The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-04
CHURCH SHOULD
PLAY BIG PART
Pastors Declare it Has I'm
portant Role to Fill in
Political Drama.

The part the churches play, or
should play in politics today. was dis
cussed by two Grand Forks pastors at
last nights services. At the Presby-
terian church. DR.. William H. Matt
hews spoke on THE Part the Pulpit
n Pew Should Play in Politics."
and at the Methodist church, DIR. r.
NJ. Mccoy discussed 1.-THE. Christians
Duty"
Taking as his text. righteousness
exalteth a nation and sin is a re.
proach to any people," Mr.. Mccoy
discussed the danger to the American
nation today. I'm past years our
danger was from without. from an at
tack by a foreign foe." he said. But
we are practically impregnable now.
Our danger is not from without; 1t
Is from within.
The illiterate voter is one Of the
handicaps the nation has to march
under. AS Carlyle pointed out. he is
a menace, II not a source Of destruc-
ton"
Mr.. Mccoy divided the approximate
$4,000. 900 voters into five groups Of
100000 each. He showed how the
tlliterate voter and the intelligent
voter, who uses his ballot for self ag-
grandisement. were the real menaces
~ kbA0 S0SAkSkyS la kIIo k0k06S VOkO1 .
had to remedy this evil before the
best interests Of the people could be
served.
In suggesting a remedy, he urged
educating the ~illiterate and arousing
a sense Of responsibility. ven to the
point Of compulsion, in the intelligent.
but dishonest and selfish voter.
He said that the man who voted
conscientiously and faithfully. was
prompted by just as high a spirit of
patriotism as the man who took up
the man, who was disloyal In casting
his ballot, was as much a traitor as
any who had failed in war.
The Pulpit's Part.
In developing his discussion on the
part the pulpit and pew should play
in politics, MI. Matthews gave a short
historical review the church had
played in the past. F1e spoke Of the
time when 1t was contended that the
church and pulpit should play no part
at all, and of the day when the
church played too important a part.
Both have a very important part
tinction between sacred and secular
no longer holds" he declared. POLL
tics have to do with life. and anything
that has to do with life has to do with
the pulpit and. pew"
He then spoke of the part the pull
pit should play. First. it should play
an indirect part by holding up the
right ideals of dealing with all the
great problems Of the day. It should
neve deal in personalities, thus an
tagonizing the people that had charge
of the political affairs in city. state
and nation.
1t should play a direct part when
dealing with great moral questions.
II one party took the wrong side of a
moral question. he declared the
church people had a right to vote
against that party. When 1t came to
a question. Of moral or material well
fare, he said the church. should ac-
cept the moral issue.
Those of the pews can play an i'm
portant part. he said, in leading ear
nest. Christian lives. But this is not
all that is required. 1t is the duty OF
all to vote. and to vote intleligently.
and always with the best interests OF
the people affected at heart. They
should also encourage their represen-
tatives in voting against wrong.