The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-11-03
PASTORS IRE
AROUSED BY
G. 0. P. PLEA
Republican Committee Is
Rebuked for Effort to
Mix Politics, Religion.
MOVE CALLED OUTRAGE
Pulpit No Place to Voice
Partisan Appeals, Is
CIergy'S Consensus.

Clergy Of the city today hurled
singing rebuke at the Indiana
state Republican committee for its
attempt to wage the G. o. P. cam
paign from the pulpits Sunday.
With the opinion that the COM
mittee's request for support is
outrageous and in bad TASTE" sew
eral clergymen of the city indicated
the G.. o. P. attempt to thrust poll
tics into the church has been
blocked.
In letters to ministers in churches
throughout the state Wednesday,
originated by Ivan C. Morgan, G.
o. P. committee chairman, the
clergy was asked to turn Sunday
services and prayer meetings into
campaign rallies.
1T is an outrage. ! feel it is in
bad TASTE declared the Rev. Frank
S. c. Wicks of the All Souls Uni
tartan church.
Resented by Wicks
Il would have resented it whether
it came from Republicans, Dem
ocrats, or Socialists. 1 never will
turn my pulpit to partisan politics
and I would not even express my
partisan views
The letters we're sent from
special" headquarters in the Clay
pool hotel, set up by Morgan under
the title of Good Government De-
partment."
They appealed for help from the
clergy to aid in solving the great
moral issue of return of the saloon"
Politics should not be mixed with
religion" declared the Rev. L. C. E.
Fackler of st. Matthew's Lutheran
church.
Il received one of the letters and
threw it into the waste basket" he
said.
Will Not Enter Politics
1.-THE history of the nation of
Rome tells the tale. I am busy
religion, without talking
politics from the pulpit. If all
ministers would preach good Bible
facts, we would not need such a
thing. True Christianity makes real
citizenship"
The Rev. J. D. Matthias, pastor of
Trinity Lutheran church: II shall
urge my hearers Sunday to vote be-
cause it is their duty as Christian
citizens, but l do not intend to aid
in the last hour campaign"
The Rev. Clarence E. Gardner,
pastor of First United Lutheran
church: Il am not entering politics.
The Rev William F. Rothenber-
ger, pastor of Third Christian
church: "A pastor would be a
blunderer if he advanced the inter
ests of any political party from his
pulpit. If the Republican state COM
mittee, or any other, expects any
one to advocate its ticket I believe
it is mistaken. Preachers should not
discuss partisan economic issues
from the pulpit, but I believe that
they may talk courageously on any
moral issue, no matter where the
chips fall"
Barred From Pulpit
The Rev. o. R. Mckay, pastor
of First Baptist church: II have
made no plans to follow the advice
given IN the letter. Economics
should not be discussed from the
pulpit"
The Rev. F. R. DIARIES, pastor of
Zion Evangelical church: Il will
ignore the letter. as I would any
other partisan appeal"
The Rev. Morris H. Coers, pastor
of Thirty-First Street Baptist
church; The letter seems to me
to take a lot for granted. Why
the Republican state committee
should feel that it represents the
cause of morality is quite beyond
me. 1 have no intention of follow
ing the suggestions made in the
letter"
The Rev. George A. Frantz, pas
tor of First Presbyterian church:
Il received the letter, but 1 simply
threw it in the waste basket
The Rev. Lloyd E. Smith, pastor
of Broadway Evangelical church:
Il will talk on the election Sunday,
but the letter in no way altered nv
decision to remain strictly nom
partisan. I will deal mainly with
the duty of Christian citizens to
vote"