The Raymer enterprise., 1915-04-08
THE POLITICAL.
| PREACHER
RHE sUlpfT WARNED AGAINST
THE YELLOW PERIL Or
POLITICS.
4 Csnsserated Ministry Needed TOT
the Rural Churches.
BY pstsr Radford
ftstufsr National ysrnssrs' Union

Itsfufsr Sati0nai fsrfaors Union
The fafmefs OF this nation have OF.
their payroll 5000 preachers and this
humber applying themselves dlligent.
ly and exclusively TO the religious
work 1t hand II sadly inadequate TO
properly serve their RESPECTIVE com.
inunities.
Those who put on eccieslasticaI
robes are In q measure free to unlock
Every d0sr to the human heart and
enter the secret chambers Of reason
Ind Afefy person should submit their
conduct 10 review and seek ths coun.
aei Of thoss dIvineIy appointed mes.
ssneefs Of life, but the moment the
ffiInister closes the Bible and opens
the law book, ne becomes menace 10
ssclty.
Tie difficulty Of keeping the preach.
tr In the pulpit 10 ~ old a. religion.
Christ encountered II In the temple
when he drove the priests from the
bargain counter back to the pulpit.
Our pilgrim fathers met # when.
through the influence OF the clergy.
witch court was established at Salem.
Mas. In 1899. that precipitated legal
holocaust threatening to reduce the
population to ashes and which WAS ex.
tlnsnlshed by the laymen uniting and
forcing the preachers back to tho pul.
pit.
The greatest peril 10 the church to.
day Is politics. The temptation OF the
ministry to throw down the cross OF
Christ and pick up the club Of the
policeman: to substitute the penalties
OF the law for the power OF the altar
and to iesislafe religion into human
hearts. never was greater.
The world never needed a religious
ministry more nor nolitical preachers
less than II does today. We need min
listers to toach ns how to live; We
know how to vote.
The religious preacher Is the most
capable servant and the political
preacher the sorriest master the world
has ever known. Wherever power 10
rlnced IN the hands OF the latter they
Invariably become intolerant. bigoted
ind vicious and resort to the whip and
the faggot to enforce their opinion.
Civilization has many times been
compelled TO drive incorrlgible preach.
ers back to the pulpit At the point OF
ire bayonet Many OF tie pages OF
history are wet with blood shed at the
hands Of political preachers who WROTE
lnws on the statute books that com.
mitted arson upon mankind. manned
human beings with the hatehet ane
Lant helpless women TO the torture
rack all because they disagreed with
their views When In control OF gov.
ernment, the pulpit politicians invari-
ably undertake to perform legislative
miracles such as casting out witches
with the fame OF torch. subornine
conscience with shackles and enforc.
ing opinions with the guillotine.
Mixing Politics and Religion.
Politics and religion will not blend
No free government can long exist OF
the church perform its mission to
society when preachers and politicians
temporarily exchange eallings. and
civilization that will countenance
such conduct will soon decay. Such
traffic In occupations Is as unsound in
principle as the white slave trade Is
immoral In practice.
The hand that passes the sacramen,
sAonld not collect slush funds for po
litieal purposes. The gentle voice that
comforts us In sorrow and pronounces
The last sad rites upon our departed
loved ones should not rave and rant On
the hustings. do not believe a
preacher can manipulate political ma.
chnery ana be righteous any more
Than he could become burglar and
he honest think It as immoral
for a preacher TO seek TO lobby while
he prays as II would be for him 10
gamble while he breaches.
4 preacher can no more preach
political sermon without converting hi.
pulpit into a political rostrum than
ne could sell intoxicating liquor from
the altar without converting the
church Into y bar-room. He can no
inore purify politics by playing the
sahte than he can sanctliy gambling
b. ruhning lottery.
Join iu the oftrepeated suggestion
tna, u preacher has as much right in
Political brawIs As = saloon keeper and
We Also admit that he has rs much
fight " get drunk as anyone else,
lal We would rather he would not do
~ fer Ahe greater the saint the great.
ar The sim think q political bishop
can turkey trot In the name OF christ.
lanlty ~ consistently as he can enter
into mud. slinging political contest
~ ths disgrace Of his church.
Il Is my opinion that when this
%Urld u saved 1t win be through r..