The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-10-11

new constitution OF 1921.
Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia,
nessee all made similar provision in
their constitutions, some of more ex-
elusive character and other more lib
eral, but all depriving ministers and
priests of the right to hold civil Of
flee &.
These facts have been recalled by the
opponents of the Rev. H. w. Buchtel
| a Methodist minister of prominence
who accepted the nomination for gov
ernor on the Republican ticket latter
another nominee had declined to make
the race because the notorious Cab
bert was on the ticket for the supreme
court. Mr.. Buchtel is a man of in
! fiuence, a preacher of ability, an edu-
Gator and orator of more than COM
mon power. There can be no objec-
| ton TO his personality or his charac-
| ter as a man. But his candidacy is a
violation of the spirit which animated
the founders of the Republic, and which
! inspired the constitutional prohibition
great denomination composed of men
| of all parties. His entrance into po-
! litical life as candidate is bound to
impair his influence as a spiritual lead
er and bring discord into the councils
of his church. In this particular case
he has associated himself with a tick
ct that should be discredited by good
men all over his state; but even if the
| ticket and the men behind it were I'M
Objectionable, his candidacy would be
a blunder because it gives color to the
charge of his opponents that he was
nominated to secure the support of a
large and influential religious follow
| ing.
Putting aside the question as to the
effect on the state of such clerical af-
-filiation with it's civil affairs, the can
dfdacy of Mr.. Buchtel is a blunder be-
cause it must react seriously upon the
denomination which he represents. Nc
sect has ever been more ardent in its
objection to religious interference in
civil affairs, and none has ever beer
thing that looked like the mingling o.
ecclesiastical and political power. From
the days of Wesley down to the pres
ent, the Methodists have been sticklers
4 for this cardinal principle, and in.
stances have been rare where any min.
tions of his church so far as to accept
the nomination for so conspicuous al
office.
The forefathers had no objections Il
clerical criticism of public officials, mol
had they any idea of DISTINGUISHING
ministers and priests. as the record o.
public affairs during the revolutionary
period attests. The pastors of New
England, for instance, were conspic
uous in the agitation that resulted il
the formation of an independent ma
ton; they were active in public meet
ings, in the councils OF leaders; the,
preached revolution when separation
from England became inevitable anC
were foremost in fostering the spiri
of independence. But they recognized
|
respected it; they were descendants o
Englishmen who had fought agains
ecclesiastical domination in govern
ment. and they would not, if the!
could. accept purely civil offices.
Later in the history Of the country
when the nation was face to face will
disruption, the bishops of the Meth
odist church were among the mos
powerful supporters of Lincoln in hi
determination to restore the Union
but there is no record in that day o
any Methodist bishop, or Methods
pastor, seeking political office, excep
possibly in some minor instances of pc
litical appointment. In view of thes,
precedents, the friends of the Colorad;
preacher-and he has a great many
will regret that he has ventured on al
experiment that can only injure hin
and his denomination whether he il
elected or defeated.