American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1826-03-24
Volume v.

law would avail nothing, unless it conceded these
" ecclesiastical judcatories the right and the power 10
ake cognzance of ofences against the rules cree and
chne OF the chuch and to punish The e6eers against
either There is much proprety as great Necessity,
and as good right the legislature enact laws for ali
hese purposes, 10 COMPEL the attendance Of wtne
and subject Them be plns ed for the nrocess
or commands of ecclesiastical iuicatores" established
py self-cFeaed religions Well, let the legislature make
law 10 PUNISH the parties and witnesses for dsobc yng the
process and commands of those spiritual courts and see
how it would operate How must they be punished Py
excommuncauonf They may not perhaps belong the
church, against the " ecclesiastical iudcaorleso rules
creeds and discipline of which they may have offended
And It they should happen to belong to that particular
church or society," they already in with all other
secreated socehes possess the power expel or ex-
communicate any refractory member, and therefore stand
in no need OF the strong of political power for that pu-
pose But 1t seems that more than this is required
bill has passed the Senate compel the attendance of
witnesses before ecclesiastical udcaoles By means hch
those ecreated tribunals do o 6ossss nor can obo,
7vthe te atd t secuNar authority What those are.
not having the bill, exactly state fine or
Imprisonment probably, and perhaps both. If so, then
what prevent citizens from being arrested ard brought
up before ecclesiastical courts on charge of dsobeyng
and fined or imprisoned or possibly both, pursuance Of
their sentence?
Are the People of the State of NewYork prepared for
such course OF measures-such state Of thngs3 Are
they willing to enact law vesting in the Church coercive
power over the property and personal liberties Of the ct
zens OF this Sate' Are they prepared to establish by law
Ecclesiastical Courts by giving power to those already
organized by seltcreated religious societies Are they
willing to become legally bound to submit to Ecclesiastical
lnquisitons countenanced and supported by law 'Are
they prepared tor such union of the powers of Church
and State Are they willing to be "debued Of their pro-
perty or their liberty .utout HE intervention Of Grand Jury,
or The judgment esher beers2 In short, they be
clled 10 the establishment Indirectly Of ecclesiastical
tribunals, which unauthorized BY Constitutions
known to our laws, and which adverse that holy
spirit of freedom infused into, and ainating tie whole
body of our political Institutions.
1t this community is not yet prepared for such
OF measures and such train of consequences, let them
look after the bill which has passed the senate and which
forms the subject of these remarks. Ltt them allow
to pass both houses of the Legislature sub Se9 Let
them ascertain its real 06ectsits particular prov0Iss
probable eecsand how far is consistent with the
sttuon laws and liberties of the people Of this Let
them look after their representatives. know if they
fine themselves to the legitimate objects of their
authority viz the management of the oacat and the
etonS concerns OF their constituents leaving the church
and IFS ecclesiastical judcatoes 10 smanage their
affairs i'll their way' For it is truth, recorded in
almost every chapter Of the history Of man. Of nations and
OF governments that the liberties, ais happiness of
mankind, were never essentially benefited by fellowship
or holy alliance" of Church and State powers Reason
philosophy and experience, bear testimony that
the most eecua to prevent train of evils, is
destroy or counterac the ncpent by which t6y
would be produced And the most certain and way
for the people to preserve Their religious and political
liberties, is to keep watchfu and scrutnizng eye hose
whence the rights of bave been assaed and
wresed from him. and foil the first septo union of Church
and Statea combination which has always been placed
hostile array against the liberties of mankind, and has me-
left the holy ark Of his religious liberties unpofape
nor the sacred temple of his political freedom unpoluted.
or The bill relative to compelling witnesses to attend
Ecclesiastical Courts lost in the House OF Representa-.
tives OF New York, by large vote.