Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-25

statutes of this kind. The religious intolerance
OF the Pnritans is well known that il seems
the height Of impert;nence for MIR. Sumner and
the New England Society 10 propose their princi-
plies AS the corner stone Of American liberty.
The idea would be laughable if it were not so
true, that radicalism, by arbitrary arrests, sup
preston Of newspapers, and other acts, has al.
ready shown its tendency To the same old Puritan
style of persecution. In MAY, l647, the Puritans
passed law against Roman Catholic ecclesias
tics, providing that sf any person shall give Just
cause for suspicion that he one of such society
or order, he shall be brought before some of the
magistrates and II he cannot free hnneelf Of such
suspicion he should be imprisoned, banished,
and il taken the second time in The jurisdiction.
"he shall be put to death" This is very much
like the modern radical method of dealing with
men, on suspicion of dsloyalty, withour charges.
''You are guilty until you prove Yourself no;
cent is the precise doctrine ofthe radical method
of treating all who oppose their policy.
The laws and practice on the subject of witches
and witchcraft, belonging to later period, are
well known to all men. They may be found in
numerous books, but we do not cite them here.
But the general statutes on the subject of faith
and practice, are worthy of attentive perusal.
the act of 1897 (which was apparently a revision
of former acts,) is remarkable evidence OF
the steadfastness of the colony in their intoler
ant practices. That act provided as follows:
BE il enacted by the Lieutenant Governor.
Council and Representatives. &c. that II any
person shall presume wilIfully to blaspheme the
holy name OF God. Father, Son or Holy Ghost,
either by denying, cursing or reproducing the
true God, bis creation or government of the
world; or by denying, cursng or reproaching the
Holy Word of God, that is the canonical Scrip
tcres contained in the books of the Old and New
Testaments namely, Genesis, Exodus, &c,
(namng each book of the Old Testament to
Malachi. and of the New to Revelations, as in
the other act given beow,) that every one so
offending shall be punished by Imprisonment not
exceeding six mouths. and until they lind sure
ties for their good behavior, by sitting in the
pillory by whipping, boring through the tongue
with red hot iron. or sitting upon the gallows
with a rope about their neck, &c, &c. Provided,
that no more than two OF the forenamed pun
ishments shall be inflicted for one and the same
offence
We suspect there would De a very large num-
Der OF sore tongues in New England to day, if
preaching Against the Trinity or the inspiration
Of Holy Writ were to be punished with the red
hot iron This article, already too much
extended, must conclude with two extracts from
Puritan statute law Here is a specimen of the
"corner stone" which the New England Society
proposes for the nation. Provisions were
acted in 1914, and amended several times. till
in 1852 the law stood on the statute book as fol-
lows: The title is our own.
AN ACT CONCERNING HERETIcs
Although no human power be lord over the
faith and consciences of men. yet because such
as brings in damnable heresies. tending to the
subverson of the Christian faith. and destruction
of the souls of men. ought duly to be restrained
from such notorious impelies:
cit is therefore ordered and declared by the
court, that if any Christian within this jurisdic-
ton shall go about 10 subvert and destroy the
Christian faith and religion. by broaching and
maintaining any damnable heresies: denying
the Immortality of the soul, or resurrection Of
the body, or any sin 10 be repented OF in the re-
generate, .or any evil done by the outward man
to be accounted sin, or denying that Christ gave
himself ransom for our sins or shall affirm
that we are not justified by his death and right
eousness but by the projections OF our own works,
or -hall deny the morality of the fourth CON-
mandment, OF shall openly condemn or oppose
the baptzing of infants or shall purposey depart
the congregation at the administration of that
ordinance. or shall deny the ordinance OF magis
tracy, or their lawful authority, to make war,
to punish the outward breaches of the first table,
or shall endeavor TO seduce others to any of the
errors or hereses above mentioned; every such
person continuing, obstinate therein. after due
means of conviction, shall be sentenced to ban.
ishment
1.-The holy scriptures of the old and new tesla
ment, being written by the prophets, apostles.
and holy nen of God, inspired by the Holy
Ghost. containing in them the nfallible and
whole will OF God. which he purposed to make
known to mankind, both for his own worship and
service. and also for the instruction, obedience,
faith and salvation Of man, which vet by hereticks
in former ages, and now of late have been
oppugned and denied so to be, which tends to
the overthrow of all true religion, and saliva
ton: for the prevention OF so heinous a crime
"lt is ordained by this court and the authority
thereof, that what person or persons soever, pro
Tossing the Christian religion, above the age Of
sixteen years, that shall within this jurisdiction,
Willingly and willingly at any time after the pub
LEGATION of this order, deny either by word or wri
ting. any of the books of the old testament. as
Genesis Exodus. Leviticus. Numbers, Deuteron
omy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Samuel,
Kings, Kings, Chronicles, Chronicles. Ezra, Ne
hemiah. Esther. job, Psalms. Proverbs, Eccles-
astes. Canticles. Isaiah, Jeremiah, lamentations.
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos Obadiah,
4 Jon H. Meth. Nahum, Habak kuk. Zephaniah
Haggai, Zechariah. Malachi or new. as Matthew.
l Mark. Luke. John, Acts. Romans, Corinthians,
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians. Colossians,
/ The,s alonians. Thessalonians. Timothy limo
thy, Titus. Philemon. Hebrews, James, Peter,
/ Peter, John, John, John, Jude, and Rev.
citation, to be the written and intalible word of
God;
Or, if any person as aforesaid, belonging to
this jurisdiction shall commit the said crime up
on the sea, not being or belonging to the jnris
dcton of any other Commonwealth shall he
forthwith apprehended by the next officer Off
Gers, whether marshal or constable. or their dep
uty, who shall have power SO to do by warrant
from any one of the magistrates, and shall be
committed to the prison at Boston. without bail
or m sinprise there to he safely kept till The next
county court. where, upon sufficient testimony
brought against the said delinquent. he shall be
adiadged for his offense, alter legal conviction,
to pay such fine as the court which shall have
cognizAnce of the crime shall JUICE meet. not
exceeding the sum oi fifty pounds. or shall be
openly and severely wbipt BY the executioner,
whether constable or auy other appointed. not
exceeding forty strokes. Unless he shall pubIickly
recant before his sentence (which if he do) he
shall not pay above the 6ne often pounds to the
treasurer for the use oil the commonw eal.h or
be whpt in case he pay not the fine.
"And il is further ordered and enacted, that il
the said offender, after his recantation, sentence
or execution, shall the second time publish and
obstnaiely and peftinseiousiy maintain the said
wicked opinion. he shall be banished or put to
death. as the court shall judge 4, A q
We close with one OF the statutes against
Quakers, enacted 1858, and amended or extended
in 1861 4lh1 ~ lfto fra+
i AN ACT CONCERNING orAKEHs.
where's there Is perncions sect. commonly
called Quakers, lately arisen, who by word and
writing nave published ana maintained many
dangerous and horrd tenets. and do take upon
them to caapge and altar the received laudabe
customs of our nHtion. IN giving civil respect to
equals, or reverence 70 superiors, whose actions
tend to nndermne the authority OF civil govern
ment. also to destroy the order of the churches
hv all al sadf af