The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-11-26
BRIBERS IN PEWS
LEAD THE SCHOOLS
Michigan Bishop Flags Com
mercialism.
UPON SENSE OF HONESTY
Whole Nation, Politics and Churches.
The True National
Spirit.
UPON SENSE OF HONESTY

NEW YORK. Nov 25-Scathingly
does the Rev. Charles ID. Williams
deacon Of Trinity Cathedral. Cleveland,
Ohio, arraign the public conscience in
an article in the December issue of Nc
Cures Magazine. which appeared yes
terday
The doctor. who is bishop-elect Of the
eastern diocese of Michigan. attacks
n:en whom he accuses of resorting 10
commercial ssassination- He charges
that perjury and bribery are resorted to
in driving out competition.
He declares that bribers SIT in the
front pews IN the best churches, teach
ing Sunday schools. and attending
church services regularly. The public
excuses them. he SAYS. because Of that
fact. overlooking entirely their moral
turpitude.
He attacks present political condi-
tons numerically, holding responsible
for corruption those who vote their
party tickets without regard to the can
didates or principles advocated.
Church as Bad.
Finally. he charges that the CON
science of the churches has become dis
integrated, along with that of the pub
| lie. The paramount business OF the
church today. he says, is to teach COM
mercia1 honesty 10 the young men who
are to engage in the business of the
| country.
Extracts from the article follow:
There are the stories Of some of the
overgigaatic business enterprises which
have climbed to dizzy heights OF UMPIRE
! cedented financial power. And they
have done it by deliberate policies OF
commercial assassination, by ruthless
crowding 10 the wall both by fair means
and oftener by foul. all honest COMPETE
tors.
There Is solemn perjury committed
before courts Of justice and investigat-
ing committees. Stocks are manipulated
i wsth diabolical ingenuity to the fleeing
i of the innocent and the ruin of the hon.
est investor. This IS the record which
has never been successfully impugled-
/ Back Pastors Who Smooth
d And yet who are they who do these
things? They are often gentlemen who
are scrupulously correct in their person
al behavior As to their individual
minor morals, they are temperate, sober
and chaste. They go TO church regu-
. IarIy teach in Sunday school. lead in
prayer meeting. support the pastor Csc
, long as he breaches smooth things
Z
ct u time also that we turn our right
eous indignation from the petty polite
ians, who are often weak and faciis
, tools in the hands or powerful agents
: TO those agents themselves. from whom
! the bride goes TO the briber. And ye'
the same bribers are often the mos
I respectable and eminent members O
} our best society. and often they sit IL
the 'front.' pews Of our best churches.
( "Scrupulous ana high minded in private
| life, devoted and earnest in technically
religious affairs, they yet seem 10 b'
2 literally without conscience. unmora
rather than immoral. in their politica
e activities and RELATIONSHIPS. They, too
y are victims of this subtle and fatal dis
l ease of e divided conscience.
/, National Spirit.
!, Here lies our greatest national spiri;
y This dryrot OF commercislism honey
!, combs our free Institutions. and threat
h ems to bring to naught that vast and crit
[ cal experiment OF democracy. ana rep
f resentstive government. which in tn
r providence OF God. We are set TO try 70
T the human race
II Meanwhile what is the church dom
IS about the matter Her watchmen ar
dumb dogs that win not bark to us
/ the language Of the old prophet. W
have no concern with either business {
!. politics-that is with nine-tenths. OF Ii
q lives Of the people who sit before l
2 Sunday after Sunday. Why? Becaus
the church. too, has disintegrate
]