Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-10-07

AuiS IL the way III WHICH uedIu tue
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 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-
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 churchman,
because he is the highest type of a
Christian gentleman"
Bishop J. c. 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 / 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 1 believe that in acting upon
this view, as an merican citizen. am
IN harmony wi The spirit and purpose
Of the fOundeA Of our republic. who
put into the constitution that there
should be no religious test as to quail
ficatiOns 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 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 inquisitiOn 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 Mr. Taft's church 1850
citation. When l made the inquiry here
I was answered through the columns
of the Northwestern Christian AdyO-
cate, the great Methodist publication
just rs it had given answer to hundreds
OF inquiries from its Methodist subscrib-
sers. It said:
Man OF Broad SympRthies.
airs. Taft and children are Episco
palians, and the Secretary frequently
accompanies them to st. Johns Church.
where. also. be has a pew While Mr.
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 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 this summer
colony church. where people OF many
faiths gather for worship"
This Methodist testimony indicated
10 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 discussion of both NOM
inees, in the course of which it was
asserted:
'sThe sympathies of both Mr.. Taft
and Mr. Bryan are very broad. aud they
worship easily and nat,lr3llr wi'h nv
Chris.ia denomination Wiichsy1s
man is elected. the country win have,
therefore. President of clean life,
lofty principles and Christian convic-
tions"
opinion OF Negro Clergyman.
On the same afternoon. when Bishop
Hartzell 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. II. Jones. one Of the leading
colOred lawyers Of the same city. Mr..
Jones was proud IF the fact that he is
president Of the COlOred Taft Cub. the
first one to be Incorporated in the Uni
ted States. and Rev. Mr.. Robinson adj
mitted that he is president of the
Board OF DlIeCloIS VI lhe SslihC SluO
AS ne left Mr.. Taft's Office asked him
for his view Of the candidate. both from
mis- standpoint as a churchman and as
a leader Of his race.
81 believe" he said. Judge Taft will
ne elected by a safe and comfortable
majority. not simply because he is a
Republican. Eor an I speaking because
-
represents all OF the Ideals Of the true
Christian statesman
AS to the attitude Of his own race,
Rev. Mr.. Robinson said: I'VE can not
AFFORD to line up with the Democratic
psrty. which has been antagonistic to
our interests always. and against the
party headed by such wise and Chris
zion statesmen rs is Judge Taft. He is