APRIL, 1923
THE WESTERN AMERICAN
salvation may lie in pinning our hope to the old adage
that “every cloud has a silver lining.” There may be
some consolation in the fact that this is not the only
state in the Union at the present time that has been
invaded by this new form of imperialism, seeking to
fasten its intolerance rule upon the people, but there
is but small compensation to derive from such logic
in view of the fact that we are facing the immediate
future, at least, with a people more divided, suspicions
and intolerant than we have ever had before.
There is apparently more than one good reason for
carrying on Americanization work in Oregon today
and it is obvious that the foreign bom are not the
only ones that are in need of Americanization.
There are some people who feel inclined to minimize
these new and queer forms of agitation and some of
them are apparently content that while the people
are so engaged and the laboring people in particular
are busy fighting one another they enjoy a kind of
respite from vexatious labor troubles that have come
to be a sort of a pastime. There is no doubt that they
a little later will regret their indifference when they
learn that meanwhile the radical elements among
labor have been able to enlarge their field of influence
both in and out of organized labor and that they be
cause of this new situation, are apt to play their little
I “game” with trump cards in their hands.
That the bolshevists of foreign and native brand
have of late been busier than ever proselyting among
the trades and common labor crafts throughout
America is something many true blue American labor
[leaders lament with considerable apprehension.
The churchmen, laymen and clergy, who happen to
belong to Christian denominations singled out for
favoritism by the Invisible Empire, and accept the
doles handed them by masked delegates of this or
ganization, who usually invade their sanctuaries (?)
unheralded in the midst of their worship, while they
are engaged in singing in meditations or in prayer,
may feel the security of the ancient Israelites who
by a specified sign of blood on the doorpost escaped
the wrath of the Lord and the death dealing visit of
the punishing angel, but they can not prosper with
their creed or faith while brothers of different con
fessions are held up to scorn by unbelievers or those
[whose professed Christianity bear the unmistakable
signs of insincerity lacking the due respect for other
forms of Christian expression. The sign of the cross
is no more a guaranty today against violation of the
true spirit of Christianity than it has proved to be in
;he ages past and gone. It matters little what name
nay be attached to a procession of crusaders lifting
[he cross. Bigotry invariably flourishes where such
psignias have marked an aggressive movement.
There is evidently among Protestant denominations
i difference of opinion in the matter of accepting
Boney at the hands of intruders who, hiding behind
»asks choose to disturb a church service in order to
bntribute a small sum of money to the cause.
The Oklahoma Herald, published at Muskogee, in
is issue of March 20th, published a large picture of
■ robed and masked figure in the pulpit of the Grace
|M. E. church of Newark City, N. J. He is seen with
•re hand resting on the open Bible and the other
9
hand raised with forefinger extended. Below appears a
group picture showing a part of the congre
gation with the masked delegation in the foreground.
The accompanying story relates that while the con
gregation was singing a hymn a masked delegation
entered. The services were halted and the pastor
escorted one of their number to the pulpit where he
is said to have “delivered a powerful sermon from a
strictly practical Christian text and during his dis
course gave a clear outline of the purposes and prin
ciples” of his organization. Someone evidently was
on hand to take the picture so that it might be played
up in the interest of the organization’s propaganda.
Quite different was the reception Rev. Ralph W.
Urmy, pastor of the Bellevue Methodist church in
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, gave a delegation of masked
Empirites who on Easter Sunday morning, for the
same purpose, disturbed the services of his church
when they, with usual boldness, entered and attracted
the attention of the congregation from the services
to themselves. Rev. Urmy did not, according to an
April 9th Associated Press item to The Oregonian,
allow the possibility of receiving a sum of money
temper his justifiable indignation as he promptly or
dered the masked delegation out of the church.
This item relates that in the scrimmage that fol
lowed the pastor’s order for the masked visitors to
leave and in which members of the congregation took
part, several of the delegation were disrobed.
On the following Sunday evening, April 8th, the
Rev. Urmy made the incident of Easter Sunday the
subject of his discourse when he preached on the sub
ject of “The Ku Klux Klan and the Church.”
At the outset of his sermon the minister stated
that he had meanwhile been waited upon by high
officials of the order.
Just to learn Rev. Urmy’s views on the subject we
quote the following points from the news item :
The increasing frequency of visits paid by delegations of
klansmen to Protestant churches, bringing donations of money
with the possible intention of establishing a connection be
tween the klan and the church, naturally raises the question
of the relationship of the two.
The Protestant church prides itself on its faithfulness to
American ideals. But the klan in my opinion does not measure
up. I deny the right of any group of citizens to tell me or
any other .man what our type of Americanism ought to be,
reserving the right to decide that for myself.
I, nevertheless, asked the king kleagle of Pennsylvania what
klansmen meant by 100 per cent Americans.
The answer given by one of the other high officials present
was “a 100 per cent American is a citizen who supports all the
laws and the constitution of the United States.”
But the klan is not even careful to support the laws. It is
a common practice for its members to violate the laws that
protect a church service from intrusion and disturbance.
The genuine American works in the open. He is a sports
man and a gentleman. He follows the rules when he plays
the game. He is neither ashamed nor afraid to show his face,
his purposes and even his methods.
The klan is very friendly to the Protestant church and its
friendship is undoubtedly sincere . . .■ but I cannot help
feel that when it comes to the application of the Protestant
principles of life the church might well pray to be delivered
from its friend.
Some churches in Oregon have during the past year
been visited by masked delegations, had their services
(Continued on page 14)