New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-21
CHTRCH AND STATE.

Little has been heard recently about the
A. T. A. A few years ago a large number of
worthy people were deeply concerned for the
preservation of individual liberty In this lind
Of the free aud home Of the brave II in
this country an able and astutc body OF eccleSi-
astics devoted to forwarding the interests OF
Christianity as they understood Il. The mem
hers Of the A. L. 4. had read history and knew
what an active part this Church of Rome had
played In the worlds politics. and how in past
ages It's struggles for dominion had been the
cause Of wars and Of the upbuilllnss and down
falls Of governments. Therefore, taking their
stand on thc supposed necessity Of lighting the
first nsidlous attempt ~ the church 10 Inter
ferc with the State. these conscientious per
sons determined 10 protect American instiiu-
lions by excluding from office and power all
their fellow citizens whom they thought likely
10 vote and act under The instructions Of priests
The A. i. A 4 have been Quicsccnt ~ late but
IL they are not all dead or rccusant they should
bcstr themselves TO protect American political
liberty from the dangers Of ecclesiastical dom
nation. and. forgetting for a moment the
wicked Vaccinations ~ Monsignor Martnclli
and Archbishop Corrigan. they should turn their
attention to the State Of Michigan and the
clergymen there deprived by Church discipline
Of their rights as free American citizens
The Michigan Conference Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church met in Lansing on Monday.
and after n long and stormy debate adopted
resolutions severely consuming clergymen who
have voted for any candidates for public office
except those OF the ProhibiIonst political
pnrty and instnicting them implicitly 10 vote
the Prohibltionist ticket I'm future. Thus the
Methodist Episcopal Church In Michigan has
entered politics The power Of It's ecclesiastical
discipline IL turned 10 the regulation of the POI
liical acts Of its ministers The Clergyman
who asserts tho supposed American principle
Of separation Of Church and State and eXer-
clscs his own Judgment as citizen in the
choice OF the mon who arc 10 conduct public
affairs and I'm the settlement Of the policies Of
the Government. will 10 so contumaclous
minister rebelling against ecclesiastical author
ity II the resolutions mean anything they en-
bark the Church MS n Church in partisan
politics and set up religious organization. with
its hold on the conscience. the loyalty and the
fears of It's members. as IN engine of temporal
power The Roman Church can do nothing
more than this lis forces for control may he
greater It's craftsmanship more far reaching
and clever, but It's attack upon the secuarlty
of citizenship can he no more real.
What would the Mchodists Of Michigan say
If Bishop Mcdonnell. of Brooklyn should tell
all his priests hereafter to vote the Democratic
ticket and should censure the Rev. Sylvester
Malone for his wcll-known adherence to the
Republican party? Suppose Cardinal Gibbons
should write letter in the next Presidential
campaign saying that the interests Of the
Church and organized society required the de-
feat Of the Populist candidates and their semi
Socalstic principles and requesting all Roman
Catholics TO vote against them. There would
he such "No Popcry." howl as this country
has never heard, and 1t would be Justified. But
how Is Methodist better than Roman Catholic
Interference in elections? It does not do to say
that Prohibition is simply n moral question.
Every question Of public policy is n moral ques-
ton One Church may think morality requires
the triumph Of political party with certain
views about the liquor traffic. Another Church
may think the good Of mankind dependent
II new marriage law State Socialism or
on religious instruction In schools. II the
Church can enter politics for anything 1t can
enter It for everything and the Republic be-
comes n theocracy. A Methodist theocracy
may have one aim, Roman theocracy another.
and individual tastes will find one aim good
and another bad but both are equally out OF
place in Government conducted under the
Constitution OF the United States.
Nevertheless. we are glad the Methodist
Episcopal Conference OF Michigan has gone into
politics. Its action Is lesson in liberation
and revelation Of human nature. II shows
that in spite Of all our talk about new and
broader civilization men are pretty much the
same ut all times and In all places. When they
have an object to gain they will use the Instru-