Milford chronicle., 1923-09-07
THE CHURCH In POLITICS
Editorial Phila. North American

place of the church in politics. some claiming it pal
of the chuchs duty to take active part in order to II
election of honest capable and others sayn
the church should aloof active participation be
its sole the spiritual welfare of the wor
During these years certain churches, locally
suted have at times entered the lists at elections
done elect defeat certain candidates At tn
time many religious organizations have consistent
ly withheld from anything of this SORT
Of late years, however, there has a noticeabl
change. Whereas formerly it seemed to be understood
that the church was to keep its hands off in political con
tests recently there have been instances which indicates
that change of feeling coming many persons
In the influence of the church in fo
office has been potent to excite wide comment Yet
still remain definite factions within the cnurcl
those who are who against the churcl
going into politics.
Recently Bishop Joseph F. Berry, of this city,
the leading Methodsts in the land expressed himself
this subject in his usual straightforward n ar
York Christian Advocate, and his views
undoubtedly will carry large weight with great number
of people
The bishop answers the question: Should the Church
go potics?" by saying it should organized
unit but it should, through its individual members And
he prefaces the main portion of his discussion by properly
dealing with the word politics"
He says it carries unsavory suggestions-to many
stands for nsncerty duplcity and dishonest manpula-
tion."
Il the word in a better sense" he adds. "It is
the art of the administration of public af
farsthe crysaizaton of public opinion in organized
fom and the leadership and supervision of party organ
zation. In democracy politics is essential And
in democracy the people under special obligation
to participate in politics. The political atmosphere and
standards any community determined by the people
of that community. We have bad politics because few
people insist upon good politics."
Bishop Berry then tells story which points his feel
ing:
"In certain manufacturing city of the central west
primary held years ago. 1t was in the days
when the local option method dealing with
traffic in The temperance forces and the
forces almost equally strong AT the primary four
men to be nominated for councilmen The temper
had it's candidates. So did the booze people.
By some arrangement the polls kept open in the
evening for the benefit of the the factories.
"It happened that the primary occurred prayer
meeting night Five official members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church went to the meeting that night
and did not go to the polls do not know whether each
brother prayed that God would preside the primary
and asked for the nomination of the clean candidate but
suppose did Next morning when the brethren read the
result of the primary in the they startled to
find the candidates had been nominated by majority
of exactly five votes!
Now my claim is that not one the five officials had
any business at the prayer meeting that evening.
But you ask could they not have to the polls,
and then to the prayer meeting afterward?
'No. 1t their solemn duty to vote right them
selves and then spend the rest of the evening in
and determined effort to get else whom they
could influence to vote right Also In the discharge of
civic obligations God will not do for what read
lily do for ourselves Of hour spent in the
discharge of this high duty should also have been hour
of earnest, personal prayer"
In the estimation of this eminent Methodist the Church
should go politics through its individual members be-
of the POLITICAL economic and moral issues
which would be beneficial to the community are procur-
able only through political strategy On this ground he
justies Christian citizens in any attempt to dominate the
political and asserts that they are unpariotic
they fail to make the attempt Then he deals follows
with the influence that could be thus exerted:
Every political faction and every city or village
official would bow to the demands of the church
bershp of the community if that sentiment could but
be crystalzed and made effective. If and women
of the churches would register and vote, and then
stand resolutely by the best measures and ceanest
men, they would absolutely have their way. We
do not want Protestant vote, a Roman Catho-
lie vote, Hebrew vote, Presbyterian vote,
Methodist vote, but do want an intelligent
unselfsh patriotic Christian vote vote of conscience
and courage.
Why should the politics of any community be turn
ed over to chronic office holders and ward gangsters?
I have small patience with the citizens who feels him
self too holy to mix up in politics. There are tlmes
it is religious to vote than to pray. Those
times primary and election days. What poll
tics needs is more idealism and conscience and
unsefshness for which Christianity stands and the
Church should under special obligations to carry
these things into the of political education and
action.
These views doubtless will meet the approval of
arge circle of people, especially in Philadelphia, Where
ano domination has fourshed for many years, and
here many elections indicated that church people
her have failed to vote have voted against the prn
iples they profess.
There can be no doubt that if all church members
oted the abest and most honest candldates ro''e
olitics would not last long But parsanshp seems u
alt at the church door in many instances