Evening journal., 1901-05-02
MINISTER'S May
TALK ON POLITICS
50 Says the Rev. Joseph
Brown Turner
TRUTH SHOULD Be SPOKEN
With Discretion, and With Common
Sense, But II Never Needs a
Blanket

sermon on Elne Churcn ana HOllllcS
by the Rev. Joseph Brown Turner, Of
Dover, the first two instalments of
which were published in the Evening
Journal yesterday and the day preced-
ing:
the need of personal integrity in all re-
lationships, the church must preach in
her pulpits and exemplify in the lives
of her people continually, be faithless
to her solemn trust. Whatever the
church does she must do through her
ministers and her members. Let us
ask, then. what line and duty pertains
to the ministry in particular? What
has the minister to do with politics?
Nothing, say some" for such things
are none of his business. This is no
new contention. Unclean spirits have
from the beginning cried out in the
presence of rebuking purity. Let us
alone; what have we to do with theeg
Whenever q minister begins to apply
the principles of the word Of God to
evil doers. they exclaim, What right
have you to meddle with pOlitics?"
Keep to your parish, preach the Gospel,
and let us alone" On one point We
ali agree with these objeetOrs. A min
lister has no right to discuss in his pull
pit questions which are only partisan
or secular. Matters that have no moral
bearings, or relations. are wholly out
side of the sphere of the pulpit, and
with them the preacher has no con-
Germ. As to these there may be honest
differences of opinion, and it is intOl-
cradle effrontery for him to try to
thrust such questions upon his con
gregatiOn. This, however, is extremely
rare For one preacher who offends in
this direction there are a score who
like the Vicar of Bray do not have
even the convictions that every citizen
ought to have, and who never try to
expound the teachings Of the Bible
or government. Along entirely le-
gitimate hines there is much for the
true minister to do, to which only
those who are ignorant or guilty will
object All moral questions are within
our territory, whether they have pO,iti-
cal relations or not. Are we to preach
against wrongdOing only so long as
it is separate from politics, and with
hold warning and reproof when ever
it is a political practice? Are great
public wrongs like systematic bribery,
or ven2lity in public life, or the licens-
luH Ol NlIts W E1ldRf alAhiAA1Du anu
condemnation from the pulpit on the
ground that the preacher must not
meddle with politios?" Shall l have
nothing to say against wickeGness just
because it is interviewer with the prac-
tices Of parties? 1t is a monstrous
theory that SAYS so, and one that is
as false and hurtful as Satan himself
could suggest Sin is sin anywhere,
h., aHf cfdn
of the controversy with wrong, must
expose it wherever it turks. Moral
questions, with all their applications,
are proper subjects for pulpit discus
sions; and in the name OF kings OF
kings l challenge the authority that
presumes TO shut the gates of the tenn
pie Of politics in the face of his am
bassadOr. He has a right to enter II
with whip of small cords, II need be
He mas not done enough in striving to
restrain iniquity, and to advance re-
form so long as there is any thing
more than he can do. What is pulpit
Is it merely wooden desk? Or is il
a forum to unfold and broaden anc
help mankind? What is a minister oi
the word OF God? What ought he tC
be? A holy piece Of bric-a-brac? a
nice. harmless little man who must b'
careful to keep out of the road OF evi
dOers? Is he to see manhood made ;
matter of barter and sale, his Stat
made a byword, the nation imperiled
the cause of God dishonored,y and re
member that he is a minister, and sa.
nothing? Is that ministerial fidelity
Not according to his commission as
is contained in this book lie is a min
ister, and he is TO be a man. He is II
his pulpit to advocate and defend right
eousness faithfully and fearlessly. II
is a public teacher, and he must d
what he can to shape the convictions O
men upon all that isvital TO their mora
welfare. He is there with his Bible {
show now its truths should be applet
and he is there with his manhood, an
citizenship. He is there not merel
for a religious service, but for hi
neignbors, for their homes, for tn
church, and for the country, for Go
has equally to do with all. He is theI
to do brave battle for all public mt
rality, and every moral reform. He
there to follow the example of tf
prophets, and he must cry aloud, an
spare not" Nathan and Elijah an
jeremiah were spokesmen OF God, an
they were statesmen of Israel. Ths
knew and taught that God had to (
with politics. They rebuked faithle
magistrates and dissolute kings. Thl
preached the righteousness that exal
eth a nation. and denounced sin as
reprOach TO any people. No pub
question escaped the sitting OF the
ministry; no national sin escaped the
rebuke. Drunkenness. bribery, the o
preston of the poor, fraud. injustiI
and dishonesty all felt the lash of th'
fidelity. The clergy are their line
descendants. and it becomes them
stand where the prophets stood Of o
in imitation of their example. aud
furtherance Of their purpose. In eve
age, and in every land that has had
Christian pulpit a faithful minisi
has been one of Gods best blessir
to the psople. a mighty agency
good.
1t wss a preacher-John Ball-w
first declared to England the natu
cnuality and rights of man. Preach