Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-04-15
RFIIGInUS FREEDoN.

as the JgTen0S, anu the aoetUV'S Vi AN0'5
tolerance as the ENEMIES, of mankind The reason
is obvious. The peace and prosperity Of every ma
ton has depended more upon the freedom OIL re-
e:ous opinion than upon any single cause The
peaceful pursuit OF Agriculture the mother OF me
Manufacturing Interest because the producer oil It's
material, has always been more ardentiy and
successfully protected by tolerant than BY an IN
tcIeran. nolicy The Orthodox and the Hereto
csz plow and weave, if they do not stop to
yvranole and Geht. The discoveries in Science and
Art have ever advanced or been retarded accord
ing as this policy has been preserved or hindered.
Education and human elevation resulting therefrom
have owed their origin and their triumphs TO the
freedom of the religious mind. For all minds can
think and deyelope the useful and beautiful results
Of thought when not enslayed by an unnatural
authority or when not diverted to the construc-
ton of societies and the adoption of measures that
exult over the misfortunes Of the servile and de-
pressed. And so also the most pure and ennobliDg
forms Of religion have ever been the most liberal
The days of Roman grandeur were the days Of Re-
ligious federation. The days of her decline and
fall were the days of djscord and persecution
warred against sect and the strife developed and
nursed the most foul and brutal passions That
dreadful period was charaoteristcaly denominated
the dark ages or leaden eras of the world The
darkness Of that midnight of human prospects was
not penetrated until men, suffering under injury
and wrong, arose in the majesty Of their God Ike
strength and hurled the usurpers from the Throne
of Thought and broke the chains that for ages had
lettered the free mind of man. 1t was to be ex-
pected thai sach men, ike prisoners freed would
Ut least for time madly use their natural powers
and by force expect to propagate peaceful Re-
hgon. But every such effort on the part Of Prot
estant governments has reacted upon themselves,
and just far retarded the freedom and progress Of
the world We need not review the leuds Of the
Sixteenth Century for examples. They are familiar
TO every student Of modern history. But that an
example for profitable reflection may be before the
reader, we viii present a specimen Of the "Acts Of
Religious federation" from the statute books Of
Protestant England 1t will be easy to see the
working of such legislation ever since, and perhaps
it may serve as a warning; as the inevitable tend
ency Of every such effort to protcribe q class Of
men for tier religious faiths however ninical that
class may be TO the prejudices of the dominant
power.
William III has been justly regarded as toler-
ant Prince. The brightest part Of his character
was manifested in bis efforts in the great cause of
Religious Freedom. He procured the " Acts of
Toleration, and fer his efforts in this behalf was
charged with The current objection to al efforts Ct
this character. We mean--an Indifference 10 re-
lieion AL ntolerant men regard the more toler-
ant as Indifferent because not possessed Of lanat-
cal zeal enl inhuman prejudice against those from
whom they diiIar. And not unfreguently is it the
case that honest men aud true patriots have
base fear of such accusations, forgetting iAat they
have been used by tyrants and fanatics Of all ages,
and are the last agencies Of their power. To stg-
matze with terms Of reproachis the last resort OF
those who fail with the sword and the stake
The federation Act which William procured was
passed by the English Parliament, bat it should
never be forgotten that it could not have been pass
ed without an addition olpenalties against Papists
Arians and Socinians-the first being stigmatized
as enemies to the State, and toe latter as enemies
to God; as if God needed lhair protection against
the views some Of his creatures had chosen to take
of what all admitted to be an inexplica5le Trinity.
The act ran as follows:
"If any Papist, Bishop or Priest, whatsoever, shall
say mass or exercise any other part Of the office
function CT a Popish Bishop or Priest within these
realms; or if any Papist shall keep school or take
upon themselves the education or government or
boarding Of youth ia any place within this realm,
every such person shall on conviction, be adildged
to perpetual Imprisonment See third clause 18th
and 18th William, chapter 4,h.
By the sixth clause Of the same Ect, we see that
if-any person should be convicted of sending his
child abroad 10 be educated in tie Romish Re- !
ligion, he was to forfeit one hundred pounds By
the fourth clause, if Papst took not the oath of
Supremscy-whch Papst could not take and !
be a Papist-he was disabled and made incapable
to inherit and prevented from purchasing lands, !
&c. In the latter case the lands were to go to the
next Of kin who was Protestant. It was under
this act that Sir THOMAS MOORE and Bishop |
FISHER were beheaded because they could not take
the oath. So much for Papists.
Let Us turn to the Ariaas Socinians &c Tie
Act of tie 9.h and 10th of William declares, THAT
if any person having been educated in the Christian
Religion (which meant the Church Es tablishmenO
within this realm shall by writing printing, teach
ing or advised speaking deny shy one of the per
sons in the Holy Trinity to be God or shall deny
the Christian Religion to be true, or tie Holy
Scriptures Of the Old and New Testaments to be
of divine authority, such person shall, for the first
offence be disabled from enjoying any Office, ecrle
siastical civil military and fla second time con-
victed, "shal from theuceforth be disabled TO sue,
prosecute, plead, or use any action or information
in any Court of Law or Equity; or to be guardian
of any child, or executor or administrator of any
person, or capable of any legacy or deed of gift,
forever within the realm"
This is Protestant legislation 10 preserve the
Liberties 0. England and the purity Of Religion
like these show that the spirit of intolerance
is the same-wbether in the Paral o. Protestant
Church. Give ouy church the power and it will
make the same use oft. Americans, free Ameri-
cans, and all true friends Of humanity everywhere,
loathe such prescription, let it come from whatever
source. So long as the civil and religious liberties
of mankind shall be as they have ever been. the
greatest subjects ofa worthy history. the pripci-
pie of prescription viii be execrated as fepdisb I
and brutal The intelligence, prosperity and han
pness of every people depend upon that exeera- q
lion.
1t would be aippant monotony, such as pedants
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