The morning journal-courier., 1908-11-17
THE PREACHER AND POLITICS.


 The entrance of clergymen in polIti- cal discussions has raised the ques- tiou How far shall q preacher go In his utterauccs regarding political Quastious2" Clergymeu are found as public advocates of the claims of all the parties some worked in the ln- terest of Mir. Bryan others supported Mr. Taft; still others were hard on the trail of the Hon Joseph h. Can non in his congressional district, while in the Socialist party cause the num- bcr of clerrymen politically interested were more numerous
 It is to be admitted that there are times when preacher should speak with mo uncertain sound" He has his Interests as a leader in moral pro- gress Whenever great moral prInci- plos are involved tho pulpit Is ncGli- Igent if it does not speak Whenever political question l4 raised that Is vtal- iy related 10 a serious ethical concu- sion thcre is natural interest to know how the clergy view the matter. The preacher can not be absolutely colorcss morally if he has an ambition to ho a read preacher.
 Within a little oyer a half century certain great political questions 1 have been complicated with ethi- cal issues The Mexican war in 1 troduccd conflict between pollt- ica expcdienry and moral princi- | pie struggling to bc recognized In 1860 tho same issue appeared again with greater force and miChtier sweep of in- huenee But again period has come that carries the thinking of men be- yond thc purely political to the moral |quostions that are Involved Already preachers are divided in opinion and convictions of duty. but yet eager 10 have their utterances on tho side of righteousness The older conception of a preacher as one who need know nothing of practical life whose chief function Is to appear regularly in the pulptt on Sundpy in conventional dress Ito discourse learnediy of the sins of four thousand years ago, or the trans gressions of a nation four thousand miles away, has gone forever
 It may generally be agreed that no preacher can use his pulpit 10 promote partisan politics. There is differ ence between politics regarded as 2 sci- ence of government and partisan poli- ties. Tt can not be assumed that ono political party Is ylruous and has all the truth while all others are vicious Each party has some truth to which il ! holds tenaciously and is the vehicle Of l, moral power To the degree in whicl 1t is faithful 10 the moral content of ' its convictions it has it's place and in. nuonce in general proeress The thinl ' 10 do is to make prominent the truth , and expose the evil without becoming , offensivay partisan Partisan spirit , itself is narrow because it gan not he just and see the truth on the other : side.
 . The Influence of the teacher of eth, ics is mora end more needed in the . sphere of politics, Ii is unfortunate $ there should be q disturbed feollns when a preacher touches politics witt f moral truth. Occasionally there come , political crises, when great moral prln cIplos of justice and human right are at stake. Then, if ever, 1t may be ex pected that d preacher must declare himself for righteousness as against DO litical expediency He is the one mar to whom the people look for disinter ested sincere, moral judgment anC guidance, tn q time of intense ant sharp moral difference Botb as citizen and q preacher his duty in { period of moral stress is to counse and lead in the paths of righteousness