The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-02-04
VIM. TAFT TALKS
ON RELIGION
Has Exerted Unmeasured Influ-
ence on Civilization and Could
Not Be Dispensed With
ALL RELIGIONS ON AN EQUALITY
Says He Has Been Able to Study
Many Different Phasese of civiliza.
tlon, Especially in the Matter Of
Church Influence.

! Augusta, Cato q delegation of
Protestant ministers Tuesday after
noon President-elect Taft made a
lengthy address, in which he ex.
pressed his views regarding the influ.
ence OF the church upon civilization
and its usefulness in aiding govern.
mental development.
The party included Dr. Heidi, pre-
siding elder of the Augusta district,
and about twenty of the leading Pro
testant ministers of the city.
Mr.. Taft referred to the moral
awakening" during the past four
years, as an indication of the health
ful state Of our civilization.
In his experiences il the North and
South. and in the Philippines, Mr..
Taft said he had been able to study
many different phases of civilization.
especially In the matter of church in
fluence.
Leaving out the sectional distinc.
tions," he continued, 'the indispensa.
Die presence of church influence in
the Improvement of our civilization
no ope can be blind to who has shared
In the slightest the responsibility for
government and the responsibility for
Improvement in a people, as / have.
That was responsibility in respect to
race that Is now in state of Chris.
tian tutelage, and must he uplifted. In
my judgment, by us, and through our
guidance before we shall have dis.
charged the obligation that Providence
has thrust upon us. An in the study
OF the development 1t has been made
known to me the enormous influence
that the church must exercise In or
der to make our progress there effec-
tive.
"The Roman Catholic church was
there Ior years. and preserved that
state of Christian tutelage to which I
have referred.
Now, the ban has been removed
from other denominations, and they
are all In there on an equality in the
spirit Of Christian emulation, attempt.
ing to uplift those people, and we, for
the government, by system of secu-
Lar education. are aiding that uplift.
Ing; but without the moral influence
Of the churches there. we could not
accomplish anything. 1t is that sort
OF experience by which there is borne
In upon us the Importance OF the main
tenance OF church and its influence
at all hazards.
1T Is difficult sometimes to explain
to one who has been used to the close
union OF church and state, such as
we preserved In Spain. such as is pre-.
served In some other countries, the
real attitude of the American govern
ment toward the church. He assumes
that II we separate the church from
the state 1t means that ths state does
not favor the church l had the hon.
or to represent this country in trans.
action of a business character with
Leo XIII, at the vatican, and there
i pointed out to him, With all the en-
phasis possible, hat the separation of
church and state was IL the interest
OF the church. ana that IN America he
could count on the suftaining of the
rights OF the church an1 with encour-
agement by every legitimate means,
on the part Of the people. without its
assuming any governmental sanction,
or having any governmental right,
such as 1t has in othsr countries"