"You believe that it is right for a minister to use the pulpit to
express his own views upon a subject like this?" was asked.
"I do not believe that it is right for a minister to air his peculiar
political views upon any subject--personal, social, or economic,"
answered Dr. Hillis, emphatically. "The church is a conservatory where a
warm, genial atmosphere should be created. My conception of the work of
a minister is that he is to create an atmosphere in the church on Sunday
so that the Republican with the tariff, the Democrat who believes in
free trade, and the Single Taxer can all grow and express their judgment
during the week.
"The sun and the Summer shine for all kinds of seeds and roots, and the
minister and the church should create an atmosphere in which all
temperaments and races and faiths can grow. It is quite true that there
were some of my German friends and members who rather protested against
my view last night. But they had the same right and liberty to protest
that I have. A German physician told me plainly that he thought that
within six months I would change my view, and with the new light go over
to the position of his native land, and even thought that I might
retract all my studies, that are apparently prejudiced in favor of the
republic and self-government and the liberty of the press.
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