Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1909-02-26

W h'C GliC anu WIN " SSS' ~ |
Washlngton-The First Presidents |
High Character as a Man.
Philadelphia, Feb. 22.-Hon. William |
II. Taft, president-elect of the United
States, was the principal speaker at
the exercises in the University Of
Pennsylvania, commemorative of the
birth of Washington.
He chose for the subject of his ad-
dress the Present Relations of the
Learned Professions to Political Gov
ernment." He discussed at consider
able length the influence which the
learned professions, in this day. have
upon national and municipal govern
ment. He outlined luminously the
part each of the important professions
plays in a government by the people
and compared their influence, one with
another. In brief part, he said:
1T is the duty of every citizen to
give as much attention as he can to
the public veal, and to take as much
interest as he can in political matters.
Americans generally have recognized
these duties, and we find active in po-
litical life, men representing all pro-
fessions, all branches of business and
all trades. | propose to-day to invite
your attention to the present relation
of each of the learned professions to
politics and government.
Ministry Placed First.
''The first profession is that of the
ministry. Time was in New England,
and in every other part of the coun-
try under the influence of its tradi-
tions, when the minister of the Con-
gregational church, in addition to that
of his sacred office, exercised a most
powerful influence, which was of dis
tinctly political character. His views
on the issues of the day were consid-
cred of the greatest weight in the COM
munity in which he lived, and he
ranked everyone as it's first citizen.
This was in the days when New Eng.
land might almost be called theoc
racy;' when it was deemed wise and
politically proper to regulate by law,
to the minutest detail, the manner of
life of men, and as these laws were un-
derstood to be framed in accord with
moral and religious requirements, the
minister of the community was the
highest authority as to what the law
should be and how it ought to be en-
forced. Great changes have come over
our methods of life since that day.
Then the ministry, because of the re,
wards in the way of influence, power
and prominence, attracted the ablest
of educated minds and the ability and
force of character were where power
and influence resided. But the spread
of education and independent think
/, ing, the wide diffusion of knowledge
and news by the press, the enormous
material development of the country
the vast increase in wealth, the In
crease in rewards and influence OF
other vocations. the disappearance OF
the simple village life, have all con
tributed to change radically the posi-
ton and influence of the ministry in
the community. To-day it is not true
that that profession attracts the ablest
young men, and this, think, is a dis
tinct loss to our society, for it is o.
the utmost Importance that the profes
sion whose peculiar duty it is to main
tain high moral standards and Il
arouse the best that there is in man
to stir him to higher aspirations
should have the genius and brillianc!
with which successfully to carry ou
this function. OF course, the profes
sion of ministry is supposed to hav'
to do largely with the kingdom of tn
next world rather than with this, ant
many people expect to find in the rer
resentatives of the profession onl,
an other worldliness and no though
of this. This, of course, is the nal
rowest view of the profession. What
ever the next world, we ale certainl
under the highest obligation to max
the best of this, and the minister
should be the chief instruments in ms
king this world morally and religious
ly better. 1t is utterly impossible t
separate politics from the lives of tn
community, and there cannot be gel
eral personal and social business mo
ality and political immortality at th
same time The latter will ultimatel
debauch the whole community.
4 Has Made Improvement.
During the administration of M
Roosevelt, and under the influence {
certain revelations of business immo
atty the conscience of the who
country was shocked and then nerve
to the point of demanding that be
ter order of affairs be introduced.
this movement the ministers of IL
various churches have recognized IL
call upon them to assist, and the
have been heard in accents much mo-
effective than ever before in half
century. The greatest agency to-di
In keeping us advised Of the conc
tions among oriental races is the c
tablishment of foreign missions. TT
leaders of these missionary branch
of the churches are becoming some
our most learned statesmen in respe
of our proper oriental policies"