Mexico Missouri message., 1900-12-20
SOME MINISTER'S "
r. NEED A REVIVAL.

The article below is taken from
the White County Democrat of
Illinois. We endorse nearly ev-
cry thought therein expressed.
Partisan politics in the pulpit is
very much out of place. See if it
was not in this instance:
The Democrat has the greatest
respect for churches and church
organizations. A minister of the
gospel, so long as he administers
to the spiritual wants of his flock,
is entitled to the respect due his
calling. When he exceeds the du-
ties of his calling and embarks in
politics he becomes subject to the
criticism which falls to the lot of a
politician. When he takes advan-
tage of his position, to defend or
attack any political party, the
sanctity of the pulpit should not
be a protection to him, and so far
as we are concerned, it shall not
be fertilization which may not
be assailed.
The questionable taste and bad
Judgment displayed by Rev. West,
of the Methodist church of Mt.
Carmel, in his Thanksgiving SER
mon delivered at the Presbyterian
church in this city is, i'll our judg-
ment, a subject for discussion.
Mr.. West was invited here to
deliver the union Thanksgiving
sermon. His congregation was
composed of several denominations
of religious adherents as well AS
men of different political faith.
The people who gathered there to
hear him had n right to expect a
sermon on such day that would
be free from the arrogance of par
tisanship. 1t would seem as tho
after the toll and strife of the cam
paign thru which the people have
Just passed, that it would be the
pleasant duty of minister of the
gospel to smooth the way to a
neighborly and friendly feeling.
The Reverend gentleman, how
ever, found it agreeable to himself
to mimic the practice of some of
John d. Rockefeller's hired preach
ers, and denounce the people of
this country who were not satisfied
with the government as it is admin
istered at present.
1t might be well for Mr.. West to
reflect, that this government does
not belong to any political party,
and this is one of the things for
which the people should be thank
full, which he did not see fit to e.
numerate. 1t might be well for
his success in the church if he
would remember that there are
Democrats, PrOhibitionists and
Republicans in the Methodist
church who are as honest in their
intentions and as arduous in their
efforts TO, the good of the church
as he is. Aye! there are men in
the church, impossible as it may
seem to him, who are not his infe
rior in point of ability, who have
different political opinions.
1t seems to MS that there are SO
many subjects upon which we are
n united people, that it is unnec-
essary in Thanksgiving sermon
or Fourth Of July speech, to go
into subjects on which there is so
great diversity of strong opinion
rs there is on the Filipino Ques-
ton. His statement that the Fill
Pine is learning to love American
government was as foreign to his
place in the pulpit as it is to the
truth; while the assertion that
many of them imagined American
government was Heaven, was
brutal attempt at humor. His SER
mon was largely harangue IL
gainst those who do not appreci-
ate the beauties of McKinleyism.
With theatrical mien he quoted
from Justice Cooley and other EN-.
inent jurists and students, and
fatty declared their opinions
wrong. He probably thinks the
constitution wrong. Mr.. West,
whom we believe wears the title of
doctor (home made or other
wise) will probably be surprised
when he learns that people will go
right ahead accepting Cooley's
opinion as authority just as tho
DR.. West had never Dreoched i'm