Impious Buffoon

"Another preacher prayed this morning and had to read his prayer. There hasn't been a one that could make an impromptu prayer."

These were the words with which Buffoon Will Rogers described the invocation of the deity at the sessions of the Republican Convention (see p. 9). Will Rogers spoke without reverence but he spoke the truth. Four divines -- an Episcopalian, a Catholic, a Hebrew and a Methodist--had. prayed on four successive days with a great air of spontaneity but without lifting their eyes from the written page to God. Though extemporaneous outpourings could only reasonably have been expected from the Methodist, it was a pity, devout observers felt, that the appearance, at least, of immediate inspiration had not been affected.

On further thought, it seemed to observers that if it were necessary to truckle in this fashion to ignorant laymen, prayer might better be omitted at Republican Conventions. It would be Utopian to imagine that the hordes of greedy politicians gathered there would understand or even hear speeches addressed to their Father in heaven. Why then should reverend gentlemen of several sects hold up their faiths for a mockery by delegates who thought denomination was two words? Such a question was implicit in the further writings of that impious buffoon who criticized the preachers:

"This one was a Methodist, and he wanted us 'to look to the hills for wisdom,' and here we went and nominated Charley Curtis from the plains of Kansas, where a five-foot ashheap would constitute a precipice.

"This preacher prayed for Plymouth Rock. Lord, it's Boulder Darn we are after, now! There is no appropriation goes with Plymouth Rock."