The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-10-23
PAYS ELOQUENT rRIRuIE.
Rev Or. John Wesley Hill>Ana'yzss
Taft's Character.

! 10 large auulenCc ~ All sui :
church. Chicago. a sermon on 'Ihc
, Religion OF President TAFT"
4 Dr. hin began by paying hieh
tribute 10 the United States as :
Christian nation. and said that IL WAS
striking testimony 10 the religious
character Of the American people that
they have always insisted upon the
elevation OF devout. conscientious.
cody men TO tho highest Office within
their Gift. lie 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, TO
less than In the application Of its priv
ciples in social and civil justice. than
any of his illustrious predecessors.
Born OF godly 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
10 God. love of truth and justice, ser
sitiveness TO the feelings of others.
! reverence for sacred things. adher-
ence TO law and order fidelity 10
duty and devotion 10 the spread OF
| Christian civilization"
DR.. Hill, discussing President Tafts
religious belief. said that the presi-
dent. as 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
Mr.. Taft's public addresses. Or, Hill
quoted from 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.
DIR. 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 a man OF prayer and
that his reliance upon God is the Sc
cret of that great selfcontrol which is
the browning virtue of his character
DR.. Hills analysis of the presidents
religious belief was accompanied by
numerous citations from the presi-
occasions 10 religious audiences. He
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
PATTY and loving cooperation" His
breadth OF religious views was shown
when addressing the Catholic summer
school at Cliff Haven, n. Y. He said,
81 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 TO
recognize and appreciate the virtues
exhibited by the heroes Of every and
any Christian faith and creed. Before
a Methodist audience President Taft
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 Of
forts to secure worldwide peace a.
the browning point Of his career, DR..
Hill concluded as follows:
Measured, therefore, from all these
viewpoints; by his faith in Almighty
God his belief in Christ, Christian ed
ucation, evangelism, missions and civ
ilization; his unfailing dependence
upon Provldence; his familiarity with
the Word of God, and his sincere at
tempt to bring his life into harmony
with the precepts Of that word; his
habit of prayer; his simple and steady
confidence in the ultimate triumph o.
the right; his reproduction OF the
spirit of the Master as seen In the
gentleness of his treatment OF his
enemies, the patience with which he
endures opposition, being reviled, and
reviling not again; by his reverence
for the Sabbath, his churchmember-
ship, and his respect and love for ali
the churches, and cooperation in their
work; his consecration to the cause
OF peace; his love of truth and Jus.
tice; his adherence OF sham and h.
pocrisy; his sympathy with humanity;
his adherence to the right as God en-
ables him to see the right; his s.orl
ing. unquestionable integrity: hiL
noble moral sentiments and high
ideals; his enthusiasm in the advance
ment OF every good cause; his practice
OF moderation in all things; his ex-
emplification Of the spirit and prin-
ciple OF true temperance reform, he
being a total abstainer; the purity OF
his thoughts and words; the trans
parency and cleanliness OF his life;
and, Withal his dauntless courage In