The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-20

\CD of the gospel to edge their way into politics under cover of the reform of the public morals is one of the evil signs of the times, and 1t should met the stern resistence of thinking peo- pie, and particularly of thinking Chris tians, because it is a sinister and im- moral diversion, calculated to do no manner of good to the state and much harm to the church.
 In France the anti-clerical uprising was mainly responsive to the hostile atti- tude of the clergy of the Church of Rome to the French republic. Anti-clericallsm is spreading to Italy and Is held only in abeyance in Spain. the disposition ot the masses everywhere being toward the complete separatio of church and state. Not since the days of the slavery agita- tion have the c1ergymen of New England descended from their pulpits Into the bulrng of politics.
 The wisdom of the ages prescribes, If human experience carries any lesson ana means anything, the total dissassociation of things temporal and things spiritual even as Christ dsassociated them--and the arrayment of religious bodies, led by min isters of the gospel of Christ on this side or that of the line separating parties. is at war with the teaching and example of the Savior, sure in the end, if it could become general, to degrade the church, and imperil the better influence of the ministry.
 There is little danger of its becoming general. In It's nature 1t Is sporadic, shifting it's foot from state to state. The Courier Journal Is concerned no further than relates to the immediate situation in Kentucky, where we see wave of temperance so-called, which Is very in- temperate, personally conducted by minis ters of the gospel, some of whom are candidates for the legislature and others mere party organizers. with a riff-raff of greasy, vulgar, self-seeking politicians, trying to ride into office upon this wave, having no regard to any other consider ation than the enactment of laws, which, wherever they have been tried have who'll ly failed of the results claimed for them.
 With some this wave Is simple hys teria. With others, 1t is pure demagogy. Though temperance should no more have 
 prevailing crusade in Kentucky pretends to be 9 democrat, though preaching gos- pels hitherto regarded as federalistic. whig and republican. In point of fact, however. 1t is sheer bigotry using for it's instruments the most blatant, appealing to the emotonalism of the minimizing, striking out blindly in the dark at every bod who ventures to question it's infalli- bility, or to resist it's intolerance.
 In q papene recently printed in these columns the Hon. Boyd Winchester-a po- litical philosopher if there ever was one wholly withdrawn from the arena of par tisan turbuency and sordid self-seeking- sets forth with great fidelity and power and truth the underlying principles which led to the dsestablishment of the Church in Virginia, eliminating In religious rree- dom everywhere in the United States.
 Opposition to sumptuary laws,' says Mir. Winchester. has long been a tenet of the democratic party It Is a demo- cratic axiom that the est-governed peo- pie are those least governed that the science of legislation is the science or touching as lightly as possible the free dom of the citizen in his individual, do- festic and personal action The mania for regulating everything does not spring from a democratic root. It Is characteris tcally monarchial. It aims to oversee all, to intermeddle with all, like an Argus, with hundred eyes and Briareus, with a hundred hands. The royal conception of government is that of a felt presence In the daily life of every citizen, directing his manner of life, telling what he shall eat and drink and wear this monarchical idea has been defined by writers on gov ernment from Aristotle down. It postu- lates a government agent standing at the side of every citizen to see to it that he behaves. IL is the direct opposite of the republican dream and ideal"
 This cannot be gainsaid. It Is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
 And what shall be said of minister of the gospel who, emulating the bad coun- sells of more timorous men, offers him self as a candidate for the legislature? If, like Everett and Garfield. he proposes to quit the priesthood of God to make a ca reer in public life, his act may be recon ciled with sincerity and reason; but a minister of the gospel down in the mud