The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-04-14
NEW YORK HERALD.
new York, sunday, April IA. 1914.

ltcal HDely lney udte tnetr birth from the SAME
period and owe their origin to the same cause
the rights of man in his individual, social and POI
litical capacity. The constitution, secures to the
people of this country, these rights in their most
extended sense. Nor of them be Destroy
ed or disturbed, without efiectng the oiheis-
They are all dear to the American people III.
experience of fifty years has tested their u'iiiy anu
usefulness and now at this day the people o' Ane-
RIGA cling with the warmest affection anu io'e io'
their free institutions OF government. Their popu-
lary increases as time developes their blessed In
huences upon humanity. AT no time in our histo-
nv were the people more unanimous In yielding
their full faith and reliance on the goodness and
permanency of our systems of free government
AS much, however, as may prize civil and po-
cal llberty-great, however, as we may suppose
our privileges to be from the prevalence Of free 60
vernmenis in our land, where these rights are pro-
teced and secured I'VE shall do religious Liberty in
justice, il we suppose it Of less importance than
the Others we have just named. The truth is, this
is perhaps the most important evidence OF the ad-
vance of human liberty that the modern ages of
the world has exhibited to mankind. And it was
the privilege OF America light this torch of free
DOM The constitution of the United States de-
clares there shall never be any religious tests
people Of Europe were astonished They could
not conceive that such thing could be. Church
and States had beenj so long welded together ;hat
II was supposed they could not exist separate. The
clergy and the aity in Europe both united in
procaiming their fears for the consequences, and
expressed their opinions that the system would not
work well and must be abandoned They have,
probably, by this time, changed their opinions, or
Ia tIa,~ Il. E. 4
continuance, must be very much lessened Reli-
gious freedom is now more popular with the Anne
rican people than when its first rays of light BEAM
ed from the constitution of our country.
The connection Of Church and State is so odlous
here, that in primary assemblies, held for the
ordinary purposes of government a resolution is
sure to be introduced, declaring the abhorance of
the people to unity between Church and State.
We want no stronger evidence of the public feel
ing favor of religious liberty than this 1t is, in
deed, in the opinion of the people, jewel without
price. 1t is the greatest boon that can be bestowed
upon man.
We must however, be careful to duly appreciate
this great blessing, and see that it be not abused.
Like every other good thing it may be perverted,
and misapplled, and become an evil Christianity
is sometimes used instrument of evil and
also civil liberty may be abused to the wors,
purposes. five al low it to run into Ii centiousness
tumuts, riots and disorders, it becomes very
great evil I; and also the blessings of religious
freedom may be lost by neglect and want of care
and attention.
We have had some recent experience of the
dangers civil liberty is subject to in the disorders,
riots, tumults, &c., in courts of justice, in the
halls of legislation, and in the streets and public
places in our southern and western borders. The
enemies of the free institutions of America have
seized upon shese things, to show the bad tendency
of republican institutions; and have used every
means to depress and degrade our free systems oil
government in the opinion of the people of Europe,
by a continual reference to these disturbances in
our country. Some Of the evils, mixed with the
very numerous blessings of religious liberty, may
be stated, to put us on oui guard against them.
Where there is no restraining influence, the secs
and denominations will multiply. They have in
creased prodgiously in the United States since
the organization OF our government. They are as
various as the opinions of mankind can make
them Some of them are as remarkable for theil
opposition to existing systems they are for heil
eccentricity and absurdity. The entire freedom
which religious opinions enjoy in our country, nc
doubt, very much facilitates the increase O
these various sects and creeds. Public OPT
Mon must act upon this subject it does
upon civil and political liberty, its twin sisters We
restrain the RIGHTEOUSNESS of liberty, by sending the
schoolmaster abroad and keeping him abroad. In
telligence and virtue are the antidotes of the evils
of civil liberty, and they must be the remedies
for the evils of religious liberty. Another of the
evils of religious Liberty, at least very much
increased by it, is the prevalence of quarresome
and contentious spirit, evnced by the different sect
and denominations of Christians among We
do not say, this is entirely ewing to the absence
of all legal and constitutional restraints against
lgious DOCTRINES or the practice Of them because
various sects exist among other nations wher,
there is no religious freedom who exhibit ever,
other sentiment but those of love and affection TO
each other, but we do think, that the bitterness o
religious strife and contention between the variou
sects and denominations, is peculiar to this coun
try We have a continued intestine religious wa
among them The pulpis of our country have
been, in several instances, desecrated by heatet
wranglers, applaudng their own, and degrading
the system or creed of their opponent. Our Cit
has, in a considerable degree, been free from thi
disturbance, but noW the evil is in our midst bu
thanks to our good comparative fortune to som
other places in our land, no pulpit or house OF Coz
rs desecrated. The religious puglllstics enter thu
field of the press. and beat, maui, and tear eacl
other with all the fury that ambition fired the soul
OF the Athletic, in the games of strength and skill
and with all the stimulating influence that hop,
OF victory inspires. We consider these contention
one OF the principal causes OF the depression of tr
religion among us. The subject of the antchris
tan contest, just referred is, whether there cal
be church without bishop. The people will ul
timately, and we think at no very distant day, Sc,
it is not subject for angry collision, nor one tina
can evolve much good religious instruction an,
Improvement. The duty of public religious instruc
tors is, to incucate upon the minds and hearts o
the people, the useful and practical truths of thu
gospel Faith, charity and humility, shou
be practised and impaired. This contention
shirt should he allaved and IL will he "a