The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-10-09
HIGHEST TYPE OF
CHRISTIAN GENTLEMAN
Churchmen Who Know Judge Taft
Render Him This Sincere
Tribute.
The Attitude Of the Republican Can
didate Towards Religion and q
Life Which Shows Adher-
ence to the Best Ethics
and Morals.

because he is the highest type of
the Christian gentleman"
This is the way In which l heard the
pastor Of a Methodist church in south
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 OBJ
ponent, was trying to convince him
that he should not support Mr..
Taft for the presidency, and instead
should vote for his Democratic oppo-
nent. 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 c%hurchman,
Abecause 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 and Taft,
after calling On the latter. said:
(which Of these men l 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. believe that In acting upon
this view, as an American citizen, 1 am
In harmony with the spirit and purpose
OF the founders Of our republic, who
put into the constitution that there
should be no religious test as to quail
6cations to any office or public trust
under the United States My convic-
ton IL that the future safety Of the
nation depends very largely upon our
people needing that constitutional pro-
hibltion. Our nation owes much in
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 fnquisftion are past"
Remembering that Mrs. Taft is a
Presbyterian, but that Miss Helen Taft
was confirmed in the Episcopal Church
In Washington last winter at the same
time that Miss Ethel Roosevelt. daugh-
ter Of the President. was confirmed, |
wondered as to MI. Taft's church asso-
citation. When I made the inquiry here
/ 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 snbscrib-
ers. It said:
Man Of Broad symDathies.
"Mrs. Taft and children are Episco-
palians, and the Secretary frequently
accompanies them to st. Johns Church,
where, also, he has a pew. While MIR.
Roosevelt goes to the German Reform
ed Church, his wife and family, who
are Episcopalians, attend historic st.
Johns Church, where they sit only one
or two pews removed from Mrs. Taft
and her children. Secretary Tai;
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 this 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 hle of this same pub
lteatfon-the Western Christian Advo-
eate-I found a discussion Of both nom
inees, In the course OF which 1t 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 10 elected, the country will have
therefore. q President Of clean life
lofty. principles and Christian convic
lions"
Opinien - Nsgre Casrgynan.
On the same afternoon. when Bishop
Hartxell called, Rev. James G. Robin
eon, pastor Of the Baker Street African
Methodist Church Of Dayton, OHIO
called ct the headquarters In con'pan!
with W. n. Jones, . Of the LEADING
eoIOred lawyers OF the same CITY. MI
Tones was proud Of the fact that he !
president OF the Colored Taft Club, tn
nrst one to be Incorporated In the Uni
ted states, and Rev. Mr.. Robinson ad
mitted that he is president OF tn
Board Of Directors Of the same club
~ he left MI. Taft's Office | asked hin
cor his view Of the candidate, both from
his standpoint AZ q churchman q q
. leader Of his race. J.
II believe" he said, Judge Tart VII
IS elected ~ 4 safe and comfortaDl
majority. not simply because ne Is
Republican, nor am I speaking Decaus
I am I Republican. But Judge Tar
represents al Of the ideals g the tru'
Christian statesman"
Al to the attitude Of his own race
H.. Mr.. ROhlnoon raid NJ can no