Year: 1872

sne Knows how to use il


/. Polaties IN tho Pulpits.


That curious circular which was issued re-


Gently by the Council Of Political Reform
and sent to the clergymen of this city has
brought forth fruit such as it is, as will aupear
by perusal Of our columns to-day. For the
time being theology was forgotten or was only
used as scaffolding to enable the preachers
better to erect their political structures. Revs.
Frothingham, Asten, Boole and others substi-
tuted the rostrum for the pulpit, but while the
former eschewed all reference to parties and to
candidates the latter commented more or les
freely on both. Mr.. Boole, while disclaiming
all partisan preferences, gave an unmistak-
able blast for the democratic candidate for
the Presidency-a man who for thirty years
has stood in the forefront of the battle here in
the North, but who is now denounced and Carl
catured by unAedged men who have not yet
lived their ten years of manhood But while
it is loyal to vote for the G who is now in the
White House, it is not disloyal to vote for the
other G. who desires to get in. He would not
vote for Roman Catholic because they and
their Church set the Church above the State,
and, by implication, he commended his own
example to his hearers, while he at the same
time urged them to bolt party and vote only
for the best men. Mr.. Havemeyer he did not
think gained any credit by his denial of the
circular published last week by the Council of
Political Reform, and he feared the city gov
ernment was again to be handed over to the
men who have heretofore ruled and robbed u.s..
and that the Bible would be driven from the
public schools. Altogether the picture was
rather gloomy one for campaign speech,
and the difficulty of riding two horses at once
is apparent in Mr.. Bodies endorsement Of the
democratic principles and nominee, while he
claims to be stanch republican and to have
rendered good and efficient service to the
party. The difficulty is not in a man
changing his opinions, but in trying to hide
that fact afterward The Rev. Henry Asten
was greatly troubled because of the gradual
tendency Of q union of Church and State
among us, which union he considered curse
for any nation The Catholic element, he
thought was to be feared in its compatibility
and in the amount of pecuniary help it re-
ceived from the State. But there lisa remedy
namely, in political waking up of good
men and vigorous discharge of duty at the
ballot box. Mr.. Asten, in terms as we'll as
by implication, denied patriotism to Roman
Catholics This is both ungenerous and
untrue. There are thousands Of Catholics in
this land who do not place Rome above the
United States and whose patriotism cannot be
measured by fealty to religious dogmas and
creeds. If these were the tests Of patriotism
we fear q great many now ardent patriots
would be wanting when the time of trial
should come. But true patriotism and true
religion go hand in hand the world over. It
is certainly to be regretted that religious
opinions should have been dragged into this
political campaign, and to prescribe other
wise good men for their faith is neither
patriotic nor charitable. Should this rule
be adopted by the other side there is scarcely
a shadow of doubt that not one in ten
of the candidates of the opposite creed IN
this city would ever be elected Mr.. Froth-
ingham had some general remarks on the cor
ruptions of governments and of our own in
particular. And the cause of it is that bust
ness men here have no time to devote to
political affairs, and the immense facilities for
making money by millions and getting rich
rapidly diverts their attention wholly from
other interests What we want here is ssnoral
courage to come down to the simple struggle
of principle against that without principle"
Mr.. Hamblen believes that the people of this
State are virtually disfranchised and their
suffrages made farce by men of each politi-
cal party, and that there is just as much cor
ruption in one party as in another. The
corruption of Legislatures, the increase of
taxation and Of intemperance he deplored, and
then, by way of good fnish-up, launched
into furious TRADE against Catholics,
who, he said, should be energetically opposed.
But he put in saving clause by coupling the
names of Dix and Havemeyer with Herman
and OBrien, and urging opposition to the
former as well as the latter if they are bigots
or opposed to the Bible in the public schools.
Alas for us bigotry is as much on one side
as on the other. So much for the politics.


The Rev. Mr.. Hepworths discourse was q
purely theological one and related to the pro-
gress Of Christianity and the value of the
Lords Supper as Christian ordinance. DR..
Bellows thought men did not give the here
after sufficient consideration. The concerns
Of time crowd out those of eternity. There
is natural dread to think of death but
Christ, by his coming, has divested death of
many of the terrors it once possessed. Bishop
Potter preached yesterday in the new church
of St. Bartholomew, on Madison avenue,
which was opened for the first time. The
Bishop contended for the faith delivered once
for oil to the saints against the materialistic
tendencies and teachings of this age.


The Jesuit Fathers opened a mission" yes
terday in st. Stephens church, at which Rev.