A Preacher Was Hissed for Defending Seattle’s Catholics

Burke Hall was crowded to overflowing at noon yesterday afternoon by the members and sympathizers of the American Protective Association, and the principal speaker of the day was Rev. Clark Davis, whose remarks, however, did not meet the unanimous approval of those present. Mr. Davis was not at all radical; while he contended for the life and property of the American public school system, he held that the rank and file of the Catholic Church were good people. When Mr. Davis had finished, other minor speakers took the rostrum and denounced “milk and water” and “namby-pamby” doctrines relative to the issues of the day. A feature of the exercises was the musical programme, which included a vocal quartette and a vocal solo by Miss Dolly Hawley.

Mr. Davis started in by saying his policy had always been to treat with respect all people whether they differed with him or not, and that he did not propose to alter his policy then or hereafter; that fanaticism was bad, and that religious fanaticism was worse. He declared that the A.P.A. agitation, if kept within bounds, would result in good, but if allowed to assume the form of bigotry and persecution it would finally fail of its own weight. Some members of the A.P.A. see the pope in everything, while some profess to believe that the Catholics were directly responsible for the death of Abraham Lincoln, but Mr. Davis did not believe the Roman church had anything to do with the president's assassination.

The effort by some people to connect the pope and the Roman Catholic church with everything had reminded the speaker of a Scotch covenanter preacher who bolted the pope and never lost an opportunity to score him in every sermon. Said he: It was pope in the exordium of the sermon; it was pope in the body of the sermon and it was pope in the peroration of the sermon. Thus it was fifty-two Sabbaths every year. His preaching grew monotonous to the people, and they carried a complaint to the presbytery. The presbytery felt that the complaint was an exaggeration. As the complaint was, “No matter what text he may take the sermon is popery,” the presbytery said they would give him a text and assemble in the church and hear him preach a sermon. They selected a text as far as possible from his accustomed line of thought. They gave him these three words from the book of Genesis as text, the names of three men, viz., Adam, Seth, Enos. The day of the preaching came, and it was a memorable day. The presbytery was there, and so was the congregation, and so was the minister. Solemnly he took his place in the pulpit and announced his text: Adam, Seth, Enos. His very first sentence was: “My dear brethren, these men lived in a day when there was no pope nor popery, and consequently they had not to contend against gigantic evils which curse our age, viz.: First, the usurpation of the authority of Jesus by an infallible man; second, the denial of the rights of conscience to the people by a great system of iniquity.”

Mr. Davis said the hostile attitude toward the public schools of the Catholic church could not be denied, for it was evidenced in Catholic publications, policy and teachings; that in this the Catholic church was against the policy of America and American institutions; that the life of the republic depended upon the maintenance of the public schools, for it is here that the American spirit is instilled. The parochial schools, he said, were maintained for the purpose of seizing the young men, for if the young men are secured the church can secure the control of the republic.

Mr. Davis said that religion was the strongest factor in human life, as is evidenced in the life and growth of the Catholic church. The benevolence of the members of that order in maintaining schools and hospitals for the benefit of the poor and the orphans has of itself saved the system from oblivion. Religion is to man not only bread and meat, but the atmosphere from which man receives life. While the speaker did not believe in the union of state and church, he declared the state could no more get along without religion than it can without intelligence. He said that the opposition to the Catholics will not save souls; nothing but faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can do that. He did not believe religion should be taught in the public schools; that should be done in the free churches and Sunday schools. The speaker said that many of those present did not go to church and did not send their children. He said: “Some of you lay in bed on Sunday until noon and then get up in time to attend the A.P.A. meetings. There is no church or Sunday school for yourself and children. Who will teach the children the truth if that continues to be your programme? The Catholic will beat you all hollow if you don't make a change. They say, ‘Give me the religious instruction of your children and I'll rule the nation.’”

The minister's remarks did not meet with the approval of some and at one time he was hissed, but Mr. Davis rushed along and immediately after he had finished left the hall. Other speakers made forcible declarations that Mr. Davis's policy was not in line with theirs and that he could never win unless he changed. After the meeting there was a good deal of discussion concerning the speech and many declared the minister was entirely too mild.