The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-01
Peculiar Wisdom Urged Upon Them
as a Necessity for Their Justifl-
cation in Discussing Iolitics.


as a Necessity for Their Justif-
cation in Discussing Politics.
From the New York Sun.
When the clergy pass from the do
main of religion and theology 10 dis
cuss or dogmatize about large public
questions outside of their strictly pro-
fessional sphere, it behooves them. II
they would not impair confidence in the
church itself, to be careful that thev
justify the excursion by the peculiar
wisdom of their utterances. They must
not forget that in the pulpit, surrounded
by all the adjuncts, accessories and ac-
COMMITMENTS of impressive religious
worship, they have an advantage
which they lose altogether when they
come down to debate on the same plane
with men who, to command respect for
their arguments and disputations, must
rely wholly on their inherent intellec-
tual strength and substantial equip
ment of knowledge An intellectual
product which would be too Door and
feeble for the forum will often pass
muster in the pulpit, with the help of
clerical robes, a dim religious light and
voice which can give to commonplace
the impressive solemnity of almost in
suired wisdom.
The clergy need to be warned of
that danger, more especially at the
present time, because there is now a
Widespread disposition among them to
substitute pure philanthropy for re-
ligion, and to regard the discussion of
social and even political questions as
trt,
The religious theory that the great
question of all concerns this life only so
far as it is preparatory to the life to
come, as a probationary state merely,
seems to have been abandoned by them
to an extent which suggests doubt as
to their continued faith in it, They are
quick to seize an opportunity to pre-
scribe something else than the old re-
ligious remedy or compensation for all
human ills, though we are obliged to
confess that rarely do they show pro-
found knowledge or notable skill as
practitioners of the secular art
This deficiency has been made strik-
ingly manifest in some of the speeches
and papers at the Episcopa! church
congress in session at st. Paul. A lead
ing subject of discussion there, for in
stance was "imuerialsm," and it was
introduced by paper from Bishop
Potter. 1t is excusable in the bishop
that the pressure of his multifarious
duties in the great diocese of New York
does not permit his giving to a subject
of so profound Importance the careful
and original reflection it's edequate
| treatment by man so conspicuous re-
quires, His paper, therefore, indicates
haste in its preparation and superficial
| thought, and it made evident that his
| sources of information We're casual
| only. and chiefly those which are rem
| dered valuelesS for the purposes of the
| statesman by partisan malignity and
Misrepresentation. His foundation of
general historical study seemed also
| insufficient to sustain his argument AMI
| his essay at philosophy. The paper
| suggested, in fine that he would have
| been more prudent if he had not i'm
periled respect for the episcopal dig
nifty and authority by departing from
| his purely religious sphere.
| We will give a single indication of
his method in discussing the subject
| but it is sufficient to justify what we
have said. In speaking of our rela-
tions with the Philippines, he relied
| solely on hcarsay and on chiefly dis.
| credited newspaper evidence; but this
| special insult to his country, through
| it's President, goes even to the extreme
| of the most flippant writer: He (tho
presidenO happens usually, with us. 10
| have a task on hand-that of securing
! his own e-election-which naturally
absorbs a large share of his time. How
can he he expectt to neglect 1t for the
care of some wretcEed islands-mainly
! peopled. as he is told Though, unfor-
| tunately for him. incorrectly with q
| lot OF ignorant little 'niggers2 Or, rath
er, if he must give them some sort of
attention, how can he make their con-
quest and government a means OF
STRENGTHENING himself with his party
and binding new adhercnts to a great
and spontaneous movement for his re-
election?"
The president of the United States
is in no respect different from the Eng.
lsh Premier so far as concerns the DO.
ltcal necessity of having political
support. He is no more working for
his reelection than IS the sovereign ~
a constitutional monarchy in striving
ment which makes possible the full
execution of his policy, As to ignor-
ance Of the conditions in the Philip.
pines and the spirit and the character
of their population, where does it real
ly exist Is it in the president, IN
daily communication with officers, civil
and military who have studied the
problem on the ground and gained
long experience in the practical treat
mcnt of 1t or is 1t i'm bishop whc
knows nothing about the subject except
by mere hearsay and can only repeat
the exploded accusations of indignant
! newspapers?
Sush an exhibition by a clergyman
tends to lower his whole order even the
church itself, in the esteem of intelli-
| gent conscientious and rejecting men,
| 1t exposes the clergy TO discrlminat- =
| ing criticism apart from the religious
| glamour of their office and causes them