Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-11-16
ATTACKS RELIGIOUS
VIEWS OF PRESIDENT
CALLS ROOSEVELT ILLIBERAL
TOWARD SOME CLASSES
Chief Executives Opinion No One
Has Right to Know Matters Be-
tween Man and Creator
Is l.efuted

President Roosevelt's remarks con-
corning the religious beliefs of the fu-
ture president have attracted much at
tention and no little discussion among
church members.
G. M. Ramsey of Los Angeles has
made the following statements under
the head of 1.-The Bible VS.. Roosevelt:
1.-THE president, along with his many
other arduous duties, seems to feel 1t
to be his duty to instruct the people
in the subject of their religious be-
liefs. He declares freedom of religious
belief must be upheld in this country,
and yet he would restrain the work.
ings of religious belief.
"He is most liberal in his feelings
toward certain classes, and most IL
liberal in his feelings toward certain
other classes. With him it depends
upon what a man believes whether he
should be tolerated. Among other
things he says: You are entitled to
know whether man seeking your suf-
frage is a man of clean and upright
life, honorable in his dealings with his
fellows and fit by qualifications and
purpose to do well in the great Office
for which he is a candidate. But you
are not entitled to know matters which
lie purely between himself and his
Maker
"That is. according to his views. we
have no right to inquire into the re-
ligious belief of anyone seeking Office.
He may be an atheist, infidel, scoffer
and reviler of religion, yet this should
make no difference with the voter.
"But what does the Bible say in re-
gard to this matter? TO the law and
to the1 testimony; if they speak not
according to this word, it is because
there is no light in them
1.-THE president very properly teaches
it is not every individual who is quail
fed to hold office in a nation. He
should be fit by qualifications and pur-
pose to do well in the great Office for
which he is a candidate Good natural
talents, a cultivated mind. an acquain-
tance with the principles of government
and with the constitution and laws of
the country, are very necessary to fit
one for the filling of any important Of
flee. The Bible, as we'll as common
sense, is opposed to selecting persons
of feeble intellect to rule: Woe unto
thee, o land, when thy king is child
Thou shalt provide out of all the peo-
pie, able men,
'The president also very properly
teaches that moral qualifications are
necessary. But the president, as many
others. is ready to ask, 'Of what use is
religion to a civil ruler?' Civil gov
eminent has nothing to do with
political actions. Its tests are not the
illogical, but political. He says we have
nothing to do with the private char
acter of public men; that you are not
entitled to know matters which lie
purely between himself and his Maker.
''Is the president right in regard to
this? The Bible has something to say
about this, as well as other things.
Tt requires religious qualifications in
civil rulers. and if such qualifications
are required, have not the people
right to know about them? Moreover,
thou shalt provide out of all the people,
able men, such as fear God, men of
truth, hating covetousness; and place
such over them to be rulers He that
ruleth over men must be just ruling
in the fear of Cod And many other
passages
THUS it appears that three distinct
classes of qualifications are necessary
in civil rulers-natural, moral and re-
ligious. Rulers are required to be men
of good abilities, of unquestioned char
acter and of true piety.
"Weak and ignorant, drunkards, lib
ertines, Sabbath breakers prefanc
swearers, ungodly men, should not rule
over a Christian people, The president
has fallen in with the too common feel
ing of our day that rulers as such
have nothing to do with religion. And
how often does it happen that men
of no religion are unblushingly pre-
ferred to those who have we'll known
reputation for goodness?
"Civil rulers are called ministers of
Cod How dishonoring it must be to
him to set up as his ministers those
who deny his authority
Hence the great Importance of hav-
ing the public mind deeply imbued with
pure moral sentiments, and correct re-
ligious principles. Never should the
Christian suffer himself to forget that
he is bound to act up to his character
at all times. He should never drop the
Christian to act the civilian. He must
conduct himself as Christian, when
acting as a member OF the state as
well as when acting as a member Of
the church; at the ballot box as well
as at the Lords table. We have a
right to know the religious belief Of
our rulers"