The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1865-04-01

and concrete world in which we live, and the
other belongs to things beyond our reach Of sen
sation. The former belongs 10 this life the lat
ter TO that which Is to come. Men who perfectly
agree upon the advantages Of protection Of life
and property, differ as widely as possible as to
the manner of securing their weli-being here
after. Now we say that before a church be al
lied 10 a State. we want 10 have Ii proved that
such addition be necessary. To attain the essen
tial end Of government, We want TO have II
proved that the State has means superior 10 thuse
of private individuals, by which 70 Judge what
particular religion or sect may be most agreeable
70 God. and the essential end proposed. If this
cannot be shown "a slight matter Of omission,
recommended 10 . His Holiness" for his next
81. letter. } it has no more to do with the govern
mcnt than the trade Of shoe-making. Indeed,
we cannot see for the life of us what the mysteri-
ous doctrines Of the Nicine Creed have 70 do
with the Budget or army and navy estimates.
We think We have disposed Of the first pro-
position. The second proposition. that the TEN
poral power should enforce the spiritual power,
Il but . necessary consequence of the preced-
ing; and rests upon the same basis,-the govern
ment having chosen a religion ways and means
Of 50 doing unknown it must enforce conform
ity but unluckily for His Holiness, force might
deprive him Of as many adhcrents as He might
otherwise gain. When you put aside argument
and sound reasoning for persecution, it is Just as
easy to rack a Papist into Mahometanism, as a
Protestant into Romanism. IF a government is
bound TO profess a religion, it certainly is bound
70 suppress hcresy and false doctrine, be it by
burning or the sword. VIII you punish a man
who steals 4 dollar, and acquit him who robs the
Creator of his honor? At the same time will
you punish i poor kanaka for riding in an I'M
ruly manner through the streets, and Yet be IN
able to summons before any tribunal the wealthy
miser who has amassed a million, but has Just
allowed an old friend and benefactor to die Of
starvation in Q work-house?
The truth is, these matters belong 20 two diff
ferent orders Of things. The government has
the fullest and most undoubted right to punish
thieves who steal real tangible dollars, but has
no mission or business TO NEEDLE with any ques-
ton of Theology. Whether The Father be
cunsubstantial' or not, IS 4 mere matter Of dis
cussion, properly reserved to the interested. The
evil of unruly riding, TO the detriment Of His
Majcsty's subjects, is an evil against which the
government can protect It's, but heartlessness be-
longs 10 the moral order, and is a matter of con-
science. So much for the second proposition.
The third proposition is enough to make one
really ashamed of the nineteenth century's repre-
Pontif.
Fortunately the sacred right Of the liberty of
conscience is in no danger, though we are told
that it is no more nor less than - delerium."
Fortunately in the sacred tribunal of conscience,
no intruder can with sacrilegious STEPS force an
entrance, and fortunately that best Of rights has
been purchased at SO dear a rate, that it is more
secure to us than the proudest d~ynasties on earth.
than sacrifice it. many men would
spurn existence as a burden too great to bear,
md rush to death as a deliverence from a pande-
nonium that needed but one more evil to make it
and that evil p~rivation Of liberty of
onscience."