Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 62, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1920 — PASTOR PLEADS FOR LEAGUE AS ANSWER TO CHURCH PRAYERS [ARTICLE]

PASTOR PLEADS FOR LEAGUE AS ANSWER TO CHURCH PRAYERS

Bluffton, Ind., Oct. 27. —The Rev. Thomas Houtz, pastor of the Christian church at Murray, northeast of Bluffton, has takenfthe stump for the league of nations in the closing of the national campaign and is advocating'the election bf James M. Cox, the Democratic nominee for president? The Ret. Mk Houtz has always voted the Republican ticket and, had Intended voting it up until the present campaign. At Ossian he made the following remarks before a large crowd: "The league of nations is not a question of voting a party ticket. It is a question of a principle advocated by the Son of God. The league is a principle that will answer the prayers of the churches of all denominations and sermons from every pulpit In the land.

Prayers In Pulpits “I challenge my fellow-minis-ters in Wells county, who stood In their pulpits and prayed and worked for the league. If they believed In it then enough to t>ray for it from their pulpits Why do they not do so now? “A few weeks ago I told my wife, •T«e league is going through and we will vote the Republican ticket,’ but I say tonight that the Republican party has lost my vote and has lost my wife’s vote. “Harding—l don’t know whether he Is ’wet’ or ‘dry.’ He voted against prohibition 30 times and for it twice. He has wiggled and wabbled on that just as he has on every other question. He is a wiggler and wabbler In private life. He always was and he always will be. . It’s In the man. “The reason I am supporting the Democratic ticket Is not because I am a Democrat, but because the Democratic party is behind the greatest question ever put before the American people, or the world. It 4s a great referendum. It is not what Wilson _ thinks, or what Harding thinks, or what Cox thinks about the league, it Is what you people think about it. Heralded and Sung “I believe that If Jesus Christ , were on earth today he would say 'Go into the league,’ for it is answering the very prayer that was heralded and sung

when he came on this earth, 'Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.’ “My church has its missionaries and every church has them and we are sending millions of dollars that those in darkness may be enlightened, and I say that if the league of nations falls then the work of our missionaries and our money will be spent in vain. “I believe the league is next to the greatest document in the world, and I believe that the Sermon on the Mount, delivered by Christ himself, is the greatest document. In the league are, the answers to the very things that the Son of God< prayed for. “I lived in Ohio and I voted against Cox three times for governor. But I will say that Governor pox fulfilled every promise that he made. He is honest. Wiggle and Wabble "Harding has always wiggled and wabbled. He wiggled and wabbled while he was senator. He made great promises to the farmers. But do you know there Is not one thing he voted for that Is in the interest of the farmers. “If you are interested in making gun fodder of your boys, vote against the league. If you are not, vote for It. “Vote Independently of poli-. tics. Vote because of the principles involved and I know you will vote for the league of nations on Nov. 2.”