Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-01-06
TAFT EXPRESSES VIEWS
ON CHURCH INFLUENCE
Talks Frankly With Protestant
Ministers Of Its Rearing Upon
Worlds Civilization.
ClERCYS PART VASTLY IMPORTANT
En.arses Upon Advantages Of separa.
ton Of Church and State-Deciares
Church Influence Essential Among
All PeopIes-Refers to His Confer
ence With Pope Leo.
CLERGY; PART VASTLY IMPORTANT
(Br Associated Press.)

Protestant ministers Of Augusta
President-elect Taft today expressed
his views regarding the influence of
the church on civilization and its Use
fulness in aiding government al de-
velopment.
His talk might be regard ID as an
interesting addition to the general
discussion which hes been INDUCED
in regarding hi: religious beliefs.
The ministers had extended Mr..
Taft cordial welcome and expressed
a desire 10 arrange reception for
him, their manifestations CT friendli-
ness being conclrdt d with prayer.
Mr. Taft began by thanking them
fcr their good will and their prayers
adding:
In carrying on the burden Of
government which with its increasing
usefulness necessarily entails a great
er task, they who are charged with
its execut on need every as2is' ance
and sympathy"
Late Moral Awakening.
Mr.. Taft referred TO the moral
awakening" during the past four
years as an indication of the health
full STATE Of our civilization.
Mr.. Taft recommended moral re-
form. and in this he said the clergy
must take an important part" Ia
his experiences in the North and the
South and the Philippines Mr.. Taft
said he had been able to study differ
ent phases of civilization and particu-
larry matters of church interest.
Leaving out the sectional dist!nc-
tions," he sad, the indispensable
presence Of the church influence in
the improvement in oar civilization
no one can be blind who has shared
in the slightest the responsibility for
government and the responsibility fer
improvement in a people as have.
Obligation to Another Race.
IN the Philippine Islands We
have a responsibility in re-
5pect TO race that is row in a
state of Christian tutelage and must
be uplifted in my judgment by us
and through our guidance before We
shall have discharged the obligaticn
that providence has thrust upon US.
And in the study of the development.
it has been made known to me the
enormous influence that the church
mus, exercise in order to make, Or
progress there effective The Roman
Catholic Church was there fer years
and preserved that state of Christian
tute laee t. which | have referred.
Now the ban has been removed from
other denominations. and they are all
in there or, an equa litv in the spirit
of Christian emulation. attempting to
| uphft those people and We for the
government by a system OF secular
education. are aiding that uplifting.
but without the neral influences OF
the church there. We could not &C.
ccmpIish anything II, is that sort Of
experience by which there is born
| in US the importance Of the main
tenance Of a church and its influence
, at all hazards.
Church and State.
TT is difficrIt sometimes to explain
to one who has been used 10 the close
union Of church and state. such as
\ was preserved IN Spin. such as is
preserved in sOma o;her countries.
the real attitude Of me American
government towarI the church. He
assumes that IL we separate the
| church from the state IL means that
the state does not favor IN. church
IL had the ho-or 10 repreGen, this
country in . transaction Of a busirc%7
! character with Leo XIII at the vaii,
! can. and there ! rented out TO him
! with all the emphasis possible. that
| the separation Of church and state
| WIS in the interest II the church. and
that IN America he coold debend upon
the sustaining Of the rights of the
church and its encoIragems Mt nv
| every legitimate means on The par'
| cfthe people without II assuming any
| governmental function or having anv
governmental right. such as IL has in
ether countries
Church influence Essential.
cit comes over me every once In a
| While. when ! am charged with ac'
| complishing srmethiny among a peo
| pie. how absolutely essential 70 IS that
xe should have the influence OF the
church"
The c,ergymen in their talk had
referred to negro education. and at
tbs point in his reply Mr.. TAFT re.