The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-12-14
PROTEsTANTISM THE RELIGION OF
THE UNITED STATES.

The most effective objection, so far as the
popular mind is concerned, against the Sab
bath laws, is, that they are, as the " Free
Germans express it, violation OF the con-
stitutional rights and religious liberty OF the
people. Il is assumed that the separation
between the church aud the state which pre-
walls universally in this country, and the pro-
vision, found IN most of our State COnstitn-
tions, that no man shall be molested for his
religious principles, and no religious profes-
sion shall be required as y qualification for
office, forbid the enactment of such laws.
Those who do not believe in the Sabbath, or
even in Christianity, Jews, and infdels Of
every grade, say they have precisely the same
rights under the Constitution as any Protest
ant Christian. Ifa man choose to labor or to
dance on the Lords day, no one has the right
10 interfere with him. And if any set OF men
choose to run their cars or steamboats, on
that day, il is declared 20 be an act OF MUS
tice for the government to prevent 1t. ln
reference TO this plausible objection we would
saw, that this is Christian and Protestant
country. That the people have not only the
right, but are bound in conscience. TO act on
the principles Of Protestant Christianity,
not only in their capacity OF individuals, but
as government, in all cases in which such
Christianity affords rule for individual or
governmental action. That in so acting, no
violence is offered to any mans constitutional
rights or natural liberty.
rhi, is Protestant and Christian country.
1t was originally constituted by Protestant
Christians. They were not only the first
settlers, but they constituted almost the only
element Of our population FOR the first hun
dred wears of our history, winch was the
forming period Of our national existence.
These progenitors nf our country being Pro-
tesiant Christians, not only each Tor himself
wor.hipped God. aud his Son Jesus Christ as
the Saviour Of the wnrld. aud acknowledged
the Scriptures to be the rule Of his faith and
practice but he introduced his religion into
his family. lie associated with Others Tor
the public service Of God. The people alb
stained from all ordinary business on the
Lords Day, and devoted IT to religion. They
built churches, erected schools, taught the
children tu read, aud obey tie Bible as the
word nf God. they lormed themselves as
Chri,;ians into municipal and state organtza'
/ tons, they acknouleiged Gnd in their legis-
latiyc assemblies; th prescribed oathsi liis
name they closed their courts, their place:
of business, their legislature, and all places
under public control, on the Lords DAY
rncy declared the common law OI Enganh
| 0C which Christianity j. the basis, 10 bc tine
Law OF the land In this way we grew TO b,
/ a Protestant Christian nation, by the same
general law that IN acorn becomes an OAK
When emigrants WIN are neither Pfotesiant'
nor Christians come to the Country, theg are
either perfectly assimilated and absorbed, a
the rlvulets which flow into the Mississippi
are lost in its mighty waters or, from wan
81 cCngcnialty, they mingle with ", but are
not completely uf Us; as branch oi one KIM
of tree NAV be engrslted upon a tree Of I
different kind. without altering the nature o.
! the sustaining stem. Sometimes the diiirr
ence i ~ great as to forbid even this paFlia
i assimilation aud these uncongenial elements
become warts aud excrescences on the bod,
pnliiic. This is the csse with the lnhtans
the Mnrmons. aud the Chinese IN California
+ Itis with our religious as Il - with our ethni
cal development. The great majority OF th'
settlers in thi. country were ron Grea
Britain. They brought with them the Englisi
language, English literature. laws, ideas
feelings, and domestic social usages. The'
grew up. therefore. essentially an Engl.s'
people. aud they 80 remain 10 this day. Ih'
accession 10 our population from othr
sources. does not change our clinical charac
ter. Our Language. laws, and institution
are as much English a. they we're a hundred
wears ago. Germans. French, Irish, Danes
and Nurwegians. 10 Tie course Of genera
ticn or twu. are merged indistinguishably in
10 the mass Of the English speaking an'
English feeling population. Not less palpa
blc il the Protestant Christian character 9
our nation. II is what Il i brcan'e i y tn
development Of a germ Of Protestant Christi
anity, This is an outstanding historical
. fact. Ii can not be changed BY denying 4
. by poohpoohiug il. o. By cursng it. Iher,
stands an oak, because an acurn was planted
And we stand Protestant Christian nation
, because God planted Protestant christian ,i.i
, 4 ne national gem on this western cont