The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-09-28

""S eoHiiueu IL "u eoiieiiihS IL pom tne au-
thorities of a minority church. 1t yields the
power of the State into the hands ola grasp
ping, spiritual sovereign, not selected by the
people nor recognized by the Constitution.
But for the sake Of the argument let US
admit in this instance the exercise of reading
The Bible was an 'act of worship" Still its
use there does not conflict with the Sd Arti-
Gle of the Bill of Rights, as We interpret it.
Mark the phraseoloey of the first clause
That all men have natural ard ina!ienable
right to worship Almighty God, according to
the dictates of their own conscince and un-
derstanding, as IN their opinion shall be req
alated by the word Of God" The right of
all TO worship God according to their own in
,erpretation of the Bible is recognized. Now
if all men have the right to worship God ac-
cording to their own Interpretation of the
Bible, does the worship of God by the use of
the Bible conflict with the Sd Article of the
Biz Of Rights 1t will be observed that the
res1rcted,-"tts ii their opinion stall be reg
Hlc'ed by the word of God" 1t can have no
other meaning unless We regard the clause
'as in their opinion" &C., as surplusage. But
by a rule Of legal Interpretation, every word
snail have meaning, leaving no useless
words. If the trainers of this Article had
wished to have acknowledged the right of un-
restricted worship, they would have used no
restrictive clause. BY q strong implication
! the rish; to worship God in any other way
than is regulated by the word of God is de-
MED. But, it may be urged that the phrase
word Of God includes the Douay as well as
the English version. As well may it include
the Alcoran, which Mohamedans believe to
be the "word of God" There are certain
rules to direct in constituting particular words
and phrases, among which is the following
"Words must be construed according to their
popular sense, and popuI II sense referred to
muot be general and not mere local usage"
Now in what general sense is the phrase
word of God" used in this country Is
not the English Bible always understood, ex-
cept when the phrase "Douay Bible" is used?
Two thirds of the citizens of Vermont do not
know that there is such work as the Douay
Bible. Not one in ten thousand but know
Of the English Bible. Again, in the inter-
probation Of legal document, we are to con-
sier the surroundings Of lis authors. I'VE
are to look solely at The language illuminco
by the light of all the circumstances there
surrounding" 10 suppose ourselves stand
ing where stood its authors Alluson must
have been made to some particular book
Was ii the original Hebrew Bible, or the
Greek or Latin translation Was it not the
translation which all discordint sects of
Christianity except Catholics recognize as the
word of God ," Allusion must have been
made to it, for at the time this Article was
drafted there were not Papists enough in
Vermont to form a "corporal's guard" ard it
NAV well be doubted, if within the limits of
the State single copy Of the Douay Bible
could have been found.
But il is not upon this clause of the Ar,i-
Gle that the Secretary relies. He puts no in
depreciation upon it. Indeed, he wholly iS
-nores it, Following that already quoted, ,and
separated from it by semicolon, the Article
reads. "and no man ought or Of right can be
compelled to attend any religious worship, or
erect OF support any place of worship, or
maintain any minister contrary to the die
tatcs of his own conScience'-as IN his opu.-
ION snail be rcyHlated by the word Of God.
1t will be observed that the italicised clause
is an Interpolation of my own. But is it not
clearly implied q? To render this member of
the sentence consistent with the preceding,
there iii an absolute necessity to understand
ali el!ipsis. For the first clause, by strong
implication, denies the right to worship in
any other way tian "as in their opinion shall
be regulated by the sword of Cod If the
second acknowledges the right to worship un-
restricted: and it does if its meaning be no
man shall under any circumstances be COM
PEELED to attend religious worship it contra.
diets the first. Again, if the second be con-
strued unqualified, it is repugnant to itself
f,,r poDn l,fo IoI 10 Of
tend religious worship, then the phrase ICON
| trary to the dictates Of his own conscience
is without meaning. But We have seen that
when consistent with the spirit of docu
: ment ''every word shall have a meaning, lea
t wing no useless words"
This Interpretation is demanded by tn,
2 phraseology of the first member; it renders
! with the first. BY it each part is made t,
!. harmonic with the other, giving the who'll
: article a meaning, in no Way repugnant t.
e the genera! principles of our government
c With the other Interpretation, it is a bundl
). of Inconsistencies and contradictions"
! If it be admitted, and the phraseology
: Inconsistent with any other conclusion, tha
/ the State has reserved the right to regulat
s religious worship, is it unreasonable to say
r since the Bible is the only authority in spin
J. itua! matters recognized by the Constitution
d that its authors designed to reserve to th
Il State the right to regulate religious worshi,
It using the Bible as each shall interpret it fo
Y himself. as standard. l 10 not say thu