St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1862-05-01
- LEONARD TOWN MD. THURsDA MORNING 1852

supererogatory addition not to commit
treason. A man cannot support the Con-
stitntion and ut the same time commit
treason. SOlennizing marriage is a re-
ligious duty; so held by all the ministers
who perform it. The Catholics hold the
rite of matrimoDy a sacrament (others SO
hold baptism) instituted By Christ. and by
Him invested with oil the sacrcdness in
its order that belongs to the others. 1t
is regarded by them, as by all other de-
nominations, as a religious act; and as
citizens of the Commonwealth. their rights
under the Constitution ought not to be
diminished or interfered with by unneces-
sary and annoying requirements.
10 this abridgment Of their rights the
clergy may become justly alarmed, bcliev-
ing that tliis test oath may become the
en,ssrEg wedge to others that may be en-
acted with as much reason. restricting
them in the full and free exercise Of all
lother religious rights. BY this danger
Gus precedent all others may be swept
SWAY from them. Cannot the Legisla-
ure. following The same policy, with as
lnuch pr"priety require similar cath be-
forc any other religious rite can be per-
rite of baptism, the burial
service. the holy communion, or any ether
religious duty enjoined in the different
systems and modes of worship? Why
not, with the same proprictv, require
them to take the oath before they can be
permitted t" preach from the pulpit? Why
not. with the same pr"pricty, discriminate
between Catholics and Protestants For.
not many years ago, the spirit Of intol-
erance and religious persecution was so
rife in our country that 4 powerful party
was formed upon the idea. that their faith
was inconsistent with our institutions, and
which threatened for time the destruction
of their church, and, as believe, Of the
Constitution
Ii the right exists, and it be good policy
to administer these oaths to all the clergy
as class precedent To the performance of
this duty. may it not, with equal proprie-
ty, be claimed that you can discriminate
between sthe various denominations of
Christians, aud may not the protc stants
impose test oaths on Catholics, or the
Catholics upon the Proie>tants, if they
happen to have political power, or the
Protestants, as they widely differ in thcir
political opinions, impose them upon cacL
other, under the caprice or prejudice OF
the hour? think the principle aud poll
cy all wrong. and dangerous i'll the ex-
trcme. therefore object to the bill
First-Becausc it strikes class Of our
citizens. and that the best and most self
sacrificing of our citizens, as class
whose duties have no connections with
politics, aud who are the ministers Of
God, to attend TO our spiritual welfare. /
would not make this political question
Ii the bill becomes a law. it cannot be
avoided; and while | do not believe it will
do amy good i'll any view [ can take Of it,
fear il will produce additional bitterness
and strife, especially at this time, when
all our effort. should be directed to soothe
and allay the terrible excitement now rag
ing throughout the land. Let us render
unto Caesar the things that are Caesars,
and unto God the things that are Gods,
the spirit of our institutions
Second. 1t is partial and unequal; an
imputation upon the clergy, proceeding
upon the erroneous idea, | believe, that
the clergy. as class, are disloyal--no
such test being required of other civil Of
fccrs who have the right to so!cmuizc mar
riage.
Third object to it because the SOL
emnization of marriage by a minister is
purely religious ordinance. so far as the
minister has any relation to it. He is not
in any real sense, a civil officer in the
transaction the civil government makes
use of him merely as convenience in eff
fectiug and proving a civil contract al
ready made by the parties interested
through the clerk of the county court. and
therefore, has not heretofore required of
him the oath administered to civil officers. |
What he does in solemniziug marriage is
as purely an ordinance of worship as ad-
ministering baptism, or burial Ct The dead, /
or the Eucharist. or conducting any re-
ligious service. In proof of this, We need
only appeal to the fact that in the Roman
Catholic Church the solemnizing of mar
riage is a sacrament, just as much as bap-
tism in other churches. In Protestant
churches the order for the sclemnizing of
marriage, whilst not a sacrament, is vet a
part of the ritual of worship. In the
Presbyterian Church, it is founl in their
church government, as you will find it in
that of the other church ordinances, as the
baptism, confirmation, and
the burial of the dead. 1t seems TO me,
therefore, to be Just as proper to enact
that ministers of the Gospel .hall not aL-
minister baptism, or confirmation, or bury
the dead, except on first taking a test oath
to the civil government, as not to solelan-
nize marriage.
Fourth IF it be insisted that marriage
be also a civil contract, and the minister
civil officer in effecting the contract, The
answer is obvious The State cannot
know ministers Of the Gospel as such, but
only as class Of citizens, to whom, as
matter of'conyen1ence, aud cut Of respect
fa,tip.v