The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-10-09

Class Him as Highest Type Of
Christian Gentleman.
EaEouE us l:ADaUAlRIERs

- u.s. y -
pesiare he Ii Broad Minded sna
Represents llassls Of BEST statesHan-
ship a Ri5hsp't Opinion Of shel Re:
publican NOMINEES.
Because be Is the highest type cf
/ the Christian gentleman.
This Is the way in which l heard
the pastor Of a Methodist church In
southern Illinois end an argument with
a layman on the. train coming over
There from st. Louis, says the Wash
fington spondent OF the ST. Louis
Globe emocfat in dispatch to his
paper from Cincinnati The dispatch
continues: The layman. paying due re-
spect to the cloth Of his opponent, was
trying to convince. him that he should
not support Mr. Taft for the presi.
dency and instead should vote for his
Democratic opponent. The churchman
defended the principles Of the Repub-
lican 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 high.
est type Of a Christian gentleman
1t gave me a new idea about Mr..
Taft 1t seemed to answer some of the
criticisms / had heard Of the Repub-
ltcan candidate and his creed. In ne.
cent years the Democratic candidate
has interlarded his well paid Chau-
taulua lectures with Sunday sermons
before religious and semirellgious So
cieties. 1t seems that he has made
the most Of this influence in this cam.
paign. and l was curious to discover
on my arrival here whether there was
support from the church and semi
religious elements in the country for
the Republican nominee.
My arrival In this connection could
not have been better timed. as en-.
tered the Office of Mr.. Taffs priya. e
secretary Ffiday 1 saw Bishop j. G.
Hartzcll Of the Methodist Episcopal
church emerging from a conference
with MI. Taft. The bishop knew.
has episcopal supervision over the
work Of his great church IN Africa.
lie has been SO engaged for the past
/ twelve years ara has met ana formed
the acquaintance OF many leading men
not only in Africa, but in Europe and
America. His acquaintance and infu-
ence within the Methodist church are
second to those OF few men. as he was
for fifteen years an officer OF the so
| ciety which founded caG now mSin-
tains system of Institutions OF learn
! ing among both white ana colored
people III the southern states BE came
to induce Mr.. Taft to make speech
in Chicago before a society Of which
the bishops son, Rev. NJ. G. Hartzell,
|. is president.
It seemed odd to attempt to inter-
4 view churchman Of his prominence
on a political question at the head
quarters OF the Republican candidate,
but l asked him for his view Of Mr..
Taft and the support of him by Chris
tian people. He answered very readily:
THE American people are to be con-
graduated upon the fact TINT whether
MIR. Taft or Mr.. Bryan is elected pres
fdent OF the United States they will
have man at the head OF the nation
who is not only clean in moral eharac-
ter. but whose pen and speech and ex-
ample are always for the best ideals
of our civilization us represented in the
teachings Of the Christian church"
The bishop thought for a moment
and then continued: "on some theo.
logical points / differ from both. As
a good Presbyterian l suppose Mr..
Bryan assents to the doctrine OF al.
vine decrecs,' which teach that from
all eternity 1t has been fixed who
should be saved and who should be
lost. do not so read Scriptures. Mr..
Taft, l understand. is one Of the Ed.
ward Everett Hale type, believing thai
Christ was dtyincly perfect man
whose precepts and life on earth are
the key to mans salvation In time and
eternity. With the church / believe
that In that perfect man dwelt the d..
vine nature"
Applying his discussion in practi-
cal way, Bishop HartzelI continued:
(which Of these men | shall vote for
will not be decided by their religious
beliefs. hut what they are as men and
by the principles and policies they
stand for In the administration of the
government, l believe that in acting