The record-union., 1898-11-13
PULPIT, PEW AND EXPANSION


The ''Oregonian" remarks that the
priests go with the pews. That is to
say, we find the great mass of the
clergy of all schools to-day out for ma
tional expansion, the holding Of the
Philippines, and of the Ladrone island
we claim; they rejoice at the taking
of Porto Rico and the freeing Of Cuba.
But while it might be said to be un-
complimentary to the independence
and intelligence of the priests TO aver
that they are thus posed because they
follow the pews, 1t is really not SO.
because the pews are under their teach
ing, and harmony between the pew and
/ the priest is the secret of church sue
cess.
! Our contemporary points out that in
the time of the war of the rebellion the
priests of all manner of churches in
the South were for the Confederate
cause, while at the North priests Of the
same church schools, Protestant and
Catholic, stood bravely and enthusias-
case the priest and the pew were to-
gether according to locality and en-
vironment.
At this time the overwhelming mass
of the American clergy are for national
expansion along the lines Of policy in
dicated by the attitude of the Admin
istration, and in front of them are the
pews of their churches, which is to say
the church attending population. An
drew Carnegie is startled and surprised,
even amazed" he he puts it, to find
the religious press almost a unit for
national expansion, retention Of the
fesses that he cannot understand the
pugnacious attitude Of the religious
press in this respect. This simply
proves that Andrew Carnegie is not
observing of the tides and currents of
sentiment among church people.
At a recent great banquet and re-
union of Methodists In Chicago, the
burden of the speaking concerned the
subject of Cuban freedom, Porto Rican
and Philippine retention, etc. One
speaker. who declared that he spoke
on behalf of 100000 Epworth League
young Christians, declared that when
the American flag is once raised it
must never be lowered, and he was ap-
plauded to the echo. AT still another
large gathering of religious people re-
Gently in Chicago, the sentiment that
surrender Of the Philippines would be
ian act of disloyalty to God" was bold
ly expressed and commanded.
Archbishop Ireland has voiced the
sentiment of a vast body of Catholics
in his recent speech upon this subject,
precisely as did the Protestant Episco-
pal convocation lately, and still later
one of the State conferences of the
Methodist Church.
Here and there clergymen of distinc-
tion, for most part, however. related
| TO universities or other educational es-
Establishments. have opposed their
brethren Of the cloth and the laity on
this topic, have antagonized the reten-
ton sentiment and expression. and in
forceful essays and lectures have stood
for their personal convictions strongly.
But as a mass, the clergy follow the
Ipews and are annexationists. They, as
well as laity workers. perceive in ex-
pansion enlarged opportunity for mis-
sionary work and the extension and
spread of the truths of religion to the
dissipation of the clouds Of heathenism.
They see in such policy a broadening
of free government. under which toll
Grafton, liberty of conscience and press
are assured. and very naturally they
believe that it is providential that this