The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-08-17

We claim to be good friend to relig-
ION and the churches. When anyone Of
them has been attacked we have de-
Tended It. We have never attempted TO
unsettle the beliefs Of men. and leave
them floating on a shoreless sea of
doubt. We have argued that the moral
restraints Of religion can hurt no one,
and will benefit millions. We think.
with Robert Burns:
''The fear Of hell's hangman's whip.
To hold tho wretch In ORDER
We believe every man will work out
for himself. in his own brain, the creed
for which he is fitted.
And therefore. when we complain that
the churches are largely controlled by
the money power, we do not mean to
attack the cause of religion. The min
listers are only human; they have their
lnhrmities like the rest OF us. They do
not forget, In their hard struggle to
live, that the gold of the wealthy PARISH
toner's Is more acceptable than the COD
per and silver Of the multitude. 1T is
money that talks" with most persuasive
organs.
We have just received the following
letter from Mr.. James Vincent, of Ia
Dor. Ia, noble-hearted philanthropist.
and father Of the famous "Vincent
boys so long conspicuously identified
"a
He says:
am writing my autobiography, and am
familiar with the attitude Of the churches
on reform questions from 1850 to the pres
ent' ana IN great measure from 1850 back
~ or 10 years. and may have occasion to
relate considerable of my own experience
with the churches.
You ask, Are not the churches of TODAY
standing silent while the money power ana
the trusts are mancling and numbering the
republic" l Will reply. from my own per-
sonar knowledge. that whereas, the
churches were the 'Bulwark of African
Slavery. the influences Of the churches to-
Gay Is ten-fold stronger in support of the
modern system of American slavery name
~: the money power and the trusts and,
whereas, In old ro-slavery times, 1t was
possible, In many churches, for ultra speak
ers to get hearing in behalf of reform.
1 doubt if there are a half a dozen Churches
to be found from end to end Of the United
States in which a speaker could be admitted
to speak distinctly the truth as to the trusts
and the money power. The money power
and the trusts control nearly every pulpit
in the United States
There are very few men left who were
actively engaged In the old anti slavery
struggle George w. Julian is now gone
1 was In the anti slavery work at the time
he was candidate for vice-president, with
John r. Hale for president, in 1852, and
was with him in South Bend. Ind-he
spoke on Saturday. and on Sunday preach
ed on the slavery question
II would like to complete my autobi-
ography and get It in book form before I
go to the other shore On the 21st inst I
shall be Is years Old
We hope the valuable life of our hon
ored friend may be prolonged for many
years to come.
Let the force of public opinion be
brought to bear on all the churches In
the land, and compel them to represent
not only the formal shell of a religion,
but right and Justice. Let them preach
not so much the martyr Christ, cruel
fed, but the triumphant Christ, scourg-
Ing the money changers out of the tenn
pie, and hurting His immortal anathe-
mas at the rich men-"the whited sepul-
chres, Outwardly fair, but within full of
dead mems bones and all uncleanness."
I. D.