The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-10-24
RELIGIOUS FAITH
Of PRESIDENT TAFT
REV. Or. JOHN WESLEY HILLS
SERMON Is ELOQUENT AMALY.
SIS OF TAFTs CHARACTER.
FAITH IN GOD AND CHRIST
Praises the Sunday School ~ an In
stitution Of Greatest Importance
and Shows His Sympathy for All
Forms of Religious Belief.

Forms of Religious Belief.
Rev. DR.. John Wesley Hill, presi-
dent of the International Peace Forum
of New York city, recently preached
to a large audience at All Souls
church, Chicago, sermon on 1.-THE
Religion of President Taft"
DR.. Hill began by paying high
tribute to the United States as
Christian nation, and said that it was
a striking testimony to the religious
character ofsthe American people that
they have always insisted upon the
elevation of devout, conscientious,
godly men to the highest Office within
their gift. He asserted that President
Taft met these requirements, stating
that the president had gone farther to
conserve the cause Of Christianity in
its home and foreign propaganda, no
less than in the application Of it's prin-
ciples in social and civil justice, than
any of his illustrious predecessors.
Born of cody parents" said DR..
Hill, "and reared in an atmosphere
saturated with the Puritan spirit, his
character and career rest upon that
religious basis which has developed
his sense OF personal accountability
to God, love of truth and justice, SEN
sitiveness to the feelings of others,
reverence for sacred things, adher.
ence to law and order, fidelity to
duty and devotion to the spread OF
Christian civilization"
DR.. Hill, discussing President Taft's
religious belief, said that the presi-
dent, as a Unitarian, belongs to the
Claiming school, believing as clearly,
and distinctly in the divinity of Jesus
Christ as did Edward Everett Hale,
whose prayers were always offered in
the name Of Christ. To show that his
faith constantly manifested itself in
Me. Taft's public addresses, DR.. Hill
quoted from a speech delivered by the
president at the Tompkins Avenue
Congregational church, in Brooklyn,
wherein he praised the Sunday school
as ian institution of the greatest i'm
portance to our country, where the
lessons Of the Bible are unfolded, and
where boys and girls learn of God and
Of Jesus Christ, and so lay the foun
dation of enduring religious character
DR.. Hill pictured President Taft as
a man of simplicity, sympathy and
Christian democracy, who practices
Christianity in helping the poor and
needy, and who, while president of the
United States, after addressing a vast
adience in Carnegie hall, New York,
found time to visit the Bowery Mis-
sion and utter encouraging words to
an audience, Of a thousand wretched,
fallen, discouraged and despairing
men. DR.. Hill asserted, also that
President Taft is man Of prayer and
that his reliance upon God is the Sc
cret of that great self-control which is
the GROWING virtue Of his character.
Dr.. Hill's analysis of the presidents
religious belief was accompanied by
numerous citations from the presi.
dents speech, delivered on various
occasions to religious audiences. He
7 insisted that there is nothing of big
otory or intolerance in the religious
life of President Taft. His address
es," said DR.. Hill, breathe the spirit
of Christian catholicity and strive for
union OF all true believers in sym
pathy and loving cooperation" His
breadth of religious views was shown
when addressing the Catholic summer
school at Cliff Haven, N. Y. He said
II am not a Catholic" and then added
that he believed Christians are grow
ing more tolerant and are no longer
cherishing narrow views which spring
from religious bigotry, but are able tc
recognize and appreciate the virtues
exhibited by the heroes of every and
any Christian faith and creed. Before
a Methodist audience President Taf
eulogized Methodism as an affirmative
aggressive, pushing, practical church
militant, and, according to DR.. Hill
he has always shown the widest sym
pathy for every religious belief.
After eulogizing President Taft's eff
forts to secure worldwide peace al
the GROWING point of his career, DR.
Hill concluded as follows:
Measured, therefore, from all thes'
viewpoints; by his faith in Almighty
God; his belief in Christ, Christian ed
ucation, evangelism, missions and civ
ilization; his unfailing dependence
upon Providence; his familiarity will
the Word of God, and his sincere at
tempt to bring his life into harmon.
with the precepts Of that word; hi
habit of prayer; his simple and stead,
confidence in the ultimate triumph d
the right; HIS reproduction OF tn
spirit of the Master as seen In tn
gentleness Of his treatment OF hi
enemies, the patience with which h
endures opposition. being reviled. an
reviling not again: BY, his reverence
for the Sabbath. his church-membel
ship. and his respect and love for a
the churches. and cooperation in thei
work; his conservation to the caus
Of peace; his love of truth and Jul
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