Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-10-13
CLERGY |NDORSE TAFT
Class Him as Highest Type OF
Christian Gentleman.
FREQUENT HIS HEADQUARTERS
Declare He 10 Broad Minded and
Represents Ideals Of Best Statesman.
ship-A Bishops Opinion Of the Re.
publican Nominee.

publican Nominee.
Because he h the highest type Of
the Christian gentleman"
This Is the way In which heard
the pastor Of q Methodist church In
southern Illinois end an argument with
a layman OH the train coming over
here from st. Louis, says the Wash
lngton correspondent Of the st. Louis
Globe Democrat in dispatch to his
paper from Cincinnati. The dispatch
continues. The layman, paying due ne
spect to the cloth Of his opponent, was
trying to convince him that be should
not support Mr.. Taft for the presi-
dency and instead should vote for bis
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 Christian gentleman"
1t gave me new idea about Mr..
Taft. 1t seemed to answer some OF the
criticisms l had heard Of the Rspub-
lican candidate and his creed. In re-
cent years the Democratic candidate
has interlarded his well paid Chau-
tauqua lectures with Sunday sermons
before religious and semireligious 20
cieties. 1t seems that he has made
the most OF this influence In this cam
paign, and / 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 I en-
tered the Office of Mr.. Taft's private
secretary Friday I saw Bishop ]. @.
Hartzell Of the Methodist Episcopal
church emerging from conference
with Mr.. Taft. The bishop, 1 knew,
has episcopal supervision over the
work Of his great church in Africa.
He has been so engaged for the past
twelve years and has met and formed
the acquaintance Of many leading men
not only In Africa, but In Europe and
America. His acquaintance and inhu-
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 and now main
tains a system Of institutions OF learn
ing among both white and colored
people in the southern states. He came
to induce Mr.. Taft to make a speech
in Chicago before society Of which
the bishops son, Rev. NJ. G. Hartzell.
Is president.
It seemed odd to attempt to inter-
view n churchman Of his prominence
on political question at the head
quarters of the Republican candidate,
but 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 that whether
Mr.. Taft or Mr.. Bryan is elected pres
ident of the United States they Will
have a man ut the head Of the nation
who is not only clean In moral charac-
ter, but whose pen and speech and e1-
ample are always for the best Ideals
of our civilization as represented IN the
teachings Of the Christian church"
The bishop thought for a moment
and then continued: ION some theo-
logical points l differ from both. As
good Presbyterian I suppose Mr..
BRYAN assents to the doctrine Of 'dt-
vine decrees,' which teach that from
all eternity It has been fixed who
should be saved and who should be
lost. do not 30 read Scriptures. Mr..
Taft, I understand, is one Of the Ed
ward Everett Hale type. believing that
Christ was a divinely perfect man
whose precepts and life on earth are
the key to mans salvation In time and
eternity. With the church I believe
that In that perfect man dwelt the d.
vine nature"
Applying his discussion In a practi-
cal way, Bishop Hartzell continued:
(Which Of these men l snail vote roF
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
government. believe that In acting
upon this view. as an American citi-
zen. I am in harmony with the spirit
and purpose Of the founders Of our re-
public, who put into the constitution
that there should be no religious test
rs to qualifications to any office or pub
lie trust under the United States My
conviction Is that the future safety OF
the nation depends very largely upon
our people needing that constitutional
prohibition. Our nation owes much
in moral character. craftsmanship. lit
srature. art and religion to those who
have not been In strict harmony with
some of the dOgmas OF the church.