Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 244, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1912 — RELIGIOUS FAITH OF PRESIDENT TAFT [ARTICLE]

RELIGIOUS FAITH OF PRESIDENT TAFT

REV. DR. JOHN WESLEY HILL’S SERMON IS ELOQUENT ANALYSIS OF TAFT’S CHARACTER. \ FAITH IN GOD AND CHRIST Praises the Sunday School as an Instltution of "Greatest Importance and Bhows His Sympathy for All Forms of Religious Belief. Rev. Dr. John Wesley Hill, president of the International Peace Forum Of New York city, recently preached to a large audience at All Soul’s church, Chicago, a sermon on ‘‘The Religion of President Taft" - Dr. Hill began by paying a high tribute to the United States as a Christian nation, and said that it was a striking testimony to the religious character of the American people that (they have always insisted upon the ■elevation of devout, conscientious, godly men to the highest office within jtheir gift He asserted that President Taft met these requirements, stating ithat the president had gone farther to (Conserve the cause of Christianity in Itß home and foreign propaganda, no less than in the application of its principles in social and oivil justice, than any of his illustrious predecessors. “Born of godly parents," said Dr. mi, “and reared in an atmosphere saturated with the Puritan spirit, his character. and career rest upon that religious basis which has developed Ibis sense of personal accountability to God, love of truth and justice, sensitiveness to the feelings of others, trevefeuce for sacred things, adherence to law and order, fidelity to duty and devotion to the spread of Christian civilization." Dr. Hill, discussing President Taft’s treligious belief, said that the presiIdent, as a Unitarian, belongs to the Channlng 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 ifalth constantly manifested itself in Mr. Taft’s public addresses, Dr. Hill quoted from a speech delivered by the president at the Tompkins Avenue Congregational church in Brooklyn, wherein he praised the Sunday school as "an institution of the greatest im■portance to our country, where the lessons of the Bible are unfolded, and where boys and girlß learn of Cod and of Jeßus Christ and so lay the foundation of endukng religious character. Dr. 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 audience In Carnegie hall, New York, found time to vißit the Bowery Mission 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 secret of that great which is the crowning virtue of his character. Dr. Hill’s analysis of the president’s religious belief was accompanied by numerous citations from the president’s speeches, delivered on various oocasions to religious audiences. He insisted that there is nothing of bigotory or intolerance in the religious life of President Taft “His addresses,” said Dr. Hill, “breathe the spirit r of Christian catholicity and strive for union of all true believers in sympathy and loving co-operation.” His breadth of religious view was shown when addressing the Catholic summer school at Cliff Haven, N. Y. He said, “I am not a Catholic,” and then added that he believed Christians are growing more tolerant and ate 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, lie has always shown the widest sympathy for every religious belief. After eulogizing President Taft’s efforts to secure world-wide peace as the crowning point of his career, Dr. Hill concluded as follows: ’’Measured, therefore, from all these viewpoints*, by his faith’ in Almighty Ood; his belief in Christ, Christian education, evangelism, missions and civilisation; his unfailing dependence* upon Providence; his familiarity with the Word of God, and his sincere attempt 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 of the right; his reproduction of the spirit of the Master as seen in the gentleness of his treatment of hip enemies, the patience with which he 1 endures opposition, being reviled, and reviling not again; by his reverence dor the Sabbath, his church-member-ship, and his respect and for all the churches, and co-operation in their work; his consecration to the cause of peace; his love of truth and justice; his abhorrenoe of sham and hypocrisy; his sympathy with humanity; adherence to the right as God entables him to see the right; his sterling, unquestionable Integrity; his moble moral sentiments and high ideals; his. enthusiasm in the advancement of every good cause; bis practice «d moderation in *ll things; his ex-

amplification of the spirit and principle of true temperance reform, he being a total abstainer; the purity of hia thoughts and words; the transparency and cleanliness of his life; and, withal, his dauntless oourage in the enforcement of law and the maintenance of the sanctity of oar national heritage, which is rooted in the religious and civil faith of our forefathers, I present him as a modest, consistent, conscientious, Christian man, whose upright, godly life maintains the historic purity and beauty of the , White House, and stands as a model to be emulated by all who aspire to 1 the best there is in our citizenship and civilization." Here Isla woman who spfeaks from personal knowledge and long experience, viz., Mrs. P. H. Brogan, of Wilson, Pa., who says, “I know from experience that Chamberlain’s Cough Remedy is far superior to any other. For croup there is nothing that excels it” For sale by all dealers. c Lot the people of Rensselaer and Jasper county know what you have to sell; use The Republican Classified