The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1854-04-21

The rrasnn movr generally urged, j.
The danger Of union of church and
State. Il the danger we're real, We
should bc disposed to take the most
prompt and decided measures 10 fore.
sisll The evil. hrrause one of the worst
ior lhc religious aud political interests
o' thi. un'ion llt, could pa,.ihly over.
take a. Bui W. drem thi. np,tchrn-
sion entirely imaginary and wc think
any one of ihe petitioner. must be- con.
,iucod oI this on examination oi The
facts. ] have prepared table showing
the churches. ministers. members. and
wor.hippvrs. in the leading denomina.
tions of Christians ia TIL, land II was
ha>,ily made, and d doubtless imperfect.
shall append another table. which
was published in the Christian Alma
nae; and Any person who has the leisure
may compare, and from both form
correct conclusion. The column Of
worshippers was made by taking from
the census the list Of church accommo.
dations of each church This. of course.
makes no pretenco to entire accuracy /;
but il is. comparatively. perfectly fair,
because IL assumes that all churches
are filed with worshippers, and that
this is the measure of them 1 is the
nearest and iaircst approach TO nccnra-
cy that ! know how To make. Now
look at that score of different dcnomi.
nations, and tell ~. do vou believe II
possible TO make majority agree in
forming league 10 unite their religious
interests with those of the State II
YOU take from the larger secis. YOU
mus, select some three or four of the
largest to make majority of clergy,
or laiiy, or worshippers. And these
Sccls are widely separated in their doc
irines. their religions rites. aud in their
church discipline How do YOU expect
them to unite for any such object? If
you take the smaller sects, You must
unite some fifteen 10 make majority.
and must take such dscor,lnnt materials
a the Quaker the jew. the Universal.
isi. the Unitarian. the Tunker. and the
Swedenhorgian. Does any one suppose
it possible TO alake these harmouise
If not. there can be no union of church
and State. Your committee know of
no denomination Of Christians who wish
for such union. They have had their
existence in the voluntary system, and
wish II To continue The sentiment of
the whole body of American Christians
Is against union with the State 4
great change has been wrought is this
respect. Al the adoption of the con,ii-
tuition, we believe every Siatc--ccriain-
ly ten Of the thirteen provided as
rcgularI y for the support Of the church,
as for the support Of the government
one, Virginia, had the system of tilhcs.
Down to the Revolution. every colony
did sustain religion in some form. II
was deemed peculiarly proper that The
religion of liberty should be upheld by
a free people Had the people, during
the Revolution, had suspicion of any
attempt 10 war against Christianity.
that Revolution would have been
siranslrd in il. cradle. At the time of
the adoption of the constitution aud the
amendments. the universal sentiment,
was that Christianity should be cncour-
aged-not any one sect, Any aifcmp,
Ia level and discard all religion. would
have been viewed with universal indie-
nation. The object was not 10 subsii.
tutc Judaism, or Mahommedanism, or
nfdelliy, but to prevent rivalry among
sccls TO the exclusion Of others. The
result OF The change above named j.,
that now there is not a single State
that, as State, support, The gospel. --
la 1916 Ccunccticui repealed her law
which was passed 10 sustain the church
aud in 1888, Massachusetts wipcd
from her slaiu,c-book the last
law on the subject that existed
in the whole Union. Every one will
notice that this j. very great change
to be made in so short "A period - great
er than, We believe. WIS ever before
made in ecclesiastical affair. IN Co year,
without a revolution or some great con.
ynl'ion Th.a change has been made
silently and noi-le-sly, with the consent
nnd wish OF all parlie.. civil aud rcligi-
ous. From lli, Il will be- sven that the
tendency Of the times Is not to an nn.uu
Of Church and State, bot I, deciiedly /
and strongly hearing IN an opposite d. 4
rcclion. Every tie is ,undercd and /
here Is no wish on either side 10 have ]
the bond renewed. II seem. 10 ns thai 4
be men who would raise The cry Of dan I
ger IN tins state Of things, would cry
'ife on The 39ih day Of general dclnge.
II there be no constitutional objection
and no danger. why should not the of.
bee be c',BiinuedY II is objected that
Ne pay money from the treasury Ior
hi. Office fhis l. certainly true, and
equally true IN regard to the Sergeant.
" Arms and the Doorkeeper. Who. with
he chaplain ARE appointed under the
General authority 10 organize the House.
Judge Thompson chairman 81 ihi. Com.
n'liee 10 the 3lst Congrrss. in very
'blr report on Tbs subject. said that II
De cot Of Chaplsins 20 Congress. we're
.quaily dnide'i among he people, i
sosid noi be- annually more ihan ibe
uo-hundreih pan u QUE cent 10 each