The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-10-08
HIGHEST TYPE Of
CHRISTIAN GENTLEMAN
churchmen Who Know Judge Taft
Render Him This Sincere
Tribute.
The Attitude Of the Republican Cam
didats Towards Religion and q
Life Which Shows Adher-
encs to tho Best Ethics
and Morals.

because he IL the highest type Of
the Christian gentleman"
This Is the way in which | heard the
ern Illinois end an argument with a
layman on the train coming to Cincin-
natl from st. Louis, writes a staff cor
respondent Of the st. Louis Globe
Democrat. The layman, paying due
respect to the cloth Of his OPP
ponent, was trying to convince him
that he should not support Mr..
Taft for the presidency, and instead
should vote for his Democratic oppo-
lent. The churchman defended the
principles OF the Republican party, and,
as indicated, defended the man for
whom he said he expected to vote, from
his personal standpoint of a churchman,
'because he Is the highest type Of a
Christian gentleman"
Bishop J. G. Hartzell OF the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, discussing the
religious beliefs Of Bryan Inc Taft,
after calling On the latter, said:
(which Of these men I shall vote for
will not be decided by their religious
beliefs, but what they are as men, and
by the principles and policies they stand
for in the administration Of the gov
eminent. I believe that In acting upon
this view, as an American citizen, / am
In harmony with the spirit and purpose
Of the founders Of our republic, who
put into the constitution that there
should be mo religious test as to quail
fcations to any office or public trust
under the United States My convic-
ton is that the future safety Of the
nation depends very largely upon our
people needing that constitutional pro-
hibition. Our nation owes much I'm
moral character. craftsmanship, litera-
ture. art and religion to those who
have not been in strict harmony with
some of the dogmas OF the church. The
days OF the inquisition are past"
Remembering that Mrs. Taft Is a
Presbyterian, but that Miss Helen Taft
was confirmed I'm the Episcopal Church
In Washington last winter at the same
time that Miss Ethel Roosevelt. daugh,
ter Of the President, was confirmed, I
wondered as to Mr.. Taft's church asso.
citation. When I made the inquiry here
I was answered through the columns
Of the Northwestern Christian Advo-
cate, the great Methodist publication,
Just as 1t had given answer to hundreds
Of inquiries from Its Methodist subscrib-
ers. 1t said:
Man Of Broad sympathies.
Mrs. Taft and children are Eplsco-
palians, and the Secretary frequently
accompanies them to st. Johns Church,
where, also, he has a pew. While Mr..
Roosevelt goes to the German Reform,
ed Church. his wife and family, who
are Eplscopalians, attend historic ST.
Johns Church, where they sit only one
or two pews removed from Mrs. Taft
and her children. Secretary Taft
spends his vacation at Murray Bay.
Canada, where there Is a Union Church,
attended by the summer colonists of all
denominations. The Secretary Of War
Is one OF the trustees of his summer
colony church, where people of many
faiths gather for worship"
This Methodist testimony indicated
to me the broad and liberal view of
Mr.. Taft In religious matters. In look
ing through the file Of this same pub |
lication-the Western Christian Advo. |
cate-I found a discussion of both nom
inees, In the course of which It was
asserted:
''The sympathies Of both Mr.. Taft
and Mr.. Bryan are very broad, and they |
worship easily and naturally with any
Christian denomination. Whichever |
man is elected. the country win have. /
therefore, q President Of clean life,
lofty principles and Christian convic-
lions"
Opinion Of Negro Clergyman.
On the same afternoon, when Bishop |
Hartxell called, Rev. James G. Robin |
son. pastor of the Eaker Street African
Methodist Church Of Dayton, Ohio.
called at the headquarters in company |
with w. Fl. Jones, one of the leading |
colored lawyers Of the same city. Mr.
Jones was proud of the fact that he Is |
president of the Colored Taft Club, the |
drst one to be Incorporated in the Uni |
ted States, and Rev. Mr.. Robinson ad-
mitted that he is president Of the
Board Of Directors Of the same club
Az he left Mr.. Taft's office l asked him
for his view Of the candidate, both from
his standpoint as q churchman and as
: lender m hjs raco
II believe" he said. "Judge Taft will
b elected BY q safe and comfortable
majority. not simply because he IL q
Republican, n I'm I speaking because
I am Z Republican. But Judge Taft
represents all Of the ideals OF the true
Christian statesman"
A. to the attitude Of his own race, |
~. Mr.. Robinson said: We can not
aGeg1 20 line up with the Democratic |
porty, which has been a~ntagonistic to |
~ iutereotD always. and against the
p6rty heeded By such wise and Chris
tlan o(atesman - = Judge Taft. He II
man whonA ~ know IN Ohio b desir-
~ ut ~ ~. without regard to