizen. On these questions
IL becomes his Christian obligation to either
praise or febuke As resident of this atty
and as "A taxpayer, have the right and duty
10 firmly protest against anything and every
thing which tends 10 cause the moral life Of
the community to deteriorate.
You ask me, perhaps, If clergymen shall
take interest In the question Of the late Mu.
nicipal League. If IL is purely for the interest
and exaltation of the individual, should say,
NO" but IL in that organization | see "A
means TO uplift and improve the office system
Of this or any other city, declare that every
clergyman ought TO give il his support as
citizen, but not as n pastor.
The second aspect of this question is TO
what extent shall we, as clergymen. manifest
this interests As have tried TO prove, he is
duty bound to protest against anything which
causes the community TO deteriorate.
Here we are under obligations as clergymen
Such causes are temperance. opera house bill.
boards etc. Few citizens in Providence
realize the vast amount of gambling that the
law permits in this city. There is hardly n
store on Westminster street which has not
adopted one or more Of these gilded gambling
schemes. Consider the gift craze. The latest
is TO give away life insurance policy chance
with glass Of soda. Not "A store which does
not give away its bicycle, music box, cyclic
podia or something of like nature. these
things are contrary 10 law, and il is the duty
of every minister of the gospel to protest
against them.
Again, we ought to know the office holders
OF our own city. We ought 10 come into per-
sonal contact with our executive officers, not
TO craftily through them manipulate the
reins Of government. God forbid But I
claim that by that means we will gain a
clearer insight into matters affecting the
welfare OF tho community at large. 1 don't
believe Inv partial salvation, but in that of
the body and intellect as well as the soul. We
must DO moro than i'm Dress ii upon our child.
rem that their sole duty a Christians lies in
coming TO the church and giving money to
foreign missions, but that 10 Is he who does
tn, most in the worlds great battlefield To
uDlift humanity TO the best in the eyes Of per
feet Justice And IL the city isithe nerve cen
ter it H. also the storm center, and there the
good work must be commnced.
The man who walks down Westminster
street and doesn't notice that evil suggesting
poster is just rs bad as the man who yields to
its temptation. We must notice and act.
Suppose some law IL passed against the
physicians of this city. They go In a body 10
the Legislature and secure its repeal. Now,
Suppose ON lno otHcr nhnu, tnht some law -
passed which fatally conflicts with our bust.
ness rs clorgymen-that of saving men and
women. Arc we TO remain passive and silent
People talk about the hard times and bust
ness depression. There would be no hard
times unless business was conducted on such
n grossly immoral scale This spirit Of com
petition which sends out along our streets a
long line Of sandwich mon" advertising a
firm which is making IL impossible for some
honest men TO carry on business is an alto
gother vicious and damnable product OF nine.
teenth century iniquity.
The clergyman should in every sense Of the
word be the tribune OF the people IN its clas.
steal signihcation. He should know their
grievances and from the standpoint Of the
pulpit rebuko the evils which now confront
modern civilization.