Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-07-26
Church and State.

@<ScJOf We AOOOAhA1Oh0 W VIZ oRS~s.
tive perusal of our readers. 1t embodies til
opinions of dispassionate men who hey'
studied the true theory and purposes of gov
eminent
SEcTARIAN Legislation To-
or against sects is hostile to the genius o
American institutions. 1t could only be lie
lvised by an enemy at heart to our country
and is purely mschievous whether boldly
avowed in statutes or smuggled in by judicia'
decisions declaring it to belong to "the unwrlt-
ten common law''-that convenient house Of
refuge for dirty ptejudices. The American
governments, Federal and State, have to do
only with individuals; they should not recog-
nize sects or churches A Congressional act
in favor of wheat growers and against wheat
grinders would not be a more fragrant outrage
than one aimed at either Catholics or Protce~
tants. and favoring the OH sr ~.
40 sect on Religion exists ii this countsS
|by liberation. Not one is supplicant for the
right of residence. While the nations of
Europe offer only 50 much liberation as is
compatible with the safety of the State
Church, America offers full religious liberty
to all The doctrine of toleration belongs to
the old world; not to the new, which prefers
the grander one of equality of right. In
countries like England dissenting sects grow
punily up, like plants under the upas tree.
In the United States there no dissenting
sects, and all grow up, good and bad together,
like wheat and cheat in the same field The
founders of our institutions knew that the
people would winnow the true from the false,
and that the bad grain would always bear but
oll r.. tho mod
1t is true that the idea of "Church and
State" was at one time half admitted in
America. The early immigrants practised in
their turn what they had suffered from in the
old world. They inflicted punishments for
opinions sake, while protesting great liberal
ism. William Penn himself was inclined to
establish an inquiry into religious opinions,
and have theological tests for settlers. The
Connecticut Puritans imposed fine of FIVE
pounds on every person who should give a
bed and shelter to a Quaker, an Adamite or
Ranter; and the Plymouth Rock men, who
came over to "seek freedom to worship God, -
exiled, fined and imprisoned certain dissent
ers from their faith. But these violations of
religious liberty were justified, not on propo-
gandist grounds, but on reasons of public
order. The Quakers, &C., it was said, showed
a malicious spirit in coming to disturb the
Puritans, when the new world was broad
enough for them to go and establish society
of their own elsewhere; if they would come
into a community of different religion, it was
under an implied contract to keep their
tongues quiet. In most of the colonies, prior
to 1776, there was a sort of State religion,
more or less clearly recognized. Virginia
erected Episcopacy into an establishment !;
Catholic Maryland and Protestant South Car
olina mentioned the Christian religion" in
their Constitutions; North Carolina and Mas
sachusetts the Protestant" while Penn
sylvania and Delaware stipulated for belief
in "the inspiration of the Scriptures of the
Old and New Testaments"
But these relics of the old-world system
were all swept away by the profound discus
sions and awakened nationalism of the revo-
lutionary period The governmental was
separated from the religious idea The func
ton of the Stlte was single, not double. Our
national eagle had but one head, not two, as
in Austria The business of th3 State was
reduced to keeping the peace and protecting
the rights of individuals, and acting for few
interests common to all. 1t did not under
take to furnish the people with any theolog-
ical ideas whatever. 1t would not inquire
either into their religious doctrines, it refrain
ed from inquiring whether he was mon
archist or republican 1t left each man at
liberty to think as he pleased, aud the peo-
pie at liberty to select for Congressional of
fee any citizen they might think capable,
/ leaving them to decide whether his religious
or political opinions were sound. Its proper
sphere was the maintenance Of order, the pre-
vention of encroachment on rights, the pre-
servation of the principle Of equality. The
national Constitution constrains no conscience;
it allows an officer-elect either to take an oath
or affirm, under the pains and penalties of per.
jury, provided he wishes to obey the com
mand, Sl0ear not at all;;'' it prohibits Con.
gress from prefering any religion it likes
or expressing any religion it dislikes.-
The Mussulman and the Hindoo are as fre,
and eligible, under our Government as tn,
Shaker, the Israelite, the Methodist or thu
Baptist.
Among all the State Constitutions, ther
are only four that hint at theological tests o
any kind. Pennsylvania and Delaware stat
negatively the general doctrines of the exist
ence of God and future state of rewards ant
punishments, doctriues belonging TO natura
religion-and, by implication, they give tn
right to the Legislature to make belief i
them essential to holding office. a clause i
the Maryland Constitution may be construe
into exclusion from office of all but Jews an
Christian; and the North Carolina Constitu
ton makes incompetent every "person VIII
4 shall deny the Being of God or the trut
of the Christian religion, or the divine al
thority of the old and new Testament,
who shall hold religious principle incompat
/ BILE with the freedom or safety of the State
e We wonder that North Carolina did not ca
: the climax of folly, by depriving of the elec
i've franchise every person holding politic
opinions incompatible with the welfare
the State, and establishing an inquisitori
;, court for probing opinions, The exception
i prove how firmly founded in American la
!, is the principle that religious tenets do n
u fall within the range of State action.
! This is as it should be. Men have mu
: dered each other long enough for differene
= on theological points. They have been glad
ators, fighting for masters, who looked
: from the boxes, while lolling on purple Gus
= ions, and it was time that a sovereign peop
! should throw its scepter into the arena, al
- command the slaughter to cease.
is The American system ignores the peculi
a doctrines of every sect. We 60 farther, al
d say, it ignores the sects themselves. 1t dc
re not negative or deny them. 1t is as forei
% to theological tenets as a bank, or a poll
re force or an insurance company, having
own duties in we'll defined sphere. 1t m
prescribe certain rules to limit the power
!, individuals and corporations, and prevent tbs
y from becoming dangerous to the rest of
he community, but this must be without ref
a, ence to their views. 1t may prevent an
n cumulation of property by sects, on the pr
ciple which leads it to forbid entails of r,
=, estate. These arc civil regulations, and I
IN to be objected to. From a regard to decen
s. and good order, it may punish maligns
a. abuse of persons on account of their faith,
on of any faith, with design to outrage tho
ng who profess it or disturb the public peace.
D. This is based on the same reason with la
III 10 punish libel. But it will be sad day
'rt our country, when any religious persuasi
as shall be held to tolerate Others; when a
ne department of government, whether edu,
Ve tional or executive, shall be wrested from