Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-02-28
Infldeli,r in Ma..achuset,s.

kof allowing infdels to testify The yeas and nays
were then ordered the question Of reeommltting
the subject to the Judiciary Committee, with IN
structions to report bill expressive OF the sense OF
the House, and it was thought that the majority
would dwndle away like the late snow. But quite
the contrary was the case. On Tuesday, the re.
commitment was ordered by vote OF POS 10 20, the
most decisive vote ever had on the question.
The instructions are, in substance, to report bill
providing substantially that no person shall be
deemed an incompetent witness because of ms opn.
ions religion, but that evidence may be given OF
athcstic opinions as test of credblily, and a,he.
lists be admitted to testify subject to the pains and
penalties of perjury. This is not quite so bera a.
it should be- but it is probably much as could be
carried through at this time The opposition to
liberal ideas does not from the clergy, or from
religious men of any standing but from lawyers who
have found their account in excluding ree'thinkes
from the witness-box."
+ Atheists and infdels then, are to be allowed to
give testimony in the courts Of ,acbusetts,-the
Bible and its sacred teachings to be set aside;
and witnesses, if they swear falsely, are to incur
merely human punishment Noafpeai TO be taken
to Almighty God, the omniscient witness Of truth
and aveneer OF fnlsehood; but property and life are
to be rendered dependent the word of n Goddess
and ChriseSs creature, governed by his own inter
ests and deferred from perjury only by the punish
ment which may he inflicted on him by creatures as
dcpraved as himself "This is not quite so liberal
as it should be" says this writer, but he evidently
lives in hope that the day is not distant when the
Bible itself will be considered fable, and treated
accordingly in purtanical, anti slavery Massachu-
Sets "The opposition" we are also cool!y inform
ed, "does not come from tie Clergy, from any
ligous Of any standing, but from the lawyers"
We knew that majority OF the people of Massa.
chuselts were very far gone il this respect, but
confess we were not prepared for this. Judging by
the large vote in the House in favor Of the insruc
tons referred to. ard by what we all know of the
character of many of her clergy it is apparent that
the poison of infdelty is in all the arteries and
limbs Of that virtuous, Christian State. And
yet Massachusetts, is dotted all over with school.
houses and Churches. The great business OIL pco-
pie appears to be ogct and spread knowledge, and to
save their souls and having made, as they think,
much progress in this business they even find
time and means to devote to the work of enlightcn
ing, reforming, and saving others. Truly, the
sect of the Phalsees will exist always-with this
difference, however, that the Pharsees of old,
though possessed Of much inferior means of engh-
tenmcnt were better every way than these canting
snivelling, three cent Massachusetts Pharisces.-I
Why, it stated, the other day, that con.
gregation in Church in Taunton contributed to
some specific purpose, and when the money
counted out it found to be in dep related Span.
ish quarters and nInepences-thns revealing the
fact that every who had contributed had cheat
cd the Church out of five or tw -and-a.half cents
each. No wonder that the Theodore Parkcrs and
buttons are ministers of the Gospel, and the Bur.
lingames and Summers are members Of Congress
among such people.
A striking evidence of the decay of Christianity
in Massachusetts, is to be seen in the disregard by
the authorities of that State of the federal Constu
ton, which they have sworn to support. They have
not merely neglected to comply with the Constitu
tIon and the requirements of an act of Congress in
relation TO tugtives from their masters, passed in
pursuance of that instrument, but they have DELHI
cracly nullfcd the law, and made it penal offence
in any of their officers to aid in enforcing it, They
have thus broken their lath lemnly pledged by
their ancestors and have furnished tl,cr own honor
before all the world. And yet their schoohouses are
thronged with children, their Churches crowded
with worshippers, and vehicles of intelligence
the million. Their atheism and infdelty are lie.
fined and graceful in their aspects,he head of the
serpent is hid, and the glitter of his folds is only
seen through the flowers that surround him. 1t was
so in Greece and Rome, and it was so in France
when Reason was enthroned as the object most wor.
thy of human alteration. Learning, refinement Of
manners, and luxury in all its varied forms, lent
their enchanment to the picture-but God was not
there!
One prolific cause Of the tendency to infdelity in
the free States, and especially in Massachusetts, is
the secuIarizaton of the clergy Inadcquately paid
as they are for their labors, they look about in all
directions for employment by which to add decent
ly their income. Hence they fall to lectnrng. to
editing, to writing for the magazines, and thus in
vovc themselves in strfts and worldlincss. They
start and stir necessarily isnS Of all inds,--hey
lecture to mixed audiences for few dollars per
evening, they get into politics. ana then into their
State Legislatures and into Congress, where they
are known only for their bigotry and intolcrancc-
Where the leaders of the people in divine things
thus 90 astray, it cannot be well with the people
themselves.
Let us not, however, be misunderstood There is
. much yet in Massachusetts of the stern virtue of
former days. A large minority of her people are
still true to the teachings OF Holy Writ to the re.
gion of their ancestors and to their obligations
as good and loyal citizens. But the canker of evil
doctrines is spreading, and can tell it, or
where, it will be arrested. Know Nothrngsm we
verify believe, has aggravated the social and moral
discord and depravity in that quarter. 1t was in
Massachusetts, that This secret uroscrpiyr nnti.
Christian society at first most eagerly cherish
ed and sustaincd-so much that at Ii me all
the members of her Legislature, but one, belonged
to it. From that, the tran,iton GiAe ihat from
stealing to murder,) was most easy to bLtck RePub
Ecanism and now, there stands the old State-God
hpln hnrl-which Meh.Ier and Everett once served