The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-09-07
PRESCRIPTION BECAUSE OF RELI-
GJON

btoN.
The following from the n. Y. Express. is
an admirable answer to those who arc con-
stanty talking about the principles of the
American party having tendency 20 pro.
scribe a man on account of his religion. I'm.
der the head We have placed above the Ex-
press says:
1Nis is the cuckoo cry of n great many
unthlnking, but echoing men against the
American party, which is warr!ng with Para.
cWuot Catholicism. Papacy, that is allesi.
ance to the Pope OF Rome, is one thing, and
Catholicism is altogether another.
what man thinks Of "Couicssion," ,""Tran.
substantiation," "Purgatory," "Nunncries,"
"Al0nasteries," is his own business, not ours;
nay, what hc thinks of the Pope of Rome is
also his business, and not ours-until he
wishes to become IN American citizen, and
10 snare with us in the partnership of this
Government-when il does become our bust.
ness to know, wheiher he, our partner in this
government, owes allegiance to The Roman
Potentate, or TO the Government of the State
Of New York and the United States Of Amer.
lea. Partners in Government, thus divided,
| owing double alIegiances to conflicting soy-
ereigns, cannot, it is certain, transact business
III Government together--and hence, e,thcy had
better never begin to try.
| Everybody assents to all this "but," says
the Roman Catholic, Il owe nothing but
SPIRITUAL ALLEGIANCE to the Pope" This
has ever been Greek to us, and we could read
Greek too, in our earlier days, with some IA
ciity, but the more we read this Papa Greek,
the older we grow, and the harder becomes
the understanding of such an absuriity.-
"The Pope" says the Roman Catholic, in
substance, "has my spirit, my soul, but not
my body" Now, ii the Catholic would only
| give his spirit to his his own country, as the
rest Of us do the Pope might have his TEN
roralities and his body in welcome, the spirit
| OF Il man, in our estimate, being OF far more
Importance to have, than any of his tempora-
! ry possessions, or even his body. Indeed the
Pope may have any mans temporal allegiance,
if he will only give his spiritual allegiance
to his country. He who owns the mind, the
spirit, the soul OF II man, owns all man
hath.
papacy, then, Papal allegiance, not Cath
olcisnl, is what We quarrel with. Man or
woman may worship the Virgin Mary till
doomsday, or believe in the immaculate Con-
ception," or confess wives or husbands Sc
crets to the priest-if they choose-and we
can vote for, eject to office, and consent to be
governed by such men. We, may have in
them that sort Of confidence, and love, by
which we can trust them in anything and
everything, when they act of their own free
wills, under the inspiration of their own con.
sciences, ard by the conclusion Of their own
Judgment; but if Il conscience in Rome, 1000
miles of, is to rule then--if Roman iudr.
ment is TO be our judgment--ani Roman
VIII the will over us--we demur to the
partnership and TO the sphserviency. The
allegiance OF Americans to Il Roman Poten-
tate is not the allegiance Of IN American
citizen.
10 priests--Cntholie pri.eis-to thai,
chnrches-their eremoncs-their burning
candles-their kstn masscs--thcir rosaries
and breriarles-we may not object. ThC
dashing magnltlcencc OF their ceremonies ma,
be useful, may be necessary, peyhabs, 20 over
awe, and elevate the ugthinkinr mind of Iris!,
Spanish, or Italian multitudes. But to
priest sent from Rome, independent of US al
not Of u, uor showing us, nay-owin.
temporal and spiritual allegiance in all ma,
tiers of faith and practice to II Roman Fotcn
tate, We do demur. That stupendous HE,
, avhy, Of which the Holy Father is the head
and whieh dic tales 4 priest from austria {,
the United States, from Spain 10 Chit. from
the East Indies 10 the West Indies s,is'a de.
potism We will NOT. If we can beI, n snbr,f
10. We NAV So love our own saIf.cLosa =
priest. that we NAV he willinfr our Wv. nm
daurhters shall enter hi. conf,.sio,nI ,I,n".
lin 10 Ijnnnd breotho hi. atteniiyo'" "'V, ~,